News Archives for World - 2021-01-27

<<>>

Europe

France's curfew not slowing COVID-19 infections enough

The data shows that at this time the curfew is not putting enough of a brake on the spread of the virus.
The different scenarios under discussion range from maintaining the status quo to a very strict lockdown, Attal said.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:24pm

Europe

Russian lawmakers approve extension of nuclear arms pact with US

Signed in 2010, the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a cornerstone of global arms control and limits the numbers of strategic nuclear warheads.
"The essence of the agreement is to extend it for five years, as it was signed, without any changes," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Duma.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:24pm

Europe

Paris prosecutor seeks Air France, Airbus trial over deadly 2009 crash

In 2019, French judges dropped charges against the airline and plane manufacturer over the crash, blaming the pilots for losing control of the plane.
French investigators found the crew of AF447 mishandled the loss of speed readings from sensors blocked with ice from a storm.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:31pm

USA

US core capital goods orders rise in boost to business investment

Core capital goods orders increase 0.6% in December.
Core capital goods shipments rise 0.5%.
Durable goods orders gain 0.2%.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:31pm

Africa

COVID-19 has exacerbated South Africa's growth, fiscal vulnerabilities: IMF

"Reining in large fiscal deficits and debt will require containing public wage bill and avoiding ill-targeted subsidies and transfers to inefficient state-owned enterprises," the IMF said.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 08:04pm

Europe

Spanish regions cap COVID-19 vaccinations due to slowing supply

She has to move heaven and earth to make it happen, for Madrid and Spain. Because there are lives on the line.
Its announcement angered some European Union governments and the executive European Commission due to the slow pace of vaccine rollouts in the 27-nation bloc.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

Africa

South African opposition party goes to court to seek vaccine clarity

The government has been accused by health experts, scientists and political rivals of tardiness in procuring vaccines against the new coronavirus - charges it rejects.
Ramaphosa wants a get-out-of-jail-free card by blaming the West for having ordered in time.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

Europe

Europe's top shorted stocks soar on GameStop contagion

Evotec surged as much as 30% in Frankfurt at one point as traders rushed into a stock where the US hedge fund headed by Gabriel Plotkin has built a 6.2% short position.
Melvin is likely to have lost several million dollars on its bearish bets on GameStop after the US videogame retailer jumped seven-fold since mid January.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

USA

Biden pick to head Energy Dept faces Senate confirmation hearing

Granholm led a charge to secure $1.35 billion in federal funding for companies to produce electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries in the state.
We need to be the leader, rather than passive bystanders, or otherwise we're going to allow other countries like China and others we're fighting to be able to corner this market.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

Europe

UK to impose hotel quarantine for returning Britons

Britain has been the hardest hit in Europe from the pandemic, becoming only the fifth country in the world to surpass 100,000 deaths.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 06:38pm

Europe

Brexit: French companies adapt to added costs, delays

The company employs 200 people and has worked on building up its market presence in Britain in recent years.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 06:36pm

USA

YouTube suspends Trump indefinitely, stops Giuliani monetizing clips

According to YouTube, Giuliani will be able to appeal the decision in 30 days -- providing the underlying issues have been fixed.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 06:39pm

Europe

EU rejects AstraZeneca vaccine contract claims

"One of the plants with the highest yield is in the UK because it started earlier," he said.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 06:03pm

World

UN seeks $100mn to aid African migrants en route to Europe

The sea crossing itself is not the only dangerous part of the journey for many of the refugees and migrants trying to make their way to Europe.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:59pm

South Asia

China deploys anal swabs to test for Covid-19

Small, localised outbreaks in recent weeks have seen multiple cities in northern China sealed off from the rest of the country and prompted mass testing campaigns.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:58pm

Africa

South Africa approves AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use

In terms of the AstraZeneca vaccine _ this has been granted emergency use (approval) and there will be a press conference with the minister of health on this (later).

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

Europe

Putin says global COVID-19 pandemic could drag on

He made the comments while speaking at a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 11:23pm

Africa

UN urges consensus as deadline for Somalia vote looms

The UN special representative said the focus instead was on breaking the political deadlock.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:44pm

Europe

Testing times for French group in virus-ravaged UK

Such private-sector facilities are an option for Britons who want tests but do not yet qualify for free screening through the public health system.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:39pm

Europe

Romanian priest becomes troll target for vaccine stance

He said he was willing to be vaccinated to avoid sending others "to intensive care or to the Lord too soon through ignorance or stupidity".

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:34pm

Africa

Ethnic groups in central Mali sign peace accords

They apply to Koro, a county-sized area bordering Burkina Faso that has borne some of the worst bloodshed, it said in a statement.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:31pm

Europe

Russia's lower house ratifies New START treaty extension

A total of 399 lawmakers voted in favour of extending the agreement, with no votes against or abstentions.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:23pm

Europe

Italy's president opens government talks after PM quits

The head of state is set to meet the presidents of both parliamentary chambers before talks on Thursday and Friday with party leaders.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:21pm

Europe

Hungary launches offensive against US tech giants

Hungarian Justice Minister said the government "will propose a law to the Parliament this spring" aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:17pm

South Asia

Heavy security, roads closed after Delhi farmer riots

Around the city, security forces fought running battles with demonstrators.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:14pm

Middle East

Dozens injured in lockdown protests in Lebanon's Tripoli: Red Cross

The Lebanese army said 31 troops were injured in the exchange. It was not immediately clear how many soldiers were included in the Red Cross toll.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:12pm

Middle East

Iran says Israel waging 'psychological war'

Tehran has demanded an "unconditional" lifting of punishing sanctions first, and called on Washington to stop seeking to "extract concessions".

Published 27 Jan, 2021 05:12pm

Europe

English lockdown set to last until at least March, Johnson indicates

Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated on Wednesday the COVID-19 lockdown in England would last until March 8 when schools could start to reopen as the government announced new measures to clamp down on travel to and from Britain.
On Tuesday, Britain’s COVID-19 death toll surpassed 100,000, the first European state to reach that figure, leading to questions about Johnson’s handling of a crisis that has also battered the economy.

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 10:17pm

World

Thailand reports 819 new virus cases, 1 additional death

One additional death was reported, bringing total fatalities to 76. More than 700 of the new infections.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 03:07pm

World

Japan PM apologises after lawmakers' night club outings

Twitter users voiced their frustration.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 03:04pm

World

Latest on worldwide spread of the coronavirus

The daily number of new coronavirus infections in France stayed above 20,000 on average for the fourth straight day on Tuesday, while hospitalisations reached an eight-week high of 27,041.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 02:49pm

World

Russia says nuclear arms pact extension with US agreed on Moscow's terms

The Kremlin on Tuesday said the two countries had struck a deal to extend the pact.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 02:16pm

World

Indian Army forcibly used madrasas for Indian Republic Day events in occupied Kashmir

Residents said that Indian troops and intelligence agencies had warned the administrations of madrassas in South Kashmir of severe consequences if they did not participate in the official functions.
The people of IIOJK marked India’s Republic Day as a black day and observed it with a complete shutdown.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 01:28pm

World

Israeli sex tourists aggravate UAE's human trafficking ordeal

The main victims of human trafficking hail from India, Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh
Most migrants are compelled to sign employment contracts in a language they’re unable to read and thus agreeing to conditions and wages far lower than they had been promised
Traffickers employ many tactics to force women to work, often locking the victims in small rooms without food or water and subjecting them to physical and verbal abuse

Published 27 Jan, 2021 01:06pm

South Asia

Security tight at India's historic Red Fort after clashes with farmers

Hundreds of police guarded the historic Red Fort in the heart of the Indian capital on Wednesday following violent clashes between farmers and authorities in which one person was killed and at least 80 injured.
Tens of thousands of farmers, protesting against reforms of the agriculture sector that they say benefit big private buyers at the expense of growers.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:57pm

Asia

Outbreaks in South Korea's Christian schools drive surge in COVID-19 cases

The KDCA reported 559 new cases as of midnight on Tuesday, up from 354 a day before, bringing the national tally to 76,429 infections with 1,378 deaths.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:56pm

World

China says flyovers in Taiwan Strait a 'solemn warning'

Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the US was formally invited to Biden's inauguration, a precedent-setting first since 1979.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:42pm

Asia

UN rights chief seeks sanctions against Sri Lanka generals

Sri Lanka has resisted repeated calls for an independent investigation and the Rajapaksa brothers had previously denied any war crimes were committed.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:35pm

Asia

Myanmar launches nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program

The priorities will be given to the elderly, people with underlying diseases and people residing in the high density of population.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:30pm

Asia

Mongolia logs 11 new COVID-19 cases, 25 more recoveries

They were brought back from Darvi soum of the Khovd province to Ulan Bator on a special flight on Wednesday.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:28pm

World

5.2-magnitude quake hits 31 km ESE of Chitose, Japan: USGS

The epicenter, with a depth of 123.84 km, was initially determined to be at 42.6901 degrees north latitude and 141.9887 degrees east longitude.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:27pm

World

Heavy security, roads closed after Delhi farmer riots

"We're ready to die. This government has been ignoring us for long but they can no longer do that," Singh told AFP at the 400-year-old fort.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:14pm

USA

Sweeping Covid-19 lockdown in Peru as virus cases soar

In areas not affected by the strict lockdown restrictions remain in place, such as curfews and bans on social gatherings.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 12:07pm

World

NATO prepares first summit with US President Biden

The next NATO summit is due to take place in Brussels, seat of the alliance, but timing depends on fighting the pandemic.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:49am

World

More than 150 charged over US Capitol rampage

The FBI has offered a $75,000 reward in that case.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:46am

World

AstraZeneca 'not selling EU doses to other countries': CEO

He stressed: "We're certainly not taking vaccines away from the Europeans to sell it somewhere else at the profit."

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:45am

World

Enough Covid vaccine for 300mn Americans by end of summer/early fall: Biden

"More than 400,000 Americans have already died," he said. "This is a war-time undertaking. It's not hyperbole."

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:43am

World

Yellen makes history again as US Treasury secretary

Early in Trump's term, she did not hesitate to warn of the risks tax cuts like the one he was proposing would have on the budget deficit.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:38am

World

Biden to end use of private prisons for US federal inmates

It became a big and profitable business, with the prison companies publicly traded on stock exchanges.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:30am

World

US judge blocks Biden's deportation freeze

This legal battle, which is only just beginning, likely foreshadows a bitter, broader fight to come on the issue of immigration.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:22am

World

Argentinian flight departs to pick up Russian vaccine doses after delay

Sputnik V is still undergoing Phase 3 trails, the final testing round before a drug is approved.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:18am

Europe

Dutch government says won't bow to curfew riot 'scum'

As the clean-up operation started, mayors of several cities reacted with anger. Rotterdam's Ahmed Aboutaleb called rioters "shameless thieves", the NOS national broadcaster reported.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:15am

World

Biden's Commerce pick Raimondo vows toughness on China

During the Trump administration, the commerce department cracked down on Chinese tech companies suspected of industrial espionage or of compromising US national security.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:12am

Africa

Tunisia parliament reshuffles cabinet as protesters face off against police

Some members of the opposition held up pictures of the young man who was killed.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:04am

World

$439mn pledged for UN peace fund, far short of goal

In that cycle, 34 countries contributed money, but 60 percent of the total came from just Germany, Sweden and Britain, according to Franche.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 11:01am

South Asia

Indian court rules that groping without removing clothes is not sexual assault

A court in India has ruled that groping a child through their clothing does not constitute sexual assault, inciting outrage across the country and frustrating advocacy groups struggling to address widespread sexual abuse against women and children.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:56am

World

100mn cases worldwide, as US seeks to reset its Covid fight

The number of cases, compiled from data provided by national health agencies, represents just a fraction of the real infections as the coronavirus has spread around the globe.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:52am

World

Republican senators signal opposition to Trump impeachment

Trump -- winner of 74 million votes in his loss to Biden on November 3 and reportedly sitting on some $70 million in campaign funds -- wants Republican senators to consider their own futures before they dare cross him.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:49am

World

Senator presiding over Trump impeachment trial released from hospital

Patrick Leahy, who was elected in 1974, is presiding over the trial as he is the senior senator of the party with the majority in the Senate, currently the Democrats.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:47am

USA

In Brazil's Manaus, young people step up as Covid bites

In so doing, she also relieves the workload of doctors who have no time to interact with family members or even to inform them when patients die.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:44am

World

New Walgreens CEO is sole Black female Fortune 500 leader

The Wall Street Journal said there are just four Black male CEOs of Fortune 500 companies -- a ranking of America's largest 500 companies.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:42am

Asia

Hong Kong turns to 'ambush lockdowns' to fight virus

But it suffers from pervasive inequality, an acute housing shortage and eye-watering rents that successive administrations have failed to solve.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:41am

World

Two-thirds of world see 'climate emergency': UN survey

Much like the spread of a contagious disease, positive social movements -- whether to ban slavery, or install democracy -- "can be irreversible and difficult to stop" once they cross a certain threshold, they note.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:32am

World

Dry ice, containers and overworked doctors: Olympic hurdles for Japan's vaccine roll-out

Once delivered, the vaccines must be administered by already overstretched medical workers. A Kyodo News survey showed about 80% of prefectural governments were concerned about having enough staff to give injections.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:27am

World

Australia records 10th day of no local COVID-19 cases

New Zealand reported a third day of zero cases on Wednesday, allaying fears of a fresh outbreak.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:24am

USA

Tesla's report could trigger $7 billion payout to Musk

Tesla’s quarterly report on Wednesday could trigger a $7 billion options payout to Chief Executive Elon Musk, while owners of the electric car maker’s soaring stock are keen to hear the company’s target for 2021 deliveries.
Tesla posts its December quarter results following a nearly 700% surge in its stock over the past 12 months that has made it the fifth-most-valuable publicly traded U.S. company, eclipsing Facebook.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:12am

USA

Twitter grants academics full access to public data, but not for suspended accounts

Twitter Inc on Tuesday opened free access to its new application programming interface (API) software for academic researchers, enabling them to study public conversations on its platform.
Twitter said, with the new product, academic researchers will be able to tap into all the tools released to date on the new API platform, which will enable them to listen to and analyze public conversations.

Published 27 Jan, 2021 10:09am

World

Israel reopens Morocco mission

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel on Tuesday announced the re-opening of its diplomatic mission in Morocco, two decades...

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 09:45am

World

Egypt using development finance to boost private sector

CAIRO: Egypt will push development financing as a way to expand private sector engagement, leveraging support...

Updated 27 Jan, 2021 09:45am

World

Boohoo buys collapsed Debenhams brand

LONDON: British online fashion group Boohoo said Monday it had bought the intellectual property assets of collapsed...