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World News
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US Capitol riots: FBI questioning dozens in killing of police officer, assaults
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 06:09 AM IST
The FBI detailed its investigation in a memo sent to the private sector and others on Friday, the New York Times reported.
World hits 2 million Covid-19 deaths with cases still surging
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 06:04 AM IST
Overall, the U.S. is leading all countries in deaths with 388,705, with Brazil, India, Mexico and the U.K. next in line.
National Rifle Association files bankruptcy, citing New York politics
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 06:03 AM IST
New York has been at the forefront of pursuing the NRA in court, with Attorney General Letitia James suing to dissolve the organization and accusing leader Wayne LaPierre and three others of fleecing it.
Trump's approval rating plummets to all-time low of 29% following Capitol riots
ANI
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 06:02 AM IST
The poll said 68 per cent of people disapprove of his handling of the job, while 52 per cent say Trump bears a lot of responsibility for the violence and destruction that took place at the Capitol last week.
US Capitol riots: Pelosi's office invader Barnett to be put under house arrest
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 06:00 AM IST
Barnett is charged with unlawfully entering a restricted area with a lethal weapon — in this case, a stun gun. Barnett also is charged with disorderly conduct and theft of public property.
Biden taps Eric Lander as science adviser, puts in cabinet
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:56 AM IST
Saying “science will always be at the forefront of my administration,” Biden said he is boosting the science advisor post to Cabinet level, a first in White House history.
Pelosi calls for prosecution of Congress members who aided Capitol siege
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:49 AM IST
"If in fact it is found that members of Congress were accomplices to this insurrection, if they aided and abetted the crimes, there may have to be actions taken beyond the Congress, in terms of prosecution for that," Pelosi said.
Retired doctors and more syringes: Biden lays out plan to get America vaccinated
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:47 AM IST
Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan on Thursday that includes $20 billion for vaccine distribution as well as $50 billion for coronavirus testing, which experts and officials said should help speed the process up.
WhatsApp to delay launch of update business features after privacy backlash
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:42 AM IST
WhatsApp users received a notification this month that it was preparing a new privacy policy and terms, and it reserved the right to share some user data with the Facebook app.
US imposes sanctions on Cuba citing human rights violations
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:42 AM IST
The sanctions will be implemented under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and directed “against the perpetrators of serious human rights abuses and corruption throughout the world,” the US government said in a news release.
Facebook blocks creation of events near DC, state Capitols
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:40 AM IST
The social media giant will also restrict some features for US users based on signals like repeatedly violating the company’s policies.
UN Security Council approves Kubis as new Libya mediator
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:29 AM IST
Kubis, a former Slovakian foreign minister, is currently the UN special coordinator for Lebanon. He has also served as the UN special envoy in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Pfizer to cut vaccine shipments as Belgian factory renovated
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:22 AM IST
Pfizer and its German partner are under growing pressure to make more shots as countries around the world rush to immunize vulnerable people. The companies recently increased their output target for this year by more than 50% to 2 billion doses.
Trump directs government to minimize procurement from China
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 16, 2021 05:14 AM IST
The announcement comes less than a week before Trump leaves office to be succeeded by Democrat Joe Biden on Jan. 20. It was the latest in a series of steps targeting China, which analysts see as a bid to lock in a tough approach to Beijing.
US agents guarding Ivanka, Jared had to rent $3k/month flat
By HT Correspondent, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 16, 2021 04:20 AM IST
Asked not to use the bathrooms inside the couple’s sprawling 5,000-square-foot house in the elite Kalorama neighbourhood, several US agents resorted to using a porta-potty as well as bathrooms at the nearby homes of former President Barack Obama, and Vice-President Mike Pence.
Britain tightens borders to keep out new Covid-19 strains
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 11:12 PM IST
The change comes into force at 0400 GMT on Monday and means all passengers must have a recent negative coronavirus test and transfer immediately into isolation upon arrival.
Nearly 60,000 have fled Central African Republic violence: UN
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 10:38 PM IST
CAR's government has been battling rebel groups seeking to overturn a Dec. 27 vote in which President Faustin-Archange Touadera was declared victor despite fraud claims.
WHO stops short of advising proof of COVID shots for travel
Reuters, Geneva
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 10:34 PM IST
The 19-member panel of independent experts held their sixth meeting in a year under the chairmanship of French expert Didier Houssin, as the death toll from the pandemic neared two million.
Six EU nations express 'severe concern' over vaccine delays
AFP, Vilnius, Lithuania
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 10:06 PM IST
- Ministers from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden said in their letter that the situation was "unacceptable" and "decreases the credibility of the vaccination process".
Biden appoints David Cohen once more as deputy CIA director
Reuters, Washington
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 10:01 PM IST
Cohen previously served as the deputy director for the Central Intelligence Agency from 2015 to 2017 under Democratic then-President Barack Obama, when Biden served as vice president.
US imposes fresh sanctions on Iran in final days of Trump presidency
Reuters, Washington
UPDATED ON JAN 15, 2021 09:55 PM IST
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in statements said Washington blacklisted 7 entities and 2 individuals in sanctions related to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and Iranian shipping entities, as well as slapping sanctions on Iranian entities for activities related to conventional arms proliferation.
Eyes on Nancy Pelosi as Donald Trump's impeachment trial timing up in the air
Reuters, Washington
UPDATED ON JAN 15, 2021 09:50 PM IST
The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted 232-197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump on a charge of incitement one week after his supporters rampaged in the Capitol following a speech in which the outgoing Republican president urged them to fight Democrat Joe Biden's Nov. 3 election victory.
Covid: China honours 'Bat Woman' of controversial Wuhan lab
PTI, Beijing
UPDATED ON JAN 15, 2021 09:40 PM IST
Shi Zhengli from the Wuhan Institute of Virology who has earned the moniker of 'Bat Woman' for her passionate research into bats and viruses was honoured as an "advanced worker of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)", the state-run Global Times reported, citing a WIV announcement on Friday.
US plans fresh Iran sanctions related to metals, conventional arms
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 09:26 PM IST
Trump in 2018 abandoned the Iran nuclear agreement that Tehran struck with six major powers in 2015 to rein in its nuclear program in return for relief from US and international sanctions that had crippled its economy.
Pentagon says US has dropped to 2,500 troops in Afghanistan
AP, Washington
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 08:56 PM IST
Senior US commanders are skeptical of the Taliban's stated commitment to peace.
Joe Biden urges swift action on giant aid plan with Republicans wary
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 08:35 PM IST
Joe Biden’s hand was bolstered by Friday’s release of US retail sales data for December, which showed a third straight monthly decline as the pandemic sapped activity.
Man convicted in 3 killings to be last executed under Trump administration
AP
UPDATED ON JAN 15, 2021 08:28 PM IST
Dustin Higgs, 48, who is scheduled to be executed on Friday at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, says nobody alleges he pulled the trigger.
Trump administration takes final swipes at China and its companies
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 08:24 PM IST
The moves come just days before Trump steps down and President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Joe Biden is told trump may be Going but Trumpism lives on in Brazil
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 08:17 PM IST
Bolsonaro, who styled himself a Brazilian version of Trump, publicly supported his candidacy and was one of the last world leaders to congratulate Biden for his victory.
Chinese authorities ask people to cut down on travel as Covid rises again
By Sutirtho Patranobis , edited by Vinod Janardhanan
PUBLISHED ON JAN 15, 2021 07:52 PM IST
A total of 144 new Covid-19 cases were reported for January 14, the National Health Commission said, with the numbers pushed up by 90 locally transmitted infections in the worst-hit northern province of Hebei.