Bush suffers setback on Guantanamo prisoners
The US Supreme Court ruled detainees held in the US military base at Guantanamo Bay have the right to appeal to federal courts in a blow to the Bush administration.
By HT Correspondent | AFP, Washinton
UPDATED ON JUN 12, 2008 10:37 PM IST
The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled detainees held in the US military base at Guantanamo Bay have the right to appeal to federal courts in a blow to the Bush administration.
The court ruled that detainees in the US jail in southern Cuba "have the constitutional privilege of habeas corpus,” in the third ruling on Guantanamo against the current administration of President George W Bush.
By a vote of five to four, the court found that even if the base was officially on Cuban territory, it was in fact operating as if it were on American soil and therefore the detainees had the same constitutional rights as all Americans.
“We hold these petitioners do have the habeas corpus privilege,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the court majority in the 70-page opinion.
He said that Congress had failed to create an adequate alternative for the prisoners held at the US military base in Cuba to contest their detention.
North Korea's trade with China plunges 80% as Covid-19 lockdown bites
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 03:28 PM IST
China is North Korea's top ally and accounts for some 90% of its trade volumes. Two-way trade plummeted nearly 80.7% to $539 million last year from 2019, Chinese customs data released on Monday showed.
Covid-19 pandemic could be source of global crises for years: WEF
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 03:26 PM IST
While the impact of the pandemic is dominant at the moment, other events will likely come to the fore, according to the survey.
World shares mostly higher as Biden inauguration approaches
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 03:10 PM IST
Benchmarks were higher in Paris, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong but slipped in Shanghai. World markets were subdued on Monday, with US exchanges closed for a holiday.
Trump leaves town an outcast, trailed by Covid-19 pandemic, joblessness
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 03:03 PM IST
The last president who chose not to attend his successor’s inauguration was Andrew Johnson in 1869, another impeached leader.
British hospitals use blockchain to track Covid-19 vaccines
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:59 PM IST
Two hospitals, in central England's Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick, are expanding their use of a distributed ledger, an offshoot of blockchain, from tracking vaccines and chemotherapy drugs to monitoring fridges storing Covid-19 vaccines.
Inauguration day: Biden arrival in Washington framed by division, heavy security
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:57 PM IST
Biden will spend the night at Blair House, the guest residence across the street from the White House.
Hong Kong set to extend pandemic control measures amid surging infections
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:50 PM IST
The moves come after the Asian financial hub reported 107 daily Covid-19 infections on Monday, the most in a month, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam told a weekly news briefing Tuesday morning.
Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny urges West to impose sanctions on Putin allies
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:47 PM IST
Navalny identified eight people as potential targets for punitive measures, including billionaire Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich.
Police arrest woman accused of laptop theft from Pelosi's office
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:41 PM IST
FBI officials said a caller claiming to be an ex of Williams said friends of hers showed him a video of her taking a laptop computer or hard drive from Pelosi's office.
Germany's Merkel, state leaders ponder tougher virus rules
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:56 PM IST
The country's infection rate has stabilized in recent days, indicating that existing restrictions may have been effective in bringing down the numbers.
Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture to introduce alert mode over UK Covid-19 variant
ANI, Tokyo
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:55 PM IST
The Japanese government has already declared a state of emergency in 11 of the 47 prefectures, which will last through February 7.
Thailand court gives record 43-year sentence for insulting king
AP, Bangkok
PUBLISHED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:25 PM IST
Violating Thailand's lese majeste law — known widely as Article 112 — is punishable by three to 15 years’ imprisonment per count.
PLA holds Tibet drill to smoothen joint ops amid border friction with India
By Sutirtho Patranobis , edited by Vinod Janardhanan
UPDATED ON JAN 19, 2021 01:07 PM IST
The exercise involved ground assault forces as well as the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aviation unit, which deployed attack helicopters for the drill, China’s official military media reported.
Taliban calls Joe Biden to honor deal to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan
Bloomberg
UPDATED ON JAN 19, 2021 12:34 PM IST
“Steps must now be taken to end the war, not to prolong it, and the agreement was made for the purpose,” Mohammad Naeem, a senior spokesman in the Taliban’s political office in Doha, said.
Here is how Trump, the least liked US president, will spend his last day in office
By Yashwant Raj, Edited by Vinod Janardhanan
UPDATED ON JAN 19, 2021 02:27 PM IST
Trump presidency’s average approval rating of 41% is the lowest recorded by Gallup, which has tracked American presidents daily for decades