Masked and muted Olympics will still dominate crowded 2021 in sports

PARIS (AFP) -- The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will be the centrepiece of a crammed sporting year in 2021 as sports administrators who had their calendars wiped away by the coronavirus pandemic try to fill the gaps even as a second wave hits. While the Games will still be called the 2020 Olympics, they have been changed by Covid-19. Tokyo organisers and the Japanese government are struggling with increased costs and, despite the growing possibility of vaccination, whether to allow foreign visi

World NewsDec. 28, 2020

AstraZeneca COVID vaccine has 'winning formula': chief executive

The Covid-19 vaccine developed by the British drugs group AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has achieved a  "winning formula" for efficacy, the company's chief executive said on Sunday. The vaccine, currently being evaluated by Britain's independent medicines  regulator, provides "100 percent protection" against severe Covid disease  requiring hospitalisation, Pascal Soriot said in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper. He added he believes tri

World BusinessDec. 27, 2020

'Believe in science:' EU kicks off COVID-19 vaccine campaign

Doctors, nurses and the elderly rolled up their sleeves across the European Union to receive the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine Sunday in a symbolic show of unity and moment of hope for a continent confronting its worst health care crisis in a century. Even though a few countries started giving doses a day early, the coordinated rollout for a bloc of 27 nations and nearly 450 million people aimed at projecting a unified message that the vaccine was safe and was Europe's best chance to

World NewsDec. 27, 2020

Downtown Nashville explosion knocks communications offline

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A recreational vehicle parked in the deserted streets of downtown Nashville exploded early Christmas morning, causing widespread communications outages that took down police emergency systems and grounded holiday travel at the city's airport. Police were responding to a report of shots fired Friday when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. Police evacuated nearby buil

World NewsDec. 26, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Korea has 5th largest video game market in world

　South Korea’s video game market was the fifth largest in the world in 2019, falling one position from the previous year, a report showed. 　The country's video game market reached sales of 15.6 trillion won ($14.2 billion) last year, up 9 percent from the previous year, according to an annual report by the Korea Creative Content Agency. 　The country ranked behind the United States, China, Japan and the United Kingdom in the global video market worth a total $186.5 billion last year.

World BusinessDec. 25, 2020

[Graphic News] Record number of journalists imprisoned in 2020

　A record number of journalists were imprisoned worldwide during 2020, as governments cracked down on coverage of the coronavirus pandemic or tried to suppress reporting of civil unrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. 　At least 274 journalists were in jail as of Dec. 1, the most since the New York-based group began collecting data in the early 1990s, the report said, up from at least 250 last year. 　Protests and political tensions were the cause of many arrests, with the most m

World NewsDec. 23, 2020

Biden says 'darkest times' in pandemic are ahead, not behind

US President-elect Joe Biden reiterated the importance of people taking necessary steps to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus on Tuesday, saying the "darkest times" have yet to come. He also highlighted the need for people to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, but insisted they must continue wearing masks and socially distance. "One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis, I'm going to tell it to you straight. I'm going to tell you the truth,"

World NewsDec. 23, 2020

Biden gets vaccinated for COVID-19, tells people to follow suit

WASHINGTON -- US President-elect Joe Biden received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine Monday, setting an example for others to follow while many Americans say they are unwilling to get the shot. Biden is one of the first high-ranking US officials to have publicly received a COVID-19 vaccine after the sitting vice president, Mike Pence, got his first dose on Friday. "I am doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared, when it's available, to take the vaccine," the president-e

World NewsDec. 22, 2020

[Graphic News] Most in Japan oppose holding Olympics in 2021: polls

　A majority of Japanese people oppose holding the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics next year, favoring a further delay or outright cancellation of the massive event, new polling showed. 　The new data shows public sentiment has shifted little since the summer, when surveys in Japan also found only a minority backing plans to hold the Games next year, despite the imminent arrival of new vaccines. 　A poll released by national broadcaster NHK found just 27 percent of respondents suppo

WorldDec. 21, 2020

UK flights banned as Britain warns new virus strain 'out of control'

European countries started banning flights coming from the UK on Sunday as government in London warned that a potent new strain of the virus was "out of control". Following the example of the Netherlands, where a ban on all UK passenger flights came into effect on Sunday, a German government source said Berlin, too, was considering a similar move as "a serious option" for flights from both Britain and South Africa. The Dutch ban came into effect from 6:00 am (0500 GMT) an

World NewsDec. 20, 2020

Britain says new virus strain 'out of control'

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that the government has imposed a strict Christmas lockdown in London and southeast England because a new strain of the coronavirus was "out of control". Hancock warned that the strict measures could stay in place until the virus vaccine is fully rolled out. "We acted very quickly and decisively," Hancock told Sky News, justifying the "stay at home" order and closure of non-essential shops affecting around a third

World NewsDec. 20, 2020

[Breaking] Trump says US 'overwhelmingly approved' Moderna coronavirus vaccine

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States has authorized a second coronavirus vaccine. "Moderna vaccine overwhelmingly approved. Distribution to start immediately," he wrote on Twitter. This follows a recommendation by an expert panel on Thursday to grant emergency use approval for Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue formal approval Friday. A vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech was app

World NewsDec. 18, 2020

VP Pence prepares for jab as Moderna vaccine nears US approval

WASHINGTON -- US Vice President Mike Pence prepared to roll up his sleeve for a public coronavirus jab on Friday as the country neared approval of a second vaccine and several European leaders quarantined ahead of the Christmas holidays. Pence's move comes as inoculation efforts unfurl across the globe, with officials mounting campaigns to quash skepticism about the record-fast development of the jabs. The vice president's public injection is an effort to "build confidence among the Ameri

World NewsDec. 18, 2020

Chinese citizen journalist to face trial after Wuhan virus reporting

BEIJING -- A citizen journalist detained in China after reporting from the Covid-19 ground zero of Wuhan will face trial later this month, her lawyer said Friday, as fears grow for her health. The coronavirus first emerged in central China late last year, and Beijing has faced accusations that it covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early whistleblowers. Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February and livestreamed her experiences on social media. She also wrote essays c

World NewsDec. 18, 2020

[Graphic News] Merkel named world’s most powerful woman

　German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named the world‘s most powerful woman for the 10th straight year, according to Forbes’ 100 most powerful women 2020 list. 　President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen took second, third and fourth place, respectively. 　Lee Boo-jin, the eldest daughter of Samsung’s late Chairman Lee Kun-hee and president of Hotel Shilla,

WorldDec. 18, 2020

Volkswagen loses top court case in EU in diesel scandal

The European Union's top court ruled on Thursday that Volkswagen breached the law by installing on its cars a so-called defeat device to cheat on emission tests and cannot argue it was merely protecting car engines. The scandal known as "Dieselgate" erupted five years ago when the US Environmental Protection Agency found that Volkswagen had installed special software to rig US emissions tests for its latest "clean diesel" vehicles. The German car manufacturer admitted to f

World NewsDec. 17, 2020

Moon rocks in hand, China prepares for future moon missions

Following the successful return of moon rocks by its Chang'e 5 robotic probe, China is preparing for future missions that could set the stage for an eventual lunar base to host human explorers, a top space program official said Thursday. China's next three lunar missions are on track, along with programs for returning samples from Mars and exploring asteroids and the planet Jupiter, Deputy Chief Commander of the China Lunar Exploration Program Wu Yanhua said. "Exploring the truth of the

World NewsDec. 17, 2020

France's Macron tests positive for COVID-19

French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday, following a week when he has met with numerous European leaders. The French and Spanish prime ministers are among those self-isolating because they had recent contact with him. Macron took a test "as soon as the first symptoms appeared" and will self-isolate for seven days, the presidency said in a brief statement. It did not detail what symptoms Macron experienced or any treatment he might be receiving. The 42-y

World NewsDec. 17, 2020

Wistron violence could sour Apple's 'Make In India' plans

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -- Violence at a Wistron Corpfactory in southern India is likely to stall the company's and its client Apple Inc's drive to expand local manufacturing, while forcing the government to redouble efforts to encourage foreign investors. Thousands of contract workers angry over the alleged non-payment of wages, destroyed equipment and vehicles at a Wistron plant in southern India on Saturday, causing an estimated $60 million in damages. The Taiwanese company, one of Apple's top

World NewsDec. 16, 2020

[Graphic News] US, China dominated arms market in 2019: report

　US and Chinese companies dominated the global arms market in 2019, while the Middle East made its first appearance among the 25 biggest weapons manufacturers, a report from the SIPRI research institute said. 　The US arms industry accounted for 61 percent of sales by the world‘s top 25 manufacturers last year, ahead of China’s 15.7 percent, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 　Total sales among the top 25 rose by 8.5 percent to $361 billion - 50 t

WorldDec. 16, 2020