Joe Biden picks ex-General Lloyd Austin as defence secretary
US media report Austin, who played a major role in 2003 invasion of Iraq, will be named first Black defence secretary.
Category Archives: News
‘V-Day’: UK rolls out vaccine, 90-year-old woman first in line
UK becomes first in world to make Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available for widespread use as mass inoculation begins.
Turkey ‘may start COVID-19 vaccination this month’: Live news
UK starts rolling out COVID-19 vaccine; Japan announces stimulus package; top US expert warns of holiday season risks.
Australia pushes plan to force Facebook, Google to pay for news
Australia is introducing legislation to make Facebook and Google pay for news they use in world first.
‘Bharat Bandh’: Indian farmers launch strike to press for demands
Farm and trade unions launch one-day strike to demand rollback of three laws they say will hurt their livelihood.
Afghan civilian deaths from US air raids rose by more than 300 percent
Some 700 civilians killed in 2019 after the Pentagon relaxed its rules of engagement for air raids, the report says.
Hong Kong restricts dining at restaurants in fourth wave battle
Carrie Lam says fourth wave is 'more complicated and more severe' with cases 'widely spread out' in Hong Kong.
South Korea orders COVID-19 vaccines for 88 percent of population
First doses to arrive in March, but officials will wait and see how vaccines work in other countries to ensure safety.
Taiwan says faces daily threats as US notifies of $280m arms sale
Taiwan's defence ministry says latest weapons sale demonstrates US commitment to help strengthen island's defence.
Crackdown in Hong Kong continues; eight more arrested
Arrests of pro-democracy activists are latest since China imposed the National Security Law earlier this year.
No ‘single’ sign could have averted Christchurch attack: Report
New Zealand report said police instead used 'an inappropriate concentration of resources' probing religious violence.
DRC legislators trash Parliament as political crisis deepens
Allies of former DRC leader Joseph Kabila reject President Felix Tshisekedi's move to end shaky governing coalition.
‘He won’: Why Trump’s ardent supporters are a political force
Trump lost the election, but the Georgia Senate runoff shows that his passionate supporters still have power.
Liberia senatorial polls to serve as gauge for Weah’s popularity
Vote equally important for opposition, indicating whether it can provide an alternative in 2023 presidential election.
Sao Paolo sets first date in Latin America to start vaccinations
Brazil’s most populous state will start vaccinating its 46 million residents on January 25.
PM Orban quits but Romania still on track for centre-right gov’t
Liberal PM resigns after disappointing showing for his party, which is however poised to lead next governing coalition.
Honduras says US agrees to prolong migration accord
President Juan Orlando Hernandez did not say how long the protections, affecting about 44,000 people, would be extended.
California under new lockdown measures as COVID-19 cases surge
West coast state imposes some of the harshest restrictions in the United States as new daily cases reach record levels.
Stimulus saga: Can Americans keep up with credit card bills?
For some, the ability to pay credit card bills in weeks and months to come depends on Washington delivering fiscal aid.
Hong Kong crackdown: 14 officials face US sanctions, travel ban
The action is seen as part of an effort by outgoing US President Donald Trump to cement his tough-on-China legacy.