Joe Biden picks Indian-American Neera Tanden to head powerful budget office: Reports
NEW YORK: Joe Biden, who is to become US President in January, has picked Indian-American Neera Tanden, a controversial close confidante of the Clintons, to head the powerful White House Office of Management and Budget, according to several media reports. But opposition to Tanden was welling up Sunday night soon after the news of her […]
Joe Biden chooses an all-female senior White House press team
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE, ANDREW TAYLOR and AAMER MADHANI WILMINGTON:President-elect Joe Biden will have an all-female senior communications team at his White House, reflecting his stated desire to build out a diverse White House team as well as what’s expected to be a return to a more traditional press operation. Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield […]
Narayana Murthys son-in-law in row over not declaring wife’s wealth in UK ministerial register: Report
NEW DELHI: Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthys son in law and UK chancellor, Rishi Sunak is facing questions over the transparency of his wealth disclosures as his wife’s holding in Infosys and other ventures has not been declared in the ministerial register. The Guardian reported that an investigation established that his wife and her family […]
Iran’s supreme leader vows revenge over slain scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh
By AMIR VAHDAT and JON GAMBRELL TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday demanded the “definitive punishment” of those behind the killing of a scientist who led Tehran’s disbanded military nuclear program, as the Islamic Republic blamed Israel for a slaying that has raised fears of reignited tensions across the Middle East. After years of being […]
North Korea toughens rules of entry to sea to fight coronavirus
By HYUNG-JIN KIM SEOUL: North Korea is further toughening restrictions on entering seawaters as part of elevated steps to fight the coronavirus pandemic, state media said Sunday, two days after South Korea said the North had banned sea fishing. The Korean Central News Agency reported the country is mobilizing more anti-virus units and establishing strong […]
No need for vaccines, COVID-19 pandemic effectively over: Pfizer Ex-Vice President
NEW DELHI: While pharmaceutical major Pfizer had made headlines on the release of their Covid-19 vaccine, its former Vice President and Chief Scientist has said that there is no need for any vaccines to bring the pandemic to an end. According to a report from lifesitenews.com, Dr Michael Yeadon, there is absolutely no need for […]
Venezuela resumes direct oil shipments to China despite U.S. sanctions
By Luc Cohen, Marianna Parraga Venezuela has resumed direct shipments of oil to China after U.S. sanctions sent the trade underground for more than a year, according to Refinitiv Eikon vessel-tracking data and internal documents from state company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). Chinese state companies China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and PetroChina – long among […]
Donald Trump says he will leave White House if Electoral College declares President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory
By JILL COLVIN WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College formalizes President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory — even as he insisted such a decision would be a “mistake” — as he spent his Thanksgiving renewing baseless claims that “massive fraud” and crooked officials in battleground states […]
When and which COVID-19 vaccines are likely to be available in Asia
NEW DELHI: Pfizer Inc with partner BioNTech SE, Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca Plc have released trial data this month showing their experimental vaccines are effective in preventing the disease. If regulators approve any of the vaccines in coming weeks, the companies have said distribution could begin almost immediately with governments around the world. But many […]
AstraZeneca manufacturing error clouds COVID-19 vaccine study results
By DANICA KIRKA LONDON: AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday acknowledged a manufacturing error that is raising questions about preliminary results of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine. A statement describing the error came days after the company and the university described the shots as “highly effective” and made no mention of why some study participants didn’t […]
IKEA investment arm in talks to buy city-centre retail property in big European cities
By Anna Ringstrom STOCKHOLM: IKEA’s Ingka Investments is in talks to buy commercial property in prime locations in several big European cities after it finalised its first-ever such acquisition last month, its managing director said. The investment arm of Ingka Group, which owns most IKEA stores, is pushing into the real estate market as part […]
Joe Biden transition OK’d to start as Donald Trump runs out of options
WASHINGTON: The federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, formally starting the transition of power after President Donald Trump spent weeks testing the boundaries of American democracy. Trump relented after suffering yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with […]
Q&A: Will Twitter, Facebook crack down on Donald Trump?
By BARBARA ORTUTAY OAKLAND:For the past four years, President Donald Trump has enjoyed the special status of a world leader on Twitter and Facebook, even as he used his perch atop the social media pyramid to peddle misinformation and hurl abuse at his critics. While regular users could have faced being suspended or even booted […]
‘America is back’: Joe Biden pushes past Donald Trump era with nominees
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE, MATTHEW LEE and AAMER MADHANI WILMINGTON: Declaring “America is back,” President-elect Joe Biden introduced his national security team, his first substantive offering of how he’ll shift from Trump-era “America First” policies by relying on experts from the Democratic establishment to be some of his most important advisers. “Together, these public servants will […]
Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine single dose can be less than $10 at international markets
By DARIA LITVINOVA MOSCOW: Russia released new results Tuesday claiming its experimental COVID-19 vaccine was highly effective, and promised it would cost less on international markets than vaccines by some of its Western competitors. According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which bankrolled the development of the jab, Sputnik V will cost less than $10 […]
Joe Biden seeks swift Cabinet votes, but GOP Senate stays silent
By Lisa Mascaro and Matthew Daly WASHINGTON: As President-elect Joe Biden started rolling out his administrative team, one voice has been notably silent: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Senate Republicans will hold great sway in confirming or denying Biden’s Cabinet nominees, regardless of which party controls the narrowly split Senate after runoff elections. But key […]