NewsReutersWith vaccines within reach, U.S. braces for post-Thanksgiving coronavirus surge
After a Thanksgiving weekend when the number of people traveling through U.S. airports reached its highest since mid-March, a top government official said on Monday some Americans could begin receiving coronavirus vaccinations before Christmas. U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine could be authorized and shipped within days of a Dec. 10 meeting of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration tasked with reviewing trial data and recommending whether it warrants approval. A vaccine from Moderna Inc could follow a week later, he said, after the company announced on Monday that it would apply for U.S. and European emergency authorization.
NewsReutersVietnam steps up online crackdown, jailed activists at record high - Amnesty
The number of political prisoners in Vietnam has reached its highest on record, according to a tally by Amnesty International, which in a report on Tuesday accused Facebook and Google of censorship in the Southeast Asian country. There are at least 170 "prisoners of conscience" in Vietnam, the report said, of which around 70 are currently serving jail terms for online activism, mainly on Facebook and Google's YouTube. "Once the great hope for the expansion of freedom of expression in the country, social media platforms are fast becoming human rights–free zones, where any peaceful dissent or criticism of the Vietnamese government is liable to be censored," the report said.
NewsReutersFrench government drops plan to curb filming of police officers
French President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party on Monday dropped plans to curb the freedom to share images identifying police officers, after more than 100,000 people took part in weekend rallies for free speech and against police violence. "We propose a new version of article 24 and a new version will be submitted," Christophe Castaner, head of the LaRem party in parliament, told a news conference. Article 24 is the most contested part of a bill that aims to provide better protection for French police forces, setting out rules for the use of police drones and restricting the sale of the kind of fireworks often fired at police lines during demonstrations.
SportAFP NewsCavani apologises for misunderstood social media post
Edinson Cavani apologised on Monday after his joy at scoring twice for Manchester United against Southampton was dampened by an investigation by the Football Association into a social media post he subsequently deleted.
NewsReutersSinger Rita Ora apologises for breaking lockdown rules with party
British pop star Rita Ora apologised on Monday after she admitted she had attended a party to celebrate her 30th birthday which broke England's strict COVID-19 lockdown laws. Under the lockdown rules, people in England are not allowed to mix with other households indoors and can meet one person outside.
NewsReutersSomalia expels Kenyan ambassador over 'interference'
Somalia expelled Kenya's ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Nairobi after accusing its neighbour of interfering in the electoral process in Jubbaland, one of Somalia's five semi-autonomous states. Relations between the countries have been tense over the ownership of potential oil and gas deposits, some of which lie off the coast of Jubbaland. Somalia did not go into further details on the alleged interference, while Kenya denied any wrongdoing and dismissed what it called "unsubstantiated allegations".
SportAFP NewsRally champ Carlos Sainz to race in Extreme E
Two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz will drive for a team he will also help manage in next year's Extreme E championship, it was announced Monday.
SportAFP NewsMan City's Ederson joins call for concussion subs
Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson called for the introduction of concussion substitutes to football following the clash of heads between Raul Jimenez and David Luiz that left the former with a fractured skull.
- NewsReuters
Factbox: Not so Merry Christmas looms for coronavirus-hit Europe
Belgian households will only be able to be in close contact with one extra person over Christmas, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. President Emmanuel Macron said the government has decided to allow people to travel from Dec. 15, including the end-of-year holidays, if coronavirus cases drop to around 5,000 new cases per day. Three households will be allowed to meet between Dec. 18 and Jan. 6, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said.
SportAFP NewsIrish all for South African powerhouses joining Pro14
The Irish Rugby Football Union would be "very supportive" of the four South African Super Rugby franchises competing in what would become a Pro16 tournament said IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora on Monday.
EntertainmentAFP NewsWhy are French literary tricksters Oulipo now so hot?
The winner of France's top literary prize Monday is a mind-bending bestseller called "The Anomaly", whose brilliant time-shifting tricks have sparked comparisons with "The Matrix".
SportAFP NewsEmbattled Loew to stay on as Germany coach for Euros
Joachim Loew will remain in charge of Germany for next year's delayed European Championship despite a series of poor recent results, the German football federation (DFB) announced Monday.
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Brazilian politician, in a coma on ventilator due to COVID-19, elected mayor
Maguito Vilela was elected mayor of the Brazilian city of Goiânia on Sunday, but he has yet to find out. More than 6.3 million people have been infected and nearly 173,000 have died from the virus, according to Health Ministry data. A former senator from the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement party, Vilela tested positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 20.
NewsReutersPope cancels traditional pre-Christmas ceremony due to COVID-19
Pope Francis has cancelled a ceremony that traditionally begins Rome's Christmas season on Dec. 8 at the Spanish Steps because of coronavirus restrictions, the Vatican said on Monday. The pope customarily places a wreath of flowers at the base of a 12-metre column bearing a statue of the Madonna and blesses from a distance another wreath already placed around the statue's arm by firefighters using a ladder. The Vatican said Francis would skip the ceremony, which popes have been carrying out on the feast of the Immaculate Conception since 1953, "in order to avoid any risk of contagion caused by gatherings of people".
NewsMalay MailSabah govt to consider Batu Sapi precedent for Bugaya poll by declaring state of emergency
KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun today said that since cases in the state are still among the highest in the country, the right thing to do would be...
PoliticsReutersBiden taps Yellen for Treasury, announces other members of economic team
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen to be his treasury secretary and announced other members of his economic team on Monday, the Biden transition team said in a statement. The Democrat's picks include Wally Adeyemo as deputy treasury secretary, Neera Tanden as director of the Office of Management and Budget and Cecilia Rouse to lead the Council of Economic Advisers, the transition team said.
NewsMalay MailWarisan whip says MPs sat out Budget 2021 bloc vote to show Anwar, Pakatan they’re no pushovers
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Parti Warisan Sabah has been aligned with Pakatan Harapan (PH) on many things at the federal level until today, when its MPs chose to absent themselves in the Dewan Rakyat...
NewsAFP NewsFor wounded Syrian photographer, Paris protest reawoke Aleppo trauma
A Syrian photographer wounded at a weekend protest in Paris said Monday that the sight of "blood everywhere" during clashes between police and protesters brought back memories of a crackdown in his home country almost a decade ago.
EntertainmentReutersBTS 'Dynamite' costumes to light up U.S. music charity auction
The K-pop band members of BTS are offering up their outfits from the music video of their hit single "Dynamite" to the highest bidder in a Beverly Hills, California, charity auction in January. The pink, blue, yellow and lavender pastel outfits the seven singers wore in the record-setting video are expected to fetch what Julien's Auctions on Monday called a conservative estimate of $20,000 - $40,000. "This is the first time that BTS has ever sold any costumes," said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions.
SportAFP NewsThiago still 'weeks' away from return as Klopp rues costly Everton clash
Thiago Alcantara is still weeks away from a return for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Monday as he pinpointed a bad-tempered Merseyside derby against Everton last month as the root cause of his side's injury crisis.
NewsReutersRussian hospital says it began civilian coronavirus vaccinations last week
Russia has delivered the first known batch of Sputnik V vaccines for civilian use to a hospital just south of Moscow, which said on Monday it began vaccinating the local population last week. Russia, which is rushing to keep up with Western drugmakers in the race for a coronavirus shot, has said interim trial results show its Sputnik V vaccine to be 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19. Domodedovo's Central City Hospital said on its website that residents wanting for inoculation had to register on a government website in advance and bring along a negative COVID-19 test result and ID documents on the day.
SportAFP NewsYoon double puts Ulsan in last 16, Beijing stay perfect
Yoon Bit-garam struck once in each half to send Ulsan Hyundai through to the round of 16 in the Asian Champions League with a 2-1 win over FC Tokyo on Monday.
SportAFP NewsLoew meets with German football DFB bosses to discuss future
The five top executives of the German football association (DFB) were meeting in Frankfurt on Monday with Joachim Loew to discuss his future as coach of the national team, local media reported.
NewsAFP NewsFire-scarred Notre-Dame to broadcast Christmas concert
Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will echo with song on Christmas Eve as it holds its first choir concert since the massive fire that nearly destroyed the gothic masterpiece last year.
SportAFP NewsReal Madrid confirm thigh muscle injury for Hazard
Real Madrid attacker Eden Hazard faces another spell on the sidelines after the club confirmed Monday he sustained an injury to his right thigh in the weekend loss to Alaves.
