In recorded call, Trump pressured Georgia to ‘find’ votes to tilt election
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump pressured Georgia’s top election official to “find” enough votes to overturn his defeat in the southern state, according to a recording of the hour-long call published by US media on Sunday.
UK rolls out AstraZeneca vaccine, touts British science triumph
LONDON — Britain began vaccinating its population on Monday with the COVID-19 shot developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, touting its position as the first Western country to roll out an inoculation programme against the novel coronavirus.
Thailand to get 2M doses of China’s Sinovac shots
THAILAND will get its first lot of COVID-19 vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. next month, allowing the country in the middle of a resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak to begin inoculating people with the highest risks for infections.
South Korea expands ban on social gatherings nationwide
SEOUL — South Korea expanded a ban on private gatherings larger than four people to the whole country, and extended unprecedented social distancing rules in greater Seoul as the number of daily cases bounced back to more than 1,000 in four days.
Pope criticizes people going on holiday to flee COVID lockdowns
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis condemned on Sunday people who had gone abroad on holiday to escape coronavirus lockdowns, saying they needed to show greater awareness of the suffering of others.
As end to pandemic mask-wearing nears, South Koreans scramble to arrange cosmetic surgery
When Ryu Han-na, a 20-year-old university student, got cosmetic surgery on her nose in mid-December, she had a simple reason: it might be the last chance to do so covertly before people start taking off masks this year as vaccines are distributed.
Dollar drops on first trading day, portending more losses ahead
The world’s reserve currency fell on the first trading day of 2021, foreshadowing more losses to come, after a slew of improving Asian manufacturing...
Valuation caution returns as emerging markets face 2021 reality
Rarely, if ever, can a year have started with price levels in emerging markets looking so divorced from the fundamental backdrop.
Rising COVID-19 case numbers...
India approves AstraZeneca, local COVID vaccines
NEW DELHI — India’s drugs regulator on Sunday gave final approval for the emergency-use of two coronavirus vaccines, one developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and the other by local company Bharat Biotech and a state-run institute.
Britain will allow mixing of vaccines on rare occasions
LONDON — Britain will allow people to be given shots of different coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines on rare occasions, despite a lack of evidence about the extent of immunity offered by mixing doses.
Russia inoculates over 800,000 people against coronavirus
MOSCOW — More than 800,000 people in Russia have been inoculated so far against the new coronavirus and more than 1.5 million vaccine doses have been dispatched, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Saturday.
After property scandal, Pope tightens money controls
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has issued a new decree making charity funds more transparent and tightening controls on Vatican finances after a scandal...