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12th April 2021

Protests erupt after police fatally shoot Black man in traffic stop near Minneapolis

Protests erupted against police when an officer fatally shot a young Black man after stopping his vehicle for a traffic violation on Sunday about 10 miles (16 km) from where George Floyd was killed during an arrest in Minneapolis last May. As angry crowds swelled into the hundreds outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department building on Sunday night, officers in riot gear fired rubber bullets and lobbed flash bangs at protesters and let off clouds of chemical irritants. The man killed by police was identified by relatives and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Daunte Wright, 20. Walz s...

12th April 2021

Gold prices slip as Treasury yields, dollar firm on upbeat U.S. data

Gold prices fell on Monday, weighed down by surging U.S. Treasury yields and a firmer dollar after better-than-expected U.S. economic data lifted prospects for higher inflation. Spot gold fell 0.3% to $1,738.12 per ounce by 0350 GMT. U.S. gold futures were down 0.4% to $1,737.70 per ounce. "Stronger-than-expected data suggests that inflation (will be) picking up faster-than expected in months to come, which is leading to a rise in real yields, exerting pressure on gold," said Margaret Yang, a strategist at DailyFX. Producer prices in the United States rose more than anticipated in M...

12th April 2021

Bafta Film Awards 2021: Nomadland and Promising Young Woman win big

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held its annual film awards on Sunday, in a virtual ceremony broadcast from London’s Royal Albert Hall. Below are the main winners of Britain’s top film honours. BEST FILM: “Nomadland” OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM: “Promising Young Woman” DIRECTOR: Chloe Zhao, “Nomadland” LEADING ACTOR: Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” LEADING ACTRESS: Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” SUPPORTING ACTOR: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Youn Yuh-jung, “Minari” ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: ...

12th April 2021

Guillermo Lasso wins presidency in Ecuador

Ecuadorean banker Guillermo Lasso has won Sunday’s presidential runoff vote against leftist economist Andres Arauz, putting the country on track to maintain open market policies rather than return to socialism. Arauz conceded his defeat after receiving 47.5% of the votes compared with Lasso’s 52.5%, with 97% of poll statements processed, according to figures published by the National Electoral Council. In a speech to his supporters, Arauz said he would call Lasso and offer his congratulations on the electoral victory. “It’s a day in which all Ecuadoreans have decided their future...

12th April 2021

Jordan’s King Abdullah and estranged Prince Hamza make first joint appearance since rift

Jordan’s King Abdullah and former crown prince and half-brother Prince Hamza made their first joint appearance since a rift shook the country, attending a ceremony on Sunday marking 100 years of independence. State media showed the monarch and other members of the royal family laying wreaths at the memorial to the unknown soldier and tombs of royalty in the Raghdan palace in Amman. Hamza pledged allegiance to King Abdullah late on Monday following mediation by the royal family, two days after the military warned him over actions that it said were undermining Jordan’s security and st...

12th April 2021

Malta News Briefing – Monday 12 April 2021

Morning Briefing PM defends decision to ease restrictions slowly, promises further assistance PM Robert Abela defended the decision to keep a number of social restrictions in place despite declining Covid-19 numbers, saying that the authorities had prioritised health, education and the elderly. Indicating that he understood the frustration of people such as business owners or sport enthusiasts that are unable to resume their operations so far, the PM insisted that "we simply cannot risk all the hard work we have done so far.” "We know that there is fatigue and frustration. This has b...

12th April 2021

India overtakes Brazil as world’s second worst-hit country by COVID-19

India reported a record 168,912 COVID-19 infections overnight, data from the health ministry showed on Monday, overtaking Brazil to become the second-most affected country globally by the coronavirus. India's overall tally reached 13.53 million, surpassing Brazil's 13.45 million cases, according to data compiled by Reuters. The United States led the global tally with 31.2 million cases. Deaths in India stood at 904, taking the total to 170,179, data showed. Photo: Indian passengers undergo COVID-19 swab test at a railway station in New Delhi, India. EPA-EFE/RAJAT GUPTA

12th April 2021

Libya’s new PM to visit Turkey, hold talks with Erdogan on Monday

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh and a delegation of ministers will make their first visit to Turkey on Monday since taking office last month, the Turkish presidency said. Libya’s new unity government was sworn in on March 15 from two warring administrations that had ruled eastern and western regions, completing a smooth transition of power after a decade of violent chaos. Turkey had backed the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) against the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), which was supported by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and France. T...

12th April 2021

Blinken criticizes China, says ‘need to get to the bottom’ of COVID-19 origin

China’s failure to provide access to global health experts made the COVID-19 pandemic worse than it had to be, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Sunday, and it was important to “get to the bottom” of the origin of the novel coronavirus. The top U.S. diplomat’s sharp words underscored criticism from other members of the Biden administration over Beijing’s lack of transparency in the crucial early days of the pandemic. China did not give access to international experts or share information in real time to provide true transparency, Blinken said in an interview with NBC’s...

12th April 2021

Oil prices climb on favourable outlook for U.S. fuel demand

Oil rose on Monday amid hopes that fuel demand is picking up in the United States as the summer driving season approaches and the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations there accelerates, though increasing case numbers in other countries are set to cap gains. Brent was up 25 cents, or 0.4%, at $63.20 a barrel by 0155 GMT. U.S. crude gained 17 cents, or 0.3%, to $59.49 a barrel. Prices have changed little since a period of volatile trading ended with the close of trading last Monday. "An unsettling calm has enveloped oil markets recently as Brent remains anchored around $63 and traders ...

12th April 2021

English shops and pub gardens reopen in ‘major step’ to freedom

England’s shops, hairdressers, gyms and pub gardens will reopen on Monday in what Prime Minister Boris Johnson said was a “major step” towards freedom from the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of businesses have been closed since early January when England entered a third lockdown to stem surging infections driven by the “Kent” variant of the virus. A vaccination campaign that has delivered a first shot to well over half of adults and lockdown measures have cut deaths by more than 95% and cases by over 90% from the January peak. Sunday’s seven deaths w...

12th April 2021

On This Day…

1204 - 4th Crusade occupies & plunders Constantinople 1811 - 1st US colonists on Pacific coast arrive at Cape Disappointment, Washington 1872 - Jesse James gang robs bank in Columbia, Kentucky (1 dead/$1,500) 1927 - Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek begins counter revolution in Shanghai 1940 - Italy annexes Albania 1945 - US President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office and Vice President Harry Truman is sworn in as 33rd US President1946 - Syria gains independence from France 1961 - Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first...

11th April 2021

Flamengo beat Palmeiras to win Brazilian Supercup

REUTERS - BRASILIA: Flamengo won the Brazilian Supercup on Sunday (Apr 11), beating Palmeiras 6-5 in a gripping penalty shoot-out after the two sides drew 2-2 over 90 minutes. Both sides squandered three of their first eight spot kicks before Mayke missed for Palmeiras and Rodrigo Caio scored for Flamengo to give the Rio de Janeiro club victory in the annual contest between the winners of the Brazilian league and the Brazilian Cup. Palmeiras took the lead in the neutral venue of Brasilia after just two minutes when Raphael Veiga superbly flicked the ball round a defender and ran on to r...

11th April 2021

Cavani and Greenwood seal Man Utd comeback win at Tottenham

REUTERS - LONDON: Late goals by Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood sealed Manchester United a 3-1 comeback win against Tottenham Hotspur, cementing their place in the Premier League top-four and leaving the London club's hopes of joining them looking slim on Sunday (Apr 11). Cavani had a goal controversially ruled out in an otherwise dull first half shortly before Son Heung-min gave Tottenham a 40th-minute lead with their first shot on target. The second half was far more lively with United dominant. Fred equalised from close range just before the hour-mark and Cavani then made up fo...

11th April 2021

Juve ease past Genoa to keep faint title hopes alive

TURIN, Italy: Juventus eased to a 3-1 victory over Genoa on Sunday (Apr 11) to keep alive their faint hopes of making it 10 successive Serie A titles this season. The champions raced into a comfortable lead inside 22 minutes thanks to goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Alvaro Morata, the Spanish striker converting after Cristiano Ronaldo had hit the post. Juventus have not been convincing recently, however, and let the visitors back into the match four minutes after the break with Gianluca Scamacca finding the net. Genoa had chances to level, but Weston McKennie stepped off the ben...

11th April 2021

CDE News Views – This Day in Photos

Today's salient news in pictures as taken by the pool of photographers of EPA/EFE for CDE News. Stay informed daily with www.cde.news, for local perspective with a global outlook.

11th April 2021

UK nears 40 million first and second vaccine doses

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - The United Kingdom distributed a further 586,339 COVID-19 vaccines, taking the total amount to almost 40 million, according to daily data published on Sunday. The UK has now given 32.12 million people a first dose of the vaccine and 7.47 million a second dose, putting it on track to start reopening its economy. The data also showed that a further 1,730 people had tested positive for the virus, down from 2,589 the day before, while seven people had died within 28 days of a positive test, down from 40 on Saturday. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Paul Sandle)

11th April 2021

How British royals reacted to Prince Philip’s death

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - The children of Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have warmly thanked the public for its support and for tributes paid to their father, who died on Friday aged 99. Following are comments or statements from the couple's four children this weekend. Eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince Charles: "My father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable devoted service to the queen, to my family, to the country and also to the whole of the Commonwealth," Charles said outside his Highgrove House home on Saturday. "My dear papa...

11th April 2021

Iran says Natanz nuclear site hit by terrorism – TV

DUBAI, April 11 (Reuters) - An incident at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility on Sunday was caused by an act of "nuclear terrorism", the country's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said, according to state TV, adding that Tehran reserves the right to take action against the perpetrators. Israel's Kan public radio cited intelligence sources, whose nationality it did not disclose, as saying that Israel's Mossad spy agency had carried out a cyber attack at the site. Earlier on Sunday, the spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) had said that a problem with the electrical distributi...

11th April 2021

AstraZeneca says it had positive meeting with EU over vaccine row

MILAN, April 11 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca had a positive meeting with the European Commission last week, the Anglo-Swedish company said after an Italian newspaper said the group had not replied to an EU letter of complaint over COVID-19 vaccines within a 20-day deadline. European Union member states and the pharmaceutical company are at odds over the delivery of shots after the group shipped less than indicated to the EU than in the initial agreement. Italian daily Corriere della Sera said on Sunday AstraZeneca had yet to react to a letter sent by the Commission on March 19 to complain ab...

11th April 2021

Next week crucial for Italy, EU talks over Alitalia – minister

MILAN, April 11 (Reuters) - Talks between Italy and the European Commission over the revamp of Alitalia will enter a key phase next week, Italian Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Sunday. Brussels and Rome have been in negotiations for months over Italy's plan to restructure the airline through the launch of a new, state-owned company called ITA. The new carrier needs the EU's approval for the government injection of 3 billion euros before it can start operating, but risks missing the summer season as talks are dragging on. "I think next week will be crucial," Giorgetti s...

11th April 2021

We’ve lost almost ‘the grandfather of the nation’ – UK’s Prince Andrew

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth, said on Sunday that the royal family was feeling a great sense of loss following the death of his father Prince Philip on Friday. "I think the way I would put it is we've lost almost the grandfather of the nation," he told reporters outside a private chapel. He added that the queen had described it as having left a huge void in her life. (Reporting by Paul Sandle and Kate Holton)

11th April 2021

DAZN investigates into service failure after Serie A blackout

MILAN (Reuters) - Sport streaming app DAZN said on Sunday it was investigating disruptions affecting its services after complaints from Italian users for being unable to watch live Serie A games Inter Milan-Cagliari and Hellas Verona-Lazio on the platform. The online sports broadcaster, which in March snatched the rights to screen Italy's top soccer championship from Sky, owned by Comcast, for the next three seasons in the league's home market, offers its users three out of 10 Serie A games per week under its current agreement with the Italian league. Many users put the video sport app ...

11th April 2021

Summer holiday abroad? Too soon to guarantee that, says French minister

PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) - France said on Sunday it was too soon to say whether holidays abroad would be possible this summer as a third wave of coronavirus infections continues to spread through Europe. Tough COVID-19 restrictions are enforced in many European countries, hitting recovery prospects for the tourism industry's crucial peak season as governments are struggling to define a timeframe for the gradual reopening of national borders. "I cannot say to you when we will be able to resume travel within Europe," French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune told LCI television...

11th April 2021

Demi Lovato had ‘anxiety attack’ after watching Dancing with the Devil

Demi Lovato was overwhelmed after watching her ‘Dancing with the Devil’ documentary series for the first time. The 28-year-old star candidly opened up about her struggles with addiction and mental health in the YouTube series and revealed she had an “anxiety attack” after watching the documentary. Demi told ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’: “I had a physical reaction the first time I watched it. Like – anxiety attack.” The former Disney star confessed that she found it “challenging” to be so open about private matters during the series and explained how she had to “work” on herse...

11th April 2021

Games in Serbia under match-fixing scrutiny, says FA

BELGRADE (Reuters) - UEFA has asked the Serbian Football Association (FSS) to investigate games in March where match-fixing might have taken place, the Balkan nation's soccer governing body said on Sunday. Serbia's Sport Klub television said on its website (www.sportklub.rs) that it had learned, without naming its sources, there was suspicion that two matches were rigged last month without specifying the competition. "It is true that we have received certain information from UEFA suggesting possible irregularities pointing to breach of integrity in some games," FSS spokesman Milan...

11th April 2021

Why do the age recommendations keep changing? – AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine FAQ answered

The Conversation - Many people have questions about the changing guidelines for the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. Here are some answers from infectious disease specialist Dr. Alexander Wong. ChADOx1 nCoV-19/AZD1222 (AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, also called the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and COVISHIELD) uses a modified adenovirus “vector” to deliver the genetic code for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the cell nucleus. This vector has been modified so that it can enter human cells, but once inside, it cannot replicate. That means it can’t cause danger to the vaccine recipient. ...

11th April 2021

Bavarian leader ready to run as German chancellor candidate – sources

BERLIN, April 11 (Reuters) - The leader of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) party, Markus Soeder, said on Sunday he was willing to run as the conservative candidate for German chancellor in a September election, participants in a party meeting with him told Reuters. Pressure is mounting for a decision soon on whether Christian Democrat (CDU) leader Armin Laschet or Soeder should stand for the two parties' bloc in the Sept. 26 election, making them the candidate to succeed of Angela Merkel. "If the CDU were willing to support me, I would be ready," Soeder told a meeting of leading ...

11th April 2021

Inter close on Serie A title

(REUTERS) A rare goal from full-back Matteo Darmian earned Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Cagliari on Sunday (Apr 11), as Antonio Conte's side closed in on their first Serie A title in 11 years. Struggling Cagliari were proving to be a tough nut to crack at the San Siro, with debutant goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario making several fine saves to keep the league leaders at bay. But the visitors' resistance was broken by an unlikely source in Darmian, whose second league goal of the season in the 77th minute secured Inter a 11th successive league win. Inter Milan?s Matteo Darmian cele...

11th April 2021

Philippine capital to be under less restrictive quarantine curbs from Monday

MANILA, April 11 (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has approved placing the capital region and four adjacent provinces under a less restrictive community quarantine status from April 12, his spokesman said on Sunday. Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite, which have been in a strict lockdown due to COVID-19 infections, will be under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine status until April 30, spokesman Harry Roque said. (Reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

11th April 2021

UK and USA say Russia must de-escalate situation in Ukraine – UK’s Raab

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the United States "firmly opposed" Russia's campaign to destabilize Ukraine and called on Russia to deescalate the situation, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday. "@SecBlinken (U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken) & I agreed Russia must immediately de-escalate the situation & live up to the international commitments that it signed up to at @OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)," Raab said in a tweet. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton)

11th April 2021

66 new cases and 44 recoveries reported Malta News Briefing – Sunday 11 April 2021

Covid19 Update Malta's health authorities have reported 66 new coronavirus cases. There were 44 recoveries. https://www.facebook.com/sahhagovmt/posts/317227819995768 Political Speech by PM Abela A summer of tourism will be crucial for Malta's economic recovery, and in turn a cautious reopening will be necessary to allow this, Prime Minister Robert Abela warned. During an interview on the Labour Party-owned TV station ONE, Abela admitted that the economy could face serious problems if Malta loses out on another summer of tourist activity. He explained that by focusing on three ...

11th April 2021

Fears that Italian Mafia infiltrated country’s vaccination programme

Politico - The Italian mafia is diverting vaccines away from those who need them the most, lawmakers fear. The parliament's anti-mafia commission is investigating whether crime syndicates are redirecting vaccines to their friends at the expense of the elderly and vulnerable, particularly in the south where they often exert control over health authorities. The continuing increase in COVID-19 deaths in Italy, as the rate has slowed dramatically in neighboring countries, has led some, including Prime Minister Mario Draghi, to blame younger people for jumping the queue to get vaccinated. ...

11th April 2021

Photo story – Fashion in Madrid

A model presents a creation from the Fall-Winter 2021/2022 collection of Maison Mesa during a show at the 73rd Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, in Madrid, Spain, 10 April 2021. The fashion event runs from 08 to 11 April. EPA-EFE/Mariscal

11th April 2021

Babies ‘understand simple sentences before they can speak’

A new study has found babies can understand simple phrases before they can speak. Scientists believe the data will challenge ideas about how children learn language, after discovering 11-12-month-old children can already process a sentence such as "clap your hands" before they have uttered a word themselves. It has now been suggested that babies can learn individual words at the same time as more complex sequences of words, and this is happening months before parents will hear their children attempt to speak in sentences. "Previous research has shown that young infants recognise many...

11th April 2021

Why walking alone may be better for fitness

Many of us make a point of heading out for a walk at least once a day. But if you tend to go out for a stroll with a pal or partner on a regular basis, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on the pace. As part of a new study, researchers from Purdue University analysed the walking times and gait speeds of 141 individuals from 72 couples. Accordingly, they found that couples often decreased their speed when walking together, while the pace declined further if the pair was holding hands. "We were hoping that there would not be a reduction in speed where partners walked together. W...

11th April 2021

Settling your differences before bedtime ‘could prolong lifespan’

Most of us are guilty of stewing over a disagreement and failing to make peace for a few days - or even longer. But a new Oregon State University study has shown that adults who solve differences on the same day have reduced stress levels and this could have a major impact on overall health. "Everyone experiences stress in their daily lives. You aren't going to stop stressful things from happening," said Robert Stawski, senior author on the study and an associate professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences. "But the extent to which you can tie them off, bring them to an...

11th April 2021

Depression ‘alters visual information’

A new study has found that the processing of visual information is altered in people suffering from depression. Researchers from the University of Helsinki in Finland investigated the effects of depression on visual perception in a study and their findings confirmed that the processing of visual information is altered in depressed people, a phenomenon experts believe is most likely linked with the processing of information in the cerebral cortex. For their study, the team compared the processing of visual information by patients with depression and a control group using two visuals test...

11th April 2021

95 voluntary organisations call on the Maltese Government to withdraw legal notices and start serious consultation

The 95 organisations in Malta called on Government to retract the Legal Notices that regulate Public Fundraising activities and the legislations on Charity Shops with immediate effect and embark on serious consultations with all the voluntary organsiations and the Council for the same sector to find the best way forward in this regard. In a joint statement, they said that they believe that voluntary organisations should always be transparent and accountable in their operations. The Law (Act No. XXXVI of 2018) that regulates these organisations has helped to ensure this. L...

11th April 2021

Benin President Talon seeks five more years

Benin’s President Patrice Talon, who previously vowed to serve only one term, enters Sunday’s election a heavy favourite to win five more years in office amid criticism he has tarnished the country’s reputation as one of West Africa’s model democracies. Talon, a multi-millionaire cotton magnate, faces two challengers, but analysts say he has prevented his strongest rivals from running by driving them into exile under the threat of criminal charges. His U-turn about a second term, which he pledged as a candidate in 2016 to forgo in order to avoid “complacency”, has led to protests in...

11th April 2021

Archaeology in West Africa could rewrite the textbooks on human evolution

Our species, Homo sapiens, rose in Africa some 300,000 years ago. The objects that early humans made and used, known as the Middle Stone Age material culture, are found throughout much of Africa and include a vast range of innovations. Among them are bow and arrow technology, specialised tool forms, the long-distance transport of objects such as marine shells and obsidian, personal ornamentation, the use of pigments, water storage, and art. Although it is possible that other ancestors of modern humans contributed to this material culture in Africa, some of the earliest Middle Stone Age sto...

11th April 2021

Armed man fires shots in Hawaii hotel, barricades himself inside room – report

April 11 (Reuters) - A hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii was placed on lockdown after an armed man fired shots through the door of a guest room and barricaded himself inside, but there were no reports of any injuries, Hawaii News Now reported late Saturday. Guests and staff at the Kahala Resort & Hotel were sheltering in place, and guests in rooms near the incident had been evacuated, the news site added. “Nobody is injured. Everybody is accounted for. We’re just waiting for the suspect to give up,” the news site quoted Police Captain Brian Lynch as saying. https://twitter.com/kristytam...

11th April 2021

S.Korea to resume wider use of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, exclude people under 30

SEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - South Korean authorities said on Sunday they will move ahead with a coronavirus vaccination drive this week, after deciding to continue using AstraZeneca PLC's vaccine for all eligible people 30 years old or over. South Korea on Wednesday suspended providing the AstraZeneca shot to people under 60 as Europe reviewed cases of blood clotting in adults. People under 30 will still be excluded from the vaccinations resuming on Monday because the benefits of the shot do not outweigh the risks for that age group, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA...

11th April 2021

High stakes at sea in global rush for wind power

Global competition for offshore wind power is so hot that licence auctions now resemble the oil and gas competitions of just a few years ago, and some of the names are familiar too as global oil majors move aggressively into renewable energy. The drive among top fossil fuel producers to make fast inroads into lower-carbon businesses comes as more and more countries roll out plans to boost wind power in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. The cost of securing sites to develop has risen to levels that some top wind farm operators say are unsustainable and which will hurt consu...

11th April 2021

Anti-Covid Protests in Finland, Norway and Denmark

Twenty people were arrested in Finland on Saturday as they protesters against measures to fight COVID-19, with similar demonstrations also held in neighbouring Norway and Denmark. About 300 people took part in the unauthorised protest in Helsinki — public gatherings of more than six people are currently banned in Finland to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The arrests were carried out after a police order to disperse was ignored. Hundreds of people also gathered in the Danish capital Copenhagen on Saturday to protest their country's strategy against the virus and the introduct...

11th April 2021

‘Spider-Man’ and other Sony films to hit Netflix after theatres

Streaming service Netflix Inc reached a deal to offer new “Spider-Man” movies and other films from Sony Pictures to U.S. customers after they play in theaters, the companies said on Thursday. The five-year arrangement will begin with the 2022 slate of movies, which is scheduled to include Marvel film “Morbius,” best-selling book adaptation “Where the Crawdads Sing” and Brad Pitt thriller “Bullet Train.” Future releases are expected to include new installments in the Spider-Man, Venom, Jumanji and Bad Boys franchises. The movies will hit Netflix after they have finished their run in t...

11th April 2021

EU’s Michel says he’s sleeping badly after sofa gaffe in Turkey

BERLIN (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel is suffering from bad nights due to his embarrassment over a seating arrangement incident at a meeting in Ankara this week, he told German newspaper Handelsblatt. Ursula Von der Leyen, the first female president of the European Commission, expressed surprise and raised a hand in disbelief when she found Michel had taken the only chair available next to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at the talks. In the episode, caught on camera, she ended up being relegated to a sofa, further away. "I make no sec...

11th April 2021

Greek Journalist’s murder linked to organised crime – Minister

Ekathimerni - Journalist Giorgos Karaivaz, who was gunned down outside his home in southern Athens on Friday, took a total of 10 bullets to his body, according to the results of an autopsy presented on Saturday by the deputy minister for citizens’ protection. Speaking to state-run broadcaster ERT, Lefteris Economou suggested a link between the killing and organized crime. There has been a series of suspected contract killings in the past three years, he said, pointing to an “open war” between rival gangs. However, he stressed that it was still too early to make assumptions regardi...

11th April 2021

Myanmar security forces with rifle grenades kill over 80 protesters – monitoring group

Myanmar security forces fired rifle grenades at protesters in a town near Yangon on Friday, killing more than 80 people, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group and a domestic news outlet said. Details of the death toll in the town of Bago, 90 km (55 miles) northeast of Yangon, were not initially available because security forces piled up bodies in the Zeyar Muni pagoda compound and cordoned off the area, according to witnesses and domestic media outlets. The AAPP and Myanmar Now news outlet said on Saturday that 82 people were killed du...

11th April 2021

Peruvians head to polls with masks, pens and little excitement

LIMA, April 11 (Reuters) - Peruvians were preparing to head to the polls on Sunday in a presidential election marked by uncertainty due to widespread public apathy following decades of graft and mismanagement and a possible low turnout because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Polls were scheduled to open at 7 a.m. local time (1200 GMT), with twice as many sites available to voters than in previous elections as authorities try to avoid fueling a second coronavirus wave that has gripped the Andean nation. None of the 18 presidential candidates have polled more than 12% and a "no vote" is still t...

11th April 2021

80% of Sicilians refuse AstraZeneca Vaccine

80% of Sicilians refuse the AstraZeneca vaccine. The announcement was made by the president of the Region Nello Musumeci. He said that the concern is only natural but there is the duty to believe the scientists who say that it is more dangerous not to get vaccinated than to get vaccinated. In order to get out of this tunnel and stop declaring red zones, there is only one solution: the immunisation of the Sicilian community through vaccination and the efforts in this regard will be intensified. ANSA

11th April 2021

Algerians march in capital for political change

Thousands took to the streets in the Algerian capital Algiers on Friday (April 9), to mark the 112th Friday demonstration of Hirak - a protest movement demanding political changes. "We always went out for the same reasons, to free Algeria, for a better Algeria, to let young people work, for children and youth, for the coming generation, Algeria belongs to them." Lynda, a protester, told Reuters. The protest movement, known as 'Hirak', brought tens of thousands of people to the streets each week for more than a year until the pandemic hit Algeria in early 2020, forcing them to stop. T...

11th April 2021

Trump tells Republican donors he’ll help win Congress in 2022

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump vowed to help Republicans win seats in Congress in 2022 elections but lashed out at two top party figures, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Mike Pence, at a donor retreat on Saturday. At a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club for Republican National Committee donors in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump made clear he is still irked at his inability to hang on to the White House despite losing the Nov. 3 election to Democrat Joe Biden, who is now president. McConnell drew Trump's ire in the aftermath of the election for...

11th April 2021

Turkish president calls for peaceful, diplomatic solution to tensions in eastern Ukraine

(REUTERS) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the "worrying developments" in eastern Ukraine between Kiev and Moscow. The goal is that the Black Sea continues to be a sea of peace, tranquility, and cooperation, Erdogan said at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, adding that his country does not want the tension to escalate. Zelensky arrived at Istanbul on Saturday. The two leaders co-chaired the 9th meeting of the Turkey-Ukraine High-Level Strategic Cooperation Cou...

11th April 2021

Libya launches COVID-19 vaccination drive after delays

TRIPOLI, April 10 (Reuters) - Libya's new unity government launched a long-delayed COVID-19 vaccination programme on Saturday after receiving some 160,000 vaccine doses over the past week, with the prime minister receiving his jab on live television. While Libya is richer than its neighbours due to oil exports, the country's healthcare system has been strained by years of political turmoil and violence, and it has struggled to cope during the pandemic. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh called it a "blessed day" in the fight against COVID-19 after receiving his shot, without saying which...

11th April 2021

Austin makes first Israel visit by Biden official, Iran on the agenda

JERUSALEM, April 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel on Sunday on the first visit by a senior representative of the Biden administration, whose stance on Iran has worried Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Austin was due to meet Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz during the two-day visit, which officials said would include discussions of U.S. arms supplies to Israel. Washington has sought to reassure Israel on regional security issues while restarting talks - so far indirect and inconclusive - about a U.S. return to the 20...

11th April 2021

Malta: Herd immunity by June

Kullħadd says that Malta is on course to achieve herd immunity by the end of June, making it among the first EU countries to reach the milestone. Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Twitter that the country is gradually returning to normality. Another story quotes figures by the National Statistics Office showing a decrease in social benefit dependency in 2020 compared with the year before. Nearly 4,600 people received benefits because of lack of financial means last year, 400 less than in 2019. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs...

11th April 2021

France extends gap between vaccine shots to speed-up rollout

PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) - France will lengthen the period between the first and second shots of mRNA anti-COVID vaccines to six weeks from four weeks as of April 14 to accelerate the inoculation campaign, Health Minister Olivier Veran told the JDD newspaper on Sunday. Although France's top health authority advised a six-week period between the two shots in January in order to stretch supplies, the government at the time said there was insufficient data on how well the vaccines performed with a longer interval. France could safely do so now because it was vaccinating a younger age grou...

11th April 2021

Ash-covered streets after Caribbean volcano erupts

Images from Georgetown, a community several miles away from La Soufriere volcano on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, showed buildings blanketed in a layer of ash on Saturday (April 10), a day after the volcano spectacularly erupted. Libby Hogan reports. Locals on the Caribbean island of St Vincent are surveying the damage after a volcano erupted on Friday, following decades of inactivity. Rumbling noises could be heard from La Soufriere volcano, as grey ash blanketed cars, buildings and roads showing a ghost-like landscape in the capital Georgetown. On Saturday, a disaster resp...

11th April 2021

Malta: Public debt at almost €8 billion

Il-Mument says that the government deficit has risen to almost €8 billion in March, with Finance Minister Clyde Caruana warning the Prime Minister against growing debt. Caruana is said to have insisted on stopping unauthorised spending by ministers. The paper quotes PN spokesperson for sport Clyde Puli who criticised the government decision to stop all sports activities without consultation with stakeholders. Puli said that sport disciplines involving professional athletes are being treated like hobbies. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedisp...

11th April 2021

Four dead whales wash ashore on San Francisco Bay area beaches

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (REUTERS) - Four dead grey whales washed ashore on San Francisco Bay area beaches in nine days, with experts announcing that two of the giant aquatic mammals died from ship strikes, and an investigation is ongoing on Saturday (April 10) on the other two. Biologists with the non-profit Marine Mammal Centre in California said in a release on Saturday that two dead whales washed ashore in the Bay area on Thursday, joining two more that were discovered dead in area beaches since March 31. Of the four animals, two died from blunt force trauma from ship strikes, the ...

11th April 2021

Malta: Three new airlines to operate this summer

Illum says that seven in every ten flight connections available before the pandemic will be operating this summer. Meanwhile, FlyDubai, LOT, and Air France will be flying to and from Malta for the first time. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

11th April 2021

Iran reports incident in Natanz nuclear site, no casualties (UPDATE)

DUBAI, April 11 (Reuters) - An electrical power problem caused an incident at Iran's Natanz underground nuclear facility on Sunday, Iranian Press TV reported, a day after Tehran launched new advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges at the site. "The incident caused no casualties or contamination," Iran's Atomic Energy Organization spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said, adding that "electricity was affected at the Natanz facility", which is located in the desert in the central province of Isfahan. The underground Natanz site is the centrepiece of Iran's uranium enrichment programme and monito...

11th April 2021

Malta: PL leads PN by 10 points in the polls

It-Torċa quotes survey findings by statistician Vincent Marmarà showing a 10-point gap between major parties in voting intention polls. Just over 54 percent of respondents said they would vote for the PL compared with 44 percent who prefer the PN. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

11th April 2021

Malta: Details from Caruana Galizia investigation found on Yorgen Fenech’s phone

View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

11th April 2021

Malta: Newsrooms flag court decision

The Independent on Sunday says independent newsrooms have expressed concern following a decision by Magistrate Rachel Montebello charging newspapers with contempt of court for publishing stories based on messages found on Yorgen Fenech’s phone. The Independent on Sunday speaks to police immigration unit chief Lara Butters cases of people trying to leave the country using a fake Covid-19 swab test. The inspector said that 18 people have been caught with illegitimate certificates so far. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_mar...

11th April 2021

Malta: Main party leaders register increase in popularity

Malta Today publishes survey results showing an increase in trust ratings for both Robert Abela and Bernard Grech. The Prime Minister scored 47 percent approval, 11 points ahead of the PN Leader who recorded his best result so far of 36 percent. The paper reveals that on the eve of his testimony in court, former Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar spent 15 minutes on the phone with Edwin Brincat, a confidant of self-confessed witness Melvin Theuma. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

11th April 2021

‘Top Gun’ sequel delayed in summer movie setback for theatres

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Paramount Pictures has pushed the release Tom Cruise movie “Top Gun: Maverick” to November from July, the studio said on Friday, a move that deprives theatres of what was expected to be one of the biggest releases of the summer blockbuster season. The sequel to 1986 hit “Top Gun” will now debut in theaters on Nov. 19, the day Paramount had planned to release Cruise’s seventh “Mission: Impossible” movie. That film was moved to May 2022, according to Paramount, a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. Movie theater operators including AMC Entertainment, Cineworld Group Plc and Cin...

11th April 2021

Senior German conservatives set to discuss chancellor candidate choice

BERLIN, April 11 (Reuters) - The two contenders vying to be the German ruling conservative coalition’s candidate for chancellor in September’s election are due to meet leading members of the parliamentary party on Sunday as pressure grows for a decision on who should run. Armin Laschet, leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), lags Markus Soeder, head of its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), in opinion polls but enjoys the support of some powerful state premiers. Traditionally the leaders of the two parties, which form a parliamentary bloc, d...

11th April 2021

Cyclone off Western Australia forces people to evacuate

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Tropical cyclone Seroja strenthened off Western Australia on Sunday, with emergency services opening shelters in preparation for high winds and coastal flooding later in the evening. Officials asked residents in the town of Denham, Shark Bay, 500 kilometres (311 miles) north of Perth to evacuate while sandbags were being made available to residents of Geraldton, further down the coast, due to potential storm surge. "There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a cyclone is approaching the area. You need to take action and get ready to shelter from a cyclone," t...

11th April 2021

21 miners trapped after Xinjiang coal mine accident – official media

BEIJING, April 11 (Reuters) - Eight miners have been rescued and 21 remain trapped in a coal mine that flooded in northwest China's Xinjiang region, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday, citing a local emergency department. A part of the mine flooded leading to power outages just after 6 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Saturday when 29 miners were working at the mine located in Xinjiang's Hutubi county, the report said. In a separate report, state media outlet Global Times said 12 of the miners who remain trapped have been located in the mine as of Sunday and are expected to be rescue...

11th April 2021

Study suggests that the Pfizer vaccine is less effective against the South African variant

JERUSALEM, April 10 (Reuters) - The coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa can "break through" Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to some extent, a real-world data study in Israel found, though its prevalence in the country is low and the research has not been peer reviewed. The study, released on Saturday, compared almost 400 people who had tested positive for COVID-19, 14 days or more after they received one or two doses of the vaccine, against the same number of unvaccinated patients with the disease. It matched age and gender, among other characteristics. The South African v...

11th April 2021

UK PM Johnson won’t attend Prince Philip funeral to make space for family members

LONDON, April 10 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not attend next Saturday's funeral of Prince Philip to make space for as many family members as possible under pandemic rules, his Downing Street office said in a statement. "As a result of the Coronavirus regulations, only 30 people can attend the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," the statement said. "The prime minister has throughout wanted to act in accordance with what is best for the royal household, and so to allow for as many family members as possible will not be attending the funeral on S...

11th April 2021

Real Madrid pull off thrilling Clasico win over Barcelona

Barcelona (dpa) - Real Madrid held on to earn a narrow 2-1 El Clasico win over rivals Barcelona and go top of La Liga on Saturday. Karim Benzema broke the deadlock in the 13th minute with his ninth goal in his last seven league games, finishing Lucas Vazquez’s cross with an impudent backheel. Madrid doubled their lead before the half hour mark when Toni Kroos’ free kick deflected against Sergino Dest’s back and flew past Jordi Alba on the line. Real Madrid's Luka Modric (R) in action against FC Barcelona's Jordi Alba (2-L) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between...

11th April 2021

Injury-ridden Bayern concede late draw to Union Berlin

Berlin (dpa) - An injury-ridden Bayern Munich have conceded a late 1-1 draw to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while 19-year-old Ansgar Knauff was Borussia Dortmund's hero in the 3-2 win over Stuttgart. Despite the setback, Bayern still top the table but their advantage was cut from seven to five points over second-placed RB Leipzig, who beat Werder Bremen 4-1 with an Alexander Sorloth brace. Bayern were missing some usual starters due to injury such as top striker Robert Lewandowski, midfielder Leon Goretzka, defenders Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Suele, while ...

11th April 2021

Blackmore makes history as first woman to win Horse Racing Grand National

LIVERPOOL (Reuters) - Rachael Blackmore made Grand National history by becoming the first female jockey to win the race as she steered Minella Times across the finishing line at Aintree on Saturday. The Irishwoman, who became the first leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival last month, timed her finish to perfection as Minella Times surged ahead after the 30th and final fence. Minella Times, priced at 11-1, never looked threatened in the charge to the finish with 100-1 shot Balko Des Flos coming second and Any Second Now in third place. The closest a female jockey had previously c...

11th April 2021

Climate change shrinks marine life richness near equator: study

During some summers, as the Caribbean water temperatures climb, the luminous coral colonies of gold, green and blue that ring the island nation of Cuba give way to patches of skeletal white. The technicolor streaks of darting tropical fish flash less frequently. The rasping sounds of lobsters go quiet. While Cuba’s marine life has suffered from overfishing and pollution, there is mounting evidence that the warming of waters due to climate change may be taking a large toll as well -- both off the island’s coast and globally. Research published this week finds that the total number...

11th April 2021

On This Day…

1512 - Battle of Ravenna: French forces under Gaston de Foix defeat the Holy League in a major battle of the Italian Wars 1783 - Hostilities formally cease in the American Revolutionary War 1814 - Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates unconditionally and he is exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean 1868 - The Shogunate is abolished in Japan 1955 - Chartered Air India plane the "Kashmir Princess" is bombed and crashes into the South China Sea in a failed assassination attempt on Zhou Enlai by a Kuomintang secret agent 1968 - US Pres...

11th April 2021

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Beirut, Lebanon

The Dora area north Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: EPA-EFE/WAEL HAMZEH

10th April 2021

Watch: – Dear Papa – Prince Charles pays tribute to a ‘remarkably devoted father’

LONDON, April 10 (Reuters) - Prince Charles on Saturday paid tribute to his "dear Papa" who had given such remarkably devoted service to Queen Elizabeth, to the royal family, to Britain and to the Commonwealth, expressing gratitude for such touching praise of his father. "My father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable devoted service to the queen, to my family, to the country and also to the whole of the Commonwealth," Charles, wearing a black necktie of mourning told reporters. "My dear Papa was a very special person who above all else would have been amazed ...

10th April 2021

Chelsea demolish Palace with Pulisic double

LONDON (Reuters) -Chelsea roared back into fourth spot in the Premier League as Christian Pulisic scored twice in an impressive 4-1 victory at London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday. After boss Thomas Tuchel's long unbeaten run since taking charge ended abruptly against West Bromwich Albion last week, Chelsea responded in emphatic fashion. Kai Havertz punished some sloppy defending to give Chelsea an eighth-minute lead and Pulisic doubled their advantage two minutes later with a powerful finish. Chelsea totally dominated the first half and went 3-0 up on the half hour with a Kurt Z...

10th April 2021

Milan edge past Parma as Ibrahimovic sees red

REUTERS: AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off for dissent as his side earned a 3-1 win at Parma in Serie A on Saturday (Apr 10). Milan eased into a comfortable two-goal lead at the break thanks to goals from Ante Rebic in the eighth minute - a goal that was brilliantly set up by Ibrahimovic - and a fine Franck Kessie finish on the stroke of halftime. Parma's Mattia Bani (R) and Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match Parma Calcio vs AC Milan at Ennio Tardini stadium in Parma, Italy, 10 April 2021. EPA-EFE/ELISABETTA BARACCHI Milan...

10th April 2021

Ten-man Leeds snatch last-gasp win at Man City

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - A dramatic last-gasp winner from Stuart Dallas earned 10-man Leeds United a shock 2-1 victory against runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. A much-changed City side struggled to get going in the first half, with Leeds taking a surprise lead in the 42nd minute, full-back Dallas drilling the ball in off the post with the visitors' first shot at goal. Leeds' joy was short-lived, however, as a VAR intervention saw their captain Liam Cooper sent off just before the break for a dangerous looking challenge on Gabriel J...

10th April 2021

CDE News Views – This Day in Photos

Today's salient news in pictures as taken by the pool of photographers of EPA/EFE for CDE News. Stay informed daily with www.cde.news, for local perspective with a global outlook.

10th April 2021

UK Big Brother star Nikki Grahame dies following a battle with anorexia

Nikki Grahame, who shot to fame in Big Brother in 2006, has died, following a battle with anorexia. A Go Fund Me page announced her death. "It is with great sadness, we have to let you know that our dear friend Nikki passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April. "It breaks our hearts to know that someone who is so precious was taken from us at such a young age." A statement from her representative said: “It is with immeasurable sadness that Nikki Grahame passed away in the early hours of Friday 9th April 2021. Please respect the privacy of Nikki’s friends and family at this tr...

10th April 2021

Thousands protest in Belgrade, demand government action to stop pollution

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Several thousand people blocked traffic in front of the Serbian parliament on Saturday in a protest against lack of government action to prevent water, land and air pollution by industries such as the mining sector. Protesters, who came to Belgrade from all over Serbia, held banners reading "Cut corruption and crime not forests," and "Young people are leaving because they cannot breathe". In recent years Serbia has started selling its mining resources to foreign companies, despite opposition by local residents who had warned that increased ore exploration could caus...

10th April 2021

Italian prosecutor says Salvini should not be tried in Gregoretti migrant case

ROME (Reuters) - A prosecutor said on Saturday that Italy's right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini should not be sent to trial over illegally detaining migrants in a case being considered by a court in the Sicilian city of Catania. The high-profile case, for which former Prime Minister Conte was also asked to testify, centres on an incident in July 2019, when Salvini, then interior minister, blocked more than 100 people aboard a coastguard ship for six days as he waited for European allies to agree to resettle them. Magistrates have argued that Salvini kidnapped the migrants, not allow...

10th April 2021

Late Alexander-Arnold strike earns Liverpool 2-1 win over Villa

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool fought back to snatch a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa and move provisionally into the Premier League's top four on Saturday. Juergen Klopp's side collected their first home league win in 2021 after right back Alexander-Arnold scored with a curling effort from the edge of the box at the death. Having suffered a humiliating 7-2 defeat at Villa Park in October, defending champions Liverpool enjoyed a better start at Anfield as forwards Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota tested visiting goalkeeper Emil...

10th April 2021

Italian journalist Emilio Fede hospitalised in very serious conditions

Italian journalist Emilio Fede was admitted at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, in very serious conditions. The former director of TG4, who will turn 90 in June, was hospitalised last November at the Covid residence in Ponticelli, an ASL facility in Naples for people infected with minor symptoms. CDE / ANSA

10th April 2021

Ecuador to choose between socialism and free markets in presidential runoff

Ecuadoreans on Sunday will choose between a conservative banker and a left-wing economist in a presidential runoff that follows months of debate over whether the country’s economic malaise can be best treated through socialism or market-friendly policies. Polls broadly indicate socialist Andres Arauz, a protege of former President Rafael Correa, with a lead over rival Guillermo Lasso, with many showing a quarter or more of the electorate either undecided or planning to spoil their ballot. A victory for Arauz would further consolidate a string of leftist electoral victories in South ...

10th April 2021

Funeral for UK’s Prince Philip to be held on April 17, Prince Harry plans to attend – UPDATED

LONDON, April 10 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband who died on Friday aged 99, will have a ceremonial funeral on Saturday April 17 without any public access or public procession, Buckingham Palace said. Following are details about the funeral. THE FUNERAL The funeral will take place at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle at 1500 local time on April 17. "It will be what's known as a ceremonial royal funeral," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said. "The plans for the funeral are very much in line with the Duke of Edinburgh's own personal wishes." There ...

10th April 2021

Italy’s elderly pay high price for regional vaccine lottery

Agostino Airaudo, 86, died of the coronavirus on March 21. Ninety minutes earlier he had received an SMS telling him that, after weeks of waiting, he had got an appointment for a vaccine. Ten days later, his 82-year-old wife Michela also died of the disease. Unlike many other European countries, Italy did not give automatic precedence to its army of pensioners when it launched its inoculation campaign in December, even though they were bearing the brunt of the disease. The failure to provide swifter protection has cost thousands of lives, experts say, and stoked anger about a fra...

10th April 2021

Suez Canal may expand southern channel, chairman says

The Suez Canal Authority is considering expanding the southern section of the waterway where the container ship Ever Given became stranded, its chairman said. It is also looking into procuring cranes that could potentially offload cargo at heights of up to 52 meters, Osama Rabie told Reuters in an interview. “Our procedures are sound, we are just aiming to improve the service,” he said. Head of the Suez Canal Authority Lt. Gen. Ossama Rabei . EPA-EFE/MOHAMED HOSSAM The 400-metre-long (1,310 ft) Ever Given became grounded diagonally across the southern section of the cana...

10th April 2021

Britons spend more on golf and picnics as COVID rules relax

British consumers ramped up their spending on golf, picnics and other newly permitted outdoor activities last week as some coronavirus restrictions were lifted, payments firm Barclaycard said. Golf courses, tennis courts and open-air swimming pools reopened in England on March 29, and a ban on non-essential travel was lifted, though most shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels remain closed. Face-to-face spending in the leisure and entertainment sector grew by 136% compared with the previous week and spending at golf courses jumped 370%. Outdoor gatherings such as picnics were probably b...

10th April 2021

Peru braces for ‘most fragmented election in history’

Peru will vote for a new president on Sunday in a wide-open election framed by a deadly surge in coronavirus cases, and under the long shadow of a constitutional crisis last year that saw the Andean nation go through three leaders in a week. As candidates closed their campaigns, pollsters say half a dozen of them are still in the running for a top two spot, which would see them move into a second round run-off vote in June. Predicting which two will make it, they say, is impossible. “These are the most fragmented elections in history, we have never reached the eve of the election wi...

10th April 2021

Sinopharm’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate gets China clinical trial nod

The China National Biotec Group Company (CNBG) has obtained regulatory approval to move a third COVID-19 vaccine candidate into the human testing stage in China, CNBG said on Saturday. The subsidiary of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) said that manufacturing the candidate, which is based on protein cultivated in factories, does not require facilities with high biosafety levels. This means it could be easier to produce compared with the two CNBG vaccines already being used in China's mass vaccination drive, which involve active coronavirus during productio...

10th April 2021

Zidane hopes Saturday not the end of Messi’s Clasico career

ADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said he hopes that Saturday's (Apr 10) Clasico meeting between his side and Barcelona will not be the last time Lionel Messi plays in the fixture. The Barca captain's contract expires this summer and his futures is up in the air having been linked with a move away ever since his attempts to leave the club last summer were unsuccessful. New president Joan Laporta has vowed to keep the Argentinean at the club, but thus far no new deal has been forthcoming. "I hope it's not (Messi's last Clasico), I want him to stay at Barcelona, it's good fo...

10th April 2021

‘What do we have available?’ Tokyo hopefuls adapt training in COVID-19 era

(Reuters) - Amid the monotony of quarantine life that people had to put up with due to the outbreak of COVID-19, housebound residents in one corner of Los Angeles were treated to the startling sight of an Olympic champion sprinting down their block at full speed. The athlete was six-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix, America's most decorated track athlete. With tracks closed down due to the pandemic, Felix was among dozens of Tokyo hopefuls who resorted to unorthodox training methods as the world went on lockdown and the 2020 Games were pushed back a year. "I’ve gone for runs ...

10th April 2021

South Asia surpasses grim milestone of 15 million COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus infections in the South Asia sub-region surpassed the grim milestone of 15 million on Saturday, a Reuters tally shows, led by India's record daily infections and vaccine shortages. South Asia - India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka - accounts for 11% of global cases and almost 6% of deaths. The region accounts for 23% of the world's population of 7.59 billion people. India, the country with the third-highest coronavirus total, accounts for over 84% of South Asia's cases and deaths. The world's second-most populous country reported 145,384...

10th April 2021

Photo Story: 11th anniversary of the presidential plane crash near Smolensk

Leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) ruling party Jaroslaw Kaczynski lays a candle in front of the Smolensk Catastrophe Victims monument at the Powazki Military Cemetery during the ceremonies commemorating the 11th anniversary of the presidential plane crash near Smolensk, in Warsaw, Poland, 10 April 2021. Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria Kaczynska and 94 others died on 10 April 2010 when the presidential plane crashed in Smolensk, Russia. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki lays wreath at the Monument to former Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Pilsudski Squar...

10th April 2021

Congenital heart disease does not worsen COVID-19 risks

Adults with congenital heart defects are not more likely than the average person to have severe COVID-19, or to die from it, according to an international study. Risk factors associated with poor outcomes in these individuals are the same as those associated with poor outcomes in the general public - older age, male gender, a history of heart failure, irregular heart rhythm, kidney problems, diabetes, and need for extra oxygen before becoming infected with the coronavirus, said study co-author Dr. Jamil Aboulhosn of the UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Center. Researchers analyzed data from 1,0...

10th April 2021

Amazon deforestation rose 17% in ‘dire’ 2020, data shows

Deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, rose by 17% last year, with wildfires, beef production and logging causing forested areas roughly the size of El Salvador to disappear, according to new data published this week. The loss of primary forest - the clearing of old-growth, intact forest for the first time - hit its third-highest annual total on record since 2000, reaching 2.3 million hectares (5.6 million acres) in the nine countries spanned by the Amazon. “2020, the year dominated by COVID-19, turned out to be quite dire for the Amazon,” said Matt Finer, who ...

10th April 2021

Serbia considers mandatory vaccination of health workers

Serbia could introduce mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said. “We cannot be in a situation where we have a healthcare worker infected and then ask if he or she had been vaccinated,” Loncar told Reuters, adding that the government could discuss the proposal within a few days. Italy was the first country in Europe to introduce mandatory vaccination for health workers earlier this week. Around 2.7 million of Serbia’s 7 million population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19...

10th April 2021

EU proposes six-month tariff freeze with United States – Der Spiegel

The European Union has suggested that it and the United States suspend tariffs imposed on billions of dollars of imports for six months, EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis was quoted as telling Germany's Der Spiegel on Saturday. That would go beyond a four-month suspension agreed last month, and send a signal that Brussels is seeking compromise in a 16-year-old dispute over aircraft subsidies. "We have proposed suspending all mutual tariffs for six months in order to reach a negotiated solution," Dombrovskis told the news magazine. "This would create a necessary breathing space fo...

10th April 2021

Vaccinating adults appears to protect children as well

New data from Israel, where health officials moved quickly to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE, suggests that the vaccination of adults also protects unvaccinated people living around them. Roughly one third of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS) 1.95 million members - all above the age of 16 - had received at least a single vaccine dose by Jan. 30. In analyzing outcomes in 223 communities, researchers found that as the number of vaccinated adults went up, infection rates among unvaccinated MHS members in the same community went down - particularly ...

10th April 2021

A photographic tribute to Prince Philip

A collection of photos of some salient moments from the life of Prince Philip. Prince Philip, who was Queen Elizabeth’s husband for more than seven decades and helped to modernise the British monarchy and steer the royal family through repeated crises, died on Friday. He was 99. Pope John Paul II (R) talks to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (C) and her husband Prince Philip (R) in the pontiff's library hall during their meeting in the Vatican on Tuesday 17 October 2000. EPA PHOTO ANSA/ALESSANDRO BIANCHI A handout picture provided by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) on 09 April 2021 sh...

10th April 2021

Ukraine says it could be provoked by Russian ‘aggression’ in conflict area

Ukraine’s defence minister said on Saturday his country could be provoked by Russian aggravation of the situation in the conflict area of Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region. The minister, Andrii Taran, said Russian accusations about the rights of Russian-speakers being violated could be the reason for the resumption of armed aggression against Ukraine. “At the same time, it should be noted that the intensification of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is possible only if an appropriate political decision is made at the highest level in the Kremlin,” he said...

10th April 2021

EU’s Michel says COVID-19 recovery fund is sufficient

The European Union's COVID-19 recovery response is robust and does not fall short when compared with the United States' $1.9 trillion recovery plan, European Council President Charles Michel told Les Echos newspaper. EU member states agreed last summer on a 750 billion euro ($892.2 billion) recovery fund, but with governments still submitting detailed spending plans, frustration is growing in some capitals at the slow speed of disbursing the money. Some leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have also questioned whether further stimulus is needed after a second and now...

10th April 2021

Britain in mourning as it pays tribute to Prince Philip

Gun salutes will be fired across Britain on Saturday to mark the death of Prince Philip as tributes flooded in for a man who was a pillar of strength for Queen Elizabeth during her 69-year reign. Members of the public laid flowers outside royal residences, paying their respects to the 99-year-old prince. “We’re all weeping with you, Ma’am,” read the front page of the Sun tabloid, while its rival the Daily Mail ran a 144-page tribute to Philip, who died on Friday at Windsor Castle. People lay flowers outside Windsor Castle, a day after the passing of Britain's Prince Philip, in Wi...

10th April 2021

Covid-19: Govt pledges herd immunity by June / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 10 April 2021

Updated 1245 Covid-19 UpdateHealth authorities reported 37 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with 49 recovering. These were identified through 2,243 swab tests. The active case tally has now gone down to 536.Meanwhile, a 96-year-old woman became the 402nd fatality since the onset of the pandemic. Fearne pledges immunity by June Health Minister Chris Fearne announced a new system for COVID-19 vaccination, with health authorities pledging to offer a first jab to everyone in the country by mid-August. Individuals will be required to register using an SMS or through the Internet, ...

10th April 2021

Preliminary hearing for Salvini in case of kidnapping on migrants ship docking delays

Italy's League Party leader and former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (L) sits inside the bunker hall room of the Bicocca prison during a preliminary hearing on the Gregoretti case, in Catania, Italy, 10 April 2021. Salvini is accused of kidnapping after he delayed the disembarkation of 131 migrants on Italian shores in July 2019. Italy's League Party leader and former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (L) sits inside the bunker hall room of the Bicocca prison during a preliminary hearing on the Gregoretti case, in Catania. EPA-EFE/ORIETTA SCARDINO During his 14...

10th April 2021

FELTOM Deeply Concerned About Industry’s Future

FELTOM expressed its disappointment following the recent announcement made by the Superintendent of Public Health delaying the opening of ELT schools. While this is having a detrimental impact on the business aspect of schools, FELTOM hopes that, in the interim, the industry is given clear direction from the government and a vision of the way forward for schools to implement meaningful survival plans. The EFL industry is one of the most terribly hit industries in our country which has incurred terrible financial losses and support for schools is imperative if this industry is to sur...

10th April 2021

Western Australia braces for ‘worst case scenario’ as cyclone Seroja nears

Authorities in Western Australia were urging residents of its Mid West coast to find safe shelter or leave on Saturday as cyclone Seroja barrelled towards a coastal region that is usually too far south to fall in the path of cyclones. Residents in Western Australia’s Mid West and Gascoyne regions are being urged to finalise their emergency plans, as the cyclone is expected to intensify to a category three overnight, battering a region where buildings are not made to withstand cyclonic winds. “This is a very serious situation. The potential for widespread devastation is high,” state ...

10th April 2021

Poland seems to have passed COVID-19 infections peak

Poland seems to have passed a peak in the number of coronavirus infections, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said on Friday, adding that the country is still testing its health system capacity. Poland reported 28,487 new coronavirus cases on Friday, compared with a record 35,251 on April 1. The country of 38 million also reported on Friday 768 coronavirus-related deaths, the second highest number since the start of the pandemic. Photo: People waiting in line at the vaccination point at the Old Mine Science and Art Center in Walbrzych, southwestern Poland. EPA-EFE/MACIEJ KULCZYNSKI

10th April 2021

Malta set to reach herd immunity by end of June

Malta will be reaching herd immunity by the end of June, and not September, as had previously been planned, because of the accelerated vaccination programme employed. The announcement was made by the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Chris Fearne in a press conference on Saturday Morning. In his statement, Fearne said that the country's vaccination rollout programme proceeds far ahead of schedule and every person over 16 should be invited to get their first dose of the vaccine by mid-August. The government of the island also announced that people aged 50 and ov...

10th April 2021

Volcano erupts in southern Caribbean, sparking evacuation

La Soufriere volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted on Friday after decades of inactivity, sending dark plumes of ash and smoke billowing into the sky and forcing thousands from surrounding villages to evacuate. Dormant since 1979, the volcano started showing signs of activity in December, spewing steam and smoke and rumbling away. That picked up this week, prompting Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves to order an evacuation of the surrounding area late on Thursday. Early on Friday it finally erupted. Ash and smoke plunged the nei...

10th April 2021

Elon Musk’s Neuralink shows monkey with brain-chip playing videogame by thinking

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup released footage appearing to show a monkey playing a simple videogame after getting implants of the new technology. The 3-minute video by Neuralink shows Pager, a male macaque with chips embedded on each side of its brain, playing 'Mind Pong'. Although he was trained to move a joystick, it is now unplugged. He controls the paddle simply by thinking about moving his hand up or down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCul1sp4hQ "First @Neuralink product will enable someone with paralysis to use a smartphone with their mind f...

10th April 2021

Chad’s Deby eyes sixth presidential term

Chad’s President Idriss Deby, an ally of Western nations in the fight against Islamist militants, is poised to extend his three-decade rule in Sunday’s election despite mounting signs of popular discontent with his leadership. Opposition leaders have called on their supporters to boycott the polls and make the country “ungovernable” after Deby’s decision to seek a sixth term led to protests and clashes with security forces. Deby, 68, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, having seized power in 1990 in an armed rebellion. He pushed through a new constitution in 2018 that could ...

10th April 2021

India’s COVID-19 infections hit another record

India reported a record 145,384 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday and the highest number of deaths in more than five months, as it grapples with an overwhelming second-wave of infections that has forced the state of Maharashtra to impose a weekend lockdown. Deaths rose by 794 to a total of 168,436, health ministry data showed. India's overall case load has swelled to 13.21 million, the third-highest globally, behind the United States and Brazil. India has reported the most number of cases in the world in the past week, breaching the 100,000 mark for the first time on Monday and four ti...

10th April 2021

WHO chief laments ‘shocking imbalance’ in COVID-19 shot distribution

There is a “shocking imbalance” in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide and most countries do not have anywhere near enough shots to cover health workers and others at high-risk, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. More than 700 million jabs have been administered worldwide against the disease, but 87% have gone to high income or upper middle-income countries, with low income countries receiving just 0.2%, he said. “On average in high-income countries, almost one in four people has received a COVID-19 vaccine. In low-income countries, it’s one in more th...

10th April 2021

Magnitude 5.9 quake hits Indonesia, no tsunami

An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck in the ocean 91 km (57 miles) off the southern coast of the eastern part of Indonesia's Java island, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said on Saturday. Indonesia's geophysics agency BMKG recorded the magnitude at 6.1 and at a depth of 80 km, saying it did not have a potential to trigger a tsunami. The EMSC had initially said the tremor had a magnitude of 6.8 and at a depth of 96 km. Some social media users in Indonesia said the quake was felt in several cities such as Pacitan, Blitar and Malang and the resort island of Bali. ...

10th April 2021

Portugal ex-PM Socrates to face trial for alleged money laundering

More than six years after his arrest in a major corruption investigation, Portugal’s former Prime Minister Jose Socrates will stand trial, but only on lesser charges of money laundering and falsifying documents, a judge in Lisbon ruled. In a decision that sent shockwaves through the country, Judge Ivo Rosa of Portugal’s highest criminal court dismissed the corruption accusations against Socrates, 63, as weak, inconsistent or lacking sufficient evidence, and noted that the statute of limitations had run out on some of them. “Prosecutors’ arguments are based on speculation and fantasy...

10th April 2021

Matthew Xuereb appointed president of Malta’s Institute of Journalists

Times of Malta assistant editor Matthew Xuereb has been appointed President of the Institute of Maltese Journalists. Also new to the council is MaltaToday news portal editor Kurt Sansone, who will be replacing IĠM General Secretary, former Television Malta journalist Nigel Mifsud, who also moved on to pastures new. Mr Xuereb, 42, has been a journalist for more than two decades. He started off his career at The Malta Independent and then moved to Times of Malta where he served as a journalist and eventually Head of News before becoming the organis...

10th April 2021

French COVID-19 intensive care numbers resume upward trend

The number of people in intensive care units (ICU) with COVID-19 in France increased by 52 to 5,757 on Friday, a nearly five-month high, after dipping on Thursday, health ministry data showed. The ministry also reported 301 new deaths in hospital, compared to 343 on Thursday. Including deaths in retirement care homes, the seven-day moving average of COVID-19 deaths stood at 343 on Friday. France also reported 41,243 new infections, down from 46,677 a week earlier. Photo: People fill forms upon their arrival to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at a vaccination centre set up at the S...

10th April 2021

Britain mourns Prince Philip, will not have state funeral or lie in state

Britain was mourning Prince Philip who died on Friday but people were asked not to gather in crowds or to lay flowers at royal palaces due to distancing guidelines imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus. Britain’s Prince Philip will not have a state funeral nor lie in state for the public to pay their respects ahead of the funeral, the College of Arms said, with arrangements revised to meet COVID restrictions. The Union Jack flies at half mast atop Buckingham Palace following the passing of Britain's Prince Philip, in London, Britain. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL A notice outside Bucki...

10th April 2021

Malta: House Speaker calls off parliament committee meeting

In-Nazzjon says that House Speaker Angelo Farrugia cancelled a meeting of the parliamentary committee for standards after the members from the government side failed to show up. The committee is chaired by the Speaker. The paper says that Prince Philip, who died at Windsor Castle on Friday, had “close ties” with Malta where he lived with the young Princess Elizabeth between 1949 and 1951. The Duke of Edinburgh visited the islands frequently in the following years. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window ...

10th April 2021

Malta: President expresses nation’s condolences to Royal Family

The Times reports the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, aged 99, announced by Queen Elizabeth on Friday. President George Vella expressed deepest sympathy with the Royal Family on behalf of the people in Malta. Another story says that Ħamrun Spartans were yesterday declared the winners of the 2020-21 Premier League by the Football Association, claiming the trophy for the first time in 30 years. Supporters drove around the main roads of Ħamrun in celebration. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

10th April 2021

Malta: Standards Commissioner rejects claims for leaked reports

The Independent reports that Standards Commissioner George Hyzler dismissed complaints by government MPs Glenn Bedingfield and Edward Zammit Lewis that a report by his office had been leaked to the media. The paper says that health authorities have confirmed two recent cases of blood clots, but Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said that there was no link with the Covid-19 vaccinations. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/docs/cdpro_march_2021?mode=window

10th April 2021

Photo Story: Whale carcass washes ashore in Bangladesh

Local people take photos next to the carcass of a whale that washed up at Himchari beach in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Humayun Kabir, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Cox's Bazar (South) said that tide washed the whale ashore and they are trying to find the cause of the death of the some 9 meters long mammal. Via EPA-EFE/TANBIRUL MIRAJ RIPON

10th April 2021

Malta: No link found between blood-clots and Covid-19 vaccines

L-Orizzont quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmain Gauci who said that health authorities received a total 119 reports of side-effects from vaccinations. The main effects were slight fever and tiredness but no blood-clots. Another story reports on a decision by the European Courts of Human Rights on Friday which declared that obligatory vaccination does not breach human rights. The ruling was reached following complaints by families in the Czech Republic objecting to vaccination of children. View the latest edition of CorporateDispatchPro https://issuu.com/corporatedispatch/doc...

10th April 2021

Italy eases COVID-19 curbs as infections decline, but deaths still high

Lockdown measures will be eased from Monday in six Italian regions, the health ministry ruled on Friday, even as the nationwide daily death toll remains well above 400. New infections have fallen by 30% over the last five days compared with the same period last week, and the national health institute (ISS) said the “R” reproduction number has declined to 0.92 from 0.98 a week earlier. An “R” number above 1 indicates that infection numbers will grow at an exponential rate. Italy operates a four-tier, colour-coded system to calibrate the restrictions in place in its 20 regions. Muc...

10th April 2021

Northern Irish loyalists demand Brexit changes, call for end to street violence

Pro-British loyalist militants in Northern Ireland said on Friday there had been a “spectacular collective failure” to understand their anger over Brexit and other issues as there was some respite in street clashes following a week of riots. Despite appeals for calm from London, Dublin and Washington, the nightly unrest in pro-British areas spread further into Irish nationalist parts of Belfast on Thursday, where police responded to petrol bomb and stone attacks with water cannon. A number of loyalist protests planned for Friday night were postponed in what posters put up in pro-Bri...

10th April 2021

U.S. to send two warships to Black Sea

The United States will send two warships to the Black Sea next week, Turkey said, as Russia, which has boosted its military forces near Ukraine, accused NATO powers that do not have a coast line in the region of increasing naval activity. The Pentagon declined to discuss Turkey’s comments but said the military routinely sends ships to the region. “That’s not anything new,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in Washington, referring to U.S. military ships in the Black Sea. Washington says Russia has amassed more troops on Ukraine’s eastern border than at any time since 2014, when ...

10th April 2021

China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion

Chinese regulators have fined Alibaba Group Holding Ltd 18 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) for violating anti-monopoly rules and abusing its dominant market position, marking the highest ever antitrust fine to be imposed in the country. The penalty, equivalent to around 4% of Alibaba's 2019 revenues, comes amid an unprecedented regulatory crackdown on home-grown technology conglomerates in the past few months that have weighed on company shares. Alibaba's billionaire founder Jack Ma's business empire has been particularly put under intense scrutiny after his stinging criticism of China...

10th April 2021

Despite loss of husband, little sign Queen Elizabeth will abdicate

Despite the death of her husband Prince Philip, her partner and confidante during a record-breaking reign, there is little chance that 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth will abdicate, royal watchers believe. Philip, Elizabeth’s husband for more than seven decades and the longest-serving consort in British history, died on Friday aged 99. The love of her life, he married Elizabeth in 1947 and had been with her throughout her 69-year reign. He was the person who broke the news to her while they were in Kenya in 1952 that her father, George VI, had died and that she was now queen at the age ...

10th April 2021

Malta to pay tourists who visit this summer

VALLETTA, April 9 (Reuters) - Aiming to revive its tourism industry and get ahead of rival destinations, Malta plans to offer foreign visitors a handout of up to 200 euros ($238.10) each if they stay at least three days on the Mediterranean island this summer. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced the scheme on Friday, saying that with most COVID restrictions expected to be lifted by June 1, tourists booking summer holidays directly through local hotels would receive the handout. World Travel and Tourism Council data show the tourist industry directly and indirectly accou...

10th April 2021

Ireland adds U.S., France, Italy to tough hotel quarantine regime

Ireland added the United States, Canada, Belgium, France and Italy to its list of countries where arrivals will be subject to mandatory hotel quarantine, tightening some of Europe's toughest travel restrictions to try to stop the spread of COVID-19. Ireland, the only one of the European Union's 27 countries to introduce a hotel quarantine, announced it will also require all arrivals to have booked a COVID-19 test for five days after landing in addition to one taken in the days before travelling. It followed neighbouring Britain in bringing in the regime for people from countries dee...

10th April 2021

On This Day…

1407 - Lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing and is awarded the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma 1516 - 1st Jewish ghetto established: Venice compels Jews to live in a specific area 1815 - Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies experiences a cataclysmic eruption, one of the most powerful in history, killing around 71,000 people, causes global volcanic winter 1858 - "Big Ben", a 13.76 tonne bell, is recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry 1972 - US, USSR & 70 other nations agree to ban biological weapons 1981&nbs...

9th April 2021

UEFA give four host cities 10 days for more detail

MANCHESTER, England, April 9 (Reuters) - UEFA have given four European Championship host cities, at risk of being replaced, ten days to come up with further details of their plans for fan access to games after they failed to commit to allowing supporters into the stadiums. Munich, Rome, Bilbao, Dublin have been given the extra time to come up with more details before a final decision is made at UEFA's executive committee meeting on whether they will remain hosts at Euro 2020. "The remaining four cities have until 19 April to provide additiona...

9th April 2021

CDE News Views – This Day in Photos

Today's salient news in pictures as taken by the pool of photographers of EPA/EFE for CDE News. Stay informed daily with www.cde.news, for local perspective with a global outlook.

9th April 2021

World reacts to death of Britain’s Prince Philip – Updated

Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth and a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. Here are reactions from major public figures around the world. LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth and a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. Here are reactions from major public figures in Britain and around the world. UK PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON "We remember the Duke ... above all for his ...

9th April 2021

Greek crime journalist shot dead by motorcycle gunmen: police

ATHENS (Reuters) - Two gunmen on a motorbike shot and killed a prominent Greek crime journalist near his home in Athens on Friday, police said. George Karaivaz, a veteran journalist for private broadcaster STAR TV, was well-known to Greek audiences for his coverage of law and order and police stories. Government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni said the murder "shocked us all". EPA-EFE/ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU "Authorities are already investigating in order to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice," she said. Police said Karaivaz was shot early on Friday afternoon by two i...

9th April 2021

Putin accuses Ukraine of ‘dangerous provocative actions’ in call with Erdogan

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of "dangerous provocative actions" in its eastern Donbass region in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said on Friday. The two leaders also discussed possible joint production of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

9th April 2021

EU reviews J&J COVID-19 vaccine for blood clots, expands AstraZeneca probe

April 9 (Reuters) - Europe's drug regulator said on Friday it had started reviewing reports of a bleeding condition in people who had received AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine and was also looking into Johnson & Johnson's shot over blood clots. Four serious cases of rare blood clots with low platelets, one of which was fatal, have been reported after inoculation with J&J's vaccine from its Janssen unit, the European Medicines Agency said, adding five cases of capillary leak syndrome in people who received AstraZeneca's vaccine were reported. (Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Benga...

9th April 2021

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Malta Foundation pays tribute to HRH Prince Philip

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Malta Foundation paid tribute to the Founder, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Sixty-five years ago, His Royal Highness established The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the UK. Since then, it has been delivered in more than 130 countries and territories, equipping and empowering millions of young people to build the skills, confidence and resilience they need to support their communities and be ready for the world. Debbie Vella, National Director of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Malta Foundation stated, "the Award in Malta is d...

9th April 2021

Biden’s first budget fuels health, education spending in sharp change from Trump

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress to sharply increase spending to combat climate change and gun violence and to support education in a budget that marks a sharp departure from his predecessor, Donald Trump. The $1.5 trillion budget, reflecting an 8% increase in base funding from the current year, would invest billions more in public transportation and environmental clean-ups, slash funding for a border wall, expand funding for background checks on gun sales, and direct...

9th April 2021

Rapper, actor DMX, five-time Billboard chart topper, dead at 50

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American rapper and actor Earl Simmons, known by the stage name DMX or Dark Man X, died on Friday, People magazine said, after suffering a heart attack during what media reports said was a drug overdose. He was 50 years old. The chart-topping artist's songs included "Party Up (Up in Here)" and "X Gon' Give It To Ya." His career had been marked by legal troubles and prison time. "We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50 years old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being pla...

9th April 2021

Ħamrun Spartans declared Malta’s football champions

Ħamrun Spartans were declared Malta's new champions. The Malta Football Association Executive Council has decided that given that Premier League teams have not been given permission to return to training this week, which would have enabled the championship to resume in May, it was only logical to bring to an end this year’s championship. The Malta FA introduced new regulations in its statute over competitions being halted due to Force Majeure. All clubs have played 76.67 per cent of their matches, meaning that the 75% requirement (one-fourth or fewer matches remain to be played) h...

9th April 2021

How worried should we be about links of blood clots to AstraZeneca’s vaccine?

Europe's drug regulator on Wednesday said it had found a possible link between AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine and very rare blood clots in adults who received the shot. Britain recommended people under 30 get an alternative COVID-19 vaccine if possible. Here's what we know so far: WHAT HAS HAPPENED? The EMA said its vaccine side effects monitoring system, as of April 4, had received 169 reports of cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), or clots in blood vessels exiting the brain, and 53 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), or clotting in veins in the abdomen. ...

9th April 2021

Italy coach De Rossi in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19

(Reuters) - Former Italy captain and the national team's technical coach Daniele De Rossi has been hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19 during last month's World Cup qualifiers, Sky Italy reported on Friday. The former AS Roma midfielder, who is fourth on Italy's all-time appearance list having played 117 times for the Azzurri, tested positive along with three other staff and several players in the national camp during the international break. Sky reported De Rossi, 37, is under observation at the Roman Institute for Infectious Diseases as a precaution. The players who te...

9th April 2021

Facebook suspends 16,000 accounts for selling fake reviews

Social media company Facebook Inc suspended 16,000 accounts for selling or buying fake reviews of products and services on its platforms, after the Britain's competition watchdog intervened for the second time, the regulator said. U.S.-based Facebook also made further changes to detect, remove and prevent paid content which could mislead users on its platforms, including popular photo-sharing app Instagram, UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday. "We have engaged extensively with the CMA to address this issue. Fraudulent and deceptive activity is not allowed on ...

9th April 2021

Mourinho halts news conference to express condolences to British royal family

(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho interrupted his own news conference to pay a glowing tribute to Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, who died aged 99 on Friday. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, had been by his wife's side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. "I want to express my condolences to the Royal family," Mourinho told reporters ahead of Sunday's Premier League home game against Manchester United. "To be very honest, I have a deep, deep, deep respect for the Royal family. All my condolences. It's not just this country shari...

9th April 2021

Philippines records 401 coronavirus deaths, highest daily increase

The Philippines' health ministry on Friday reported 401 new coronavirus deaths, the highest single-day spike in fatalities since the start of the pandemic, and 12,225 additional infections. In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed cases had risen to 840,554, while confirmed deaths had reached 14,520. It said 213 cases previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation. Main Photo: A Catholic priest confers blessings on an off-site modular hospital for COVID-19 patients in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. EPA-EFE/ROLEX DELA PENA

9th April 2021

Obituary – Britain’s Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s ‘strength’ for seven decades

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - Prince Philip, who was Queen Elizabeth's husband for more than seven decades and helped to modernise the British monarchy and steer the royal family through repeated crises, died on Friday. He was 99. The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, had been by his wife's side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During that time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal High...

9th April 2021

Digital pound would boost post-Brexit City of London, think-tank says

A digital pound must be at the heart of Britain's efforts to strengthen the City of London's global attraction as a financial centre after Brexit, think-tank CityUnited Project said on Friday. The finance ministry is due to set out proposals for making Britain's capital market more attractive after Amsterdam toppled London to become Europe's top share trading centre after the City was cut off from the European Union on Dec. 31. CityUnited Chairman Daniel Hodson said there is now a "swelling majority" in the City that believes it was better to focus on making the financial sector mor...

9th April 2021

Boeing production issue prompts airlines to pull some 737 MAX jets from service

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines temporarily suspended the use of more than 65 Boeing 737 MAX jets on Friday after the planemaker asked 16 carriers that operate the aircraft to address an electrical power system issue. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Boeing had notified it late Thursday of its recommendation to temporarily remove some planes from service to address a manufacturing issue that could affect the operation of a backup power control unit. Southwest Airlines removed 30 MAX airplanes from its schedule Friday, while American Airlines pulled 17 of...

9th April 2021

Airlines blast Britain’s travel restart plan, Jet2 cancels holidays until June

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - Major British travel company Jet2 said it was cancelling holidays until late June, blaming uncertainty from UK government plans for restarting international travel that were widely condemned by airlines. Carriers had been counting on government proposals published on Friday to kick off a summer getaway season, but the industry criticised the release for not including a start date for travel or listing which countries would be open for holidaymakers. Instead it will give more details in early May, ahead of a possible resumption of international travel on May 1...

9th April 2021

EU seeks new contract with Pfizer/BioNTech for up to 1.8 bln vaccines from 2022 -EU source

BRUSSELS, April 9 (Reuters) - The European Commission is seeking EU governments' approval to launch talks with Pfizer and BioNTech for the purchase of up to 1.8 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccines to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, an EU official told Reuters. Earlier on Friday, German daily Die Welt reported that the Commission was shortly to sign contracts to buy up to 1.8 billion doses, but did not say with which company. The EU official, who asked not to be named because the matter is confidential, said the EU executive had already decided to approach Pfizer-BioNTech and that EU...

9th April 2021

U.S. adds Chinese supercomputing entities to economic blacklist

The U.S. Commerce Department announced it was adding seven Chinese supercomputing entities to a U.S. economic blacklist for assisting Chinese military efforts. The Commerce Department said the seven were "involved with building supercomputers used by China’s military actors, its destabilizing military modernization efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction programs." The department is adding Tianjin Phytium Information Technology, Shanghai High-Performance Integrated Circuit Design Center, Sunway Microelectronics, the National Supercomputing Center Jinan, the National Supercomputing C...

9th April 2021

China will take necessary measures to uphold rights of Chinese companies

China said on Friday it would take necessary measures to uphold the rights and interests of Chinese companies, after the United States added Chinese supercomputing entities to an economic blacklist. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was speaking at a regular news briefing. The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday it was adding seven Chinese supercomputing entities to a U.S. economic blacklist for assisting Chinese military efforts. Photo: EPA-EFE/JEROME FAVRE

9th April 2021

Malta: Financial handouts for tourists booking directly through local hotels

Tourists booking summer holidays to Malta directly through local hotels will receive a financial handout, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Bartolo said the Malta Tourism Authority had been allocated €3.5million for the scheme that will impact some 35,000 tourists travelling to the island from June. Source Times of Malta Updated 1745

9th April 2021

Malta: Elderly persons sent back home due to vaccines running out

Many elderly persons who went to health clinics for the Covid-19 vaccine were turned away due to vaccinations running out. Source Newsbook Updated 1745

9th April 2021

Malta: From Monday visits to care homes will resume, without use of perspex

From Monday, visits to care homes will once again be allowed where 90% of residents have been vaccinated, and two weeks have passed since they took the second dose. The visits will be by appointment once a week with two relatives who live in the same household allowed to enter. Source TVM Updated 1745

9th April 2021

Malta: Standards Commissioner will not investigate Repubblika complaint against Nigel Vella

Repubblika alleged that Nigel Vella occupied two full-time government jobs simultaneously, but the Standards Commissioner found that one of those jobs was part-time, with no ethics breach having taken place Source MaltaToday Updated: 1745

9th April 2021

48 new cases of coronavirus – Malta News Briefing – Friday 9 April 2021

Latest Update- News Portal Briefing Times of Malta reports that tourists booking summer holidays to Malta directly through local hotels will receive a financial handout. MaltaToday reports that Repubblika alleged that Nigel Vella occupied two full-time government jobs simultaneously, but the Standards Commissioner found that one of those jobs was part-time, with no ethics breach having taken place TVM reports that from Monday, visits to care homes will once again be allowed where 90% of residents have been vaccinated, and two weeks have passed since they took the secon...

9th April 2021

China pulls German trade up, but Brexit hits UK business

German exports rose in February, boosted by surging trade with China in a fresh sign that factories are busy in Europe's largest economy despite a sharp drop in trade with the United Kingdom after Brexit. Seasonally adjusted exports increased by 0.9% on the month after an upwardly revised rise of 1.6% in January, the Federal Statistics Office said on Friday. Imports rose 3.6% after falling 3.5% in the prior month. A Reuters poll had pointed to a 1.0% increase in exports and a 2.4% rise in imports. The trade surplus shrank to 19.1 billion euros. On the year, exports to China increase...

9th April 2021

UK ‘depends practically entirely’ on Europe for COVID-19 vaccines -EU’s Breton

Britain "depends practically entirely" on the European Union for its COVID-19 vaccines, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton - who heads the EU executive's vaccine task force - told France Info on Friday. The EU and Britain have been engaged in political disputes over deliveries and rollouts of COVID vaccines. Main Photo: EU Commissioner Thierry Breton . EPA-EFE/Liselotte Sabroe

9th April 2021

Holidays for the rich: airlines criticise Britain’s travel restart plan

Airlines slammed Britain's plans for restarting international travel, saying that expensive testing requirements for trips to low-risk countries would mean that only wealthy people could take holidays abroad. Under government proposals, airlines and passengers will not find out until early May whether international travel resumes from May 17, a plan which fell short of industry hopes for clarity. Airlines and travel companies are desperate for a bumper summer after a year of restrictions. Without a high level of unrestricted travel, some could be left struggling to survive or needin...

9th April 2021

Britain allows ousted Myanmar ambassador to stay on

Britain will allow Myanmar's ousted ambassador to stay on while he decides his future after being locked out of his own embassy, it said on Friday. "We condemn the way the Myanmar military in London barred their ambassador from entering the embassy yesterday evening," the Foreign Office said. "We pay tribute to the courage of Kyaw Zwar Minn in standing up for the people of Myanmar. Given the bullying behaviour towards Mr Minn, we are seeking to ensure he can live safely in the United Kingdom while he decides his long-term future." Main Photo: Ousted Myanmarese Ambassador to the U...

9th April 2021

China halts new enrollments at business school backed by Jack Ma

Beijing authorities have forced an elite business school backed by Alibaba Group Co Ltd founder Jack Ma to halt enrollments, the Financial Times said on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The clampdown on the school, founded in 2015 by Ma to train China's next generation of entrepreneurs, comes as his business empire faces government scrutiny. Hupan Academy, based in the city of Hangzhou, where Alibaba has its headquarters, suspended a first-year class set to begin in late March, the newspaper said. Alibaba and Hupan Academy did not immediately respond to Reuters' r...

9th April 2021

India’s new COVID-19 infections hit record, deaths at over five-month high

India reported another record number of new COVID-19 infections on Friday with daily deaths also hitting their highest in more than five months as the country battles a second wave of infections and states complain of a persistent vaccine shortage. The world's second most-populous country reported 131,968 new infections and 780 deaths on Friday - the biggest daily increase since mid-October. That took India's overall caseload to 13.06 million - the world's third-highest after the United States and Brazil - and total deaths from COVID-19 to 167,642. India's total number of infections...

9th April 2021

Russia says Sputnik shot less effective vs S.Africa variant but better than others

Russia's Sputnik V shot is less effective against the South African COVID-19 variant but still does better than other vaccines, the lead scientist behind it was quoted as saying on Friday. "With regards to the 'South African' variant, the effectiveness of the antibodies produced by Sputnik V, like all other vaccines, against it declines," Alexander Gintsburg said in a interview with the Interfax news agency. He said that Sputnik V was tested against the British and South African variants, as well as the original strain, first detected in China's Wuhan province, by laboratories in th...

9th April 2021

Photo Story – US to resume aid to UN Palestinian refugee agency

An elderly refugee sits outside his house in al-Shatea refugee camp in Gaza City, 08 April 2021. The US administration of President Joe Biden said on 07 April it will resume funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that was cut in 2019 by the previous administration of Donald Trump. VIA EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

9th April 2021

Booming market for fake COVID-19 vaccine passports sparks alarm

Fake coronavirus vaccine passports are being sold online for “peanuts” in a fast-growing scam that has alarmed authorities as countries bet on the documents to revive travel and their economies, cyber security experts said. From Iceland to Israel, a number of countries have started to lift lockdown restrictions for people who can prove they have been vaccinated - letting them visit leisure venues or cross borders if they show vaccine papers. “People are trying to circumvent that by creating false documents, essentially putting the lives of others at risk,” Beenu Arora, founder of cy...

9th April 2021

Rio abandons plan to rename Maracana stadium after Pele

(Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro abandoned plans to rename its famous Maracana Stadium in tribute to Pele on Thursday after a widespread outcry from fans. The official proposal to give Pele’s name to the ground that hosted the final of the 2014 World Cup and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games was vetoed by state governor Claudio Castro. The Rio de Janeiro state legislature voted last month to call it the "King Pele Stadium", but fans were angered at the removal of the stadium's existing official name Mario Filho, after the journalist who lobbied for it to be built in the 1940s. ...

9th April 2021

Real host Barca in El Clasico as La Liga title race hots up

Barcelona travel to Real Madrid tomorrow in what is set to be one of the most pivotal El Clasico meetings in recent memory, with both sides fast closing in on stuttering Atletico Madrid at the top of the La Liga table. The Catalans, unbeaten in 19 league games, are just one point off the pace while third-placed Real trail by three points after closing the gap from 10 in February. Zinedine Zidane’s side are also flying high after their comprehensive 3-1 victory over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. Madrid forward Karim Benzema has warned that the...

9th April 2021

Egypt to produce up to 80 million Sinovac vaccine doses annually

Egypt has agreed with China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd to manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine domestically, and could produce up to 80 million doses a year, the health ministry said. The agreement could provide a major boost to vaccination efforts in Egypt, which has a population of 100 million and has thus far received just 1.5 million doses. Egypt’s cabinet and presidency approved a joint manufacturing agreement to make the vaccines that will be distributed in Egypt and to other African countries, Zayed said. One production facility can produce 20 million doses annually, while another ...

9th April 2021

ECB’s Schnabel warns against blocking the EU’s recovery fund

European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel has warned against attempts to block the European Union's Recovery Fund, saying such a step would be an "economic disaster for Europe". The fact that the fund and national aid programs will lead to significantly growing national debt levels was not a problem provided the spending boosted sustainable economic growth, Schnabel told German magazine Der Spiegel. "The increase in public debt is inevitable and sensible in the face of this crisis of the century, as long as the expenditures sustainably boost growth," she said in an intervie...

9th April 2021

Photo Story – Demonstration in Buenos Aires due to economic deterioration of families

A Photograph taken with a drone shows members of social organizations march in a protest demanding new measures to face the economic deterioration of families in the midst of the recession and the second wave of covid-19 pandemic, in Buenos Aires, Argentina 08 April 2021. Several Argentine social organizations called a march in front of the ministries of Labor and Social Development, in Buenos Aires, to demand 'the opening of employment programs and an emergency salary increase' in the poorest neighborhoods. VIA EPA-EFE/JUAN IGNACIO RONCORONI

9th April 2021

Germany has started talks for Sputnik V vaccine

Germany is currently negotiating with Russia on an advance purchase agreement of its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday. Spahn told a news conference that the requirements were approval by the European Medicines Agency, as well as whether doses would be available within the next few months. "The crucial question for me is what will happen in the second or third quarter, because that makes a difference for the current phase of this vaccination campaign," Spahn said. Main Photo: (FILE) A box of vials of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronaviru...

9th April 2021

J&J set to begin India trial of its single-shot vaccine

Johnson & Johnson has told Indian regulators that it will soon begin clinical trials of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in the country, the Indian Express newspaper reported on Friday. The U.S. drugs and healthcare giant has sent a letter to India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) saying it would "very shortly apply for permission to conduct clinical bridging trials in India," according to the report. The report comes as many vaccination centres in India grapple with a shortage of vaccine supplies as the country of 1.3 billion is battling a second wave of C...

9th April 2021

French far-right politician Marine Le Pen to stand in 2022 election

French far-right politician Marine Le Pen said on Friday she would stand in the 2022 presidential election and that she thought victory was entirely "plausible". "I am once again standing as a presidential candidate, before you," Le Pen, who heads up the far-right Rassemblement National party, told a news conference. President Emmanuel Macron defeated Le Pen in the 2017 vote. Opinion polls again put Macron and Le Pen as the likely two candidates to make it through to the last round in the 2022 election, with Macron seen as the eventual winner. Nevertheless, concerns about his gov...

9th April 2021

Hungary delays secondary schools reopening

Hungary will push back the reopening of secondary schools by three weeks to May 10, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday, after teachers and students called for a delay for pandemic-related reasons. Orban said he hoped 3.5 million of Hungary's 10 million people would receive at least one coronavirus vaccine dose by April 19, allowing curbs to be eased further. Hungary began a gradual reopening of shops and services on Wednesday after it inoculated 25% of its population in a move that, with hospitals still overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, the Hungarian Medical Chambe...

9th April 2021

LinkedIn says some user data extracted and posted for sale

Some LinkedIn data, including publicly viewable member profile, has been extracted and posted for sale, Microsoft Corp's professional networking site said based on an investigation. The incident was not a data breach and no private member account data from the platform was included, LinkedIn said in a blog post on Thursday, adding that the information on sale is a collection of data from a number of websites and companies. LinkedIn did not immediately respond to Reuters request for more details on the incident, including the number of users affected. CyberNews had reported on Apr...

9th April 2021

UK minister says people can now think about summer vacations

The British public can now think about booking summer vacations abroad but there were still risks, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Friday after the government unveiled details of its new traffic light system for travel. "I'm not telling people that they shouldn't book some holidays now, it's the first time I've been able to say that for many months, I think everybody doing it understands there are risks with coronavirus," Shapps told Sky News. "For the first time, people can start to think about visiting loved ones abroad, or perhaps a summer holiday, but we're doing it very...

9th April 2021

UPDATED: The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, has died

The Duke of Edinburgh - Prince Philip - has died, Buckingham Palace has said. A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle." The Duke was married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years and became the longest-serving consort in British history. Into his 90s he carried out a busy programme of public engagements, reflecting his own charitable interests. He ...

9th April 2021

Polish doctors exhausted by non-stop COVID third wave

Some Polish doctors and nurses are just taking naps between shifts as they fight a third wave of the coronavirus, the health minister said on Friday, amid reports of medical staff taking oxygen and intravenous drips to boost their energy. The country of 38 million, the largest in the European Union's eastern wing, will report around 700 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said, after the number of deaths hit a new record of 954 on Thursday. "This is indeed a war and the situation requires non-standard behaviours," he told private radio RMF 24. "...

9th April 2021

Merkel to take control from German states in pandemic battle

German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to take control from federal states to impose restrictions on regions with high numbers of new coronavirus infections, a government spokeswoman said, as Germany struggles to curb a third wave of the pandemic. The federal government plans to introduce draft legislation next week, she said. A source had told Reuters earlier that this will include compulsory measures in regions with 100 or more new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over seven days. At a 7-day incidence below 100, the states will retain control over measures to slow the spread...

9th April 2021

Employers need clear guidelines for Vaccination at the Workplace – MEA

The Malta Employers’ Association called for a legislative framework and clear guidelines in order to ensure a healthy work environment, which is in everyone’s interest. It reiterated its position to issue a Digital Green Certificate and to expedite the vaccine to employees who cannot telework to achieve herd immunity within the shortest time-frame possible. In a statement, the MEA said that employers need assurances about handling employees who opt not to be vaccinated without justifiable reason. In such cases, whilst employees will be exercising their right not to vaccinate - since till n...

9th April 2021

South Korea unveils prototype of KF-X fighter jet

South Korea on Friday unveiled the first prototype of the KF-X fighter jet it is developing with Indonesia, amid lingering uncertainty over the future of Jakarta's role in the project. The next-generation aircraft being developed by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) is designed to be a cheaper, less-stealthy alternative to the U.S.-built F-35, on which Seoul relies. The plan is to eventually replace most of South Korea’s older fighter jets and produce more for export. Air Force Capt. Yang Yoon-young (C), the pilot of the country's first prototype of the next-generation KF-X fi...

9th April 2021

Jet2 cancels holidays until late June, blames UK uncertainty

British travel company Jet2 said it was suspending flights and holidays until June 23 given the ongoing uncertainty around travel from the United Kingdom. Britain has said it will provide more information in early May about whether holidays can restart from mid-May, but Jet2 said it was suspending travel until late June because of the lack of clarity from the government. "We are trying to run a business so that we can take customers away, but we need the Government to provide us with clarity to achieve this," Jet2 Chief Executive Steve Heapy said in a statement on Friday.

9th April 2021

UPDATED: Photo Story: ‘Lost Golden City’ found in Luxor

A series of photos made available by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities showing part of the archaeological find, part of the discovery of the 'Lost Golden City' in Luxor, Egypt, issued 09 April 2021. Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a 3,000 years old city in Luxor. A mission under Dr. Zahi Hawass found the remains in excavation works that started in September 2020. The scientists believe the find dates back to the reign of Amenhotep III, and is thought to be used afterwards by Tutankhamun and Ay. An archaeological find, part of the discovery named the 'Lost Gol...

9th April 2021

Hong Kong govt to delay imports of AstraZeneca vaccine amid safety concerns

Hong Kong said on Friday it will delay shipments of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine this year amid mounting concerns over possible links between the shot and very rare cases of blood clots. The Chinese-ruled city had ordered 7.5 million doses from the British-Swedish company, which were scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2021. Health Secretary Sophia Chan said the global financial centre had a sufficient supply of vaccines, with a total of 15 million doses of Germany's BioNTech and China's Sinovac - the only two vaccines available in the city. "Even if we have signed a pre-...

9th April 2021

Norway prime minister fined for breaking COVID-19 social distancing rules

Norwegian police said on Friday they have fined Prime Minister Erna Solberg for breaking COVID-19 social distancing rules when organising a family gathering to celebrate her birthday. The fine is for 20,000 Norwegian crowns ($2,352) police chief Ole Saeverud told a news conference. The two-term prime minister apologised last month for organising an event to celebrate her 60th birthday with 13 family members at a mountain resort in late February, despite a government ban on events attended by more than 10 people. While the police would not have issued a fine in most such cas...

9th April 2021

Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that new calls for the Egrant inquiry to be revisited are justified given recent information that has surfaced. The Independent says that both parties are facing major challenges right now, while the country continues to face mediocrity from its politicians. L-Orizzont says that it is shameful that some people are embarrassed to use the Maltese language. In-Nazzjon says that we should continue to fight corruption

9th April 2021

EU Agency confirms Covid-19 cases, deaths in Malta on downward trend

A study published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, an EU agency, shows that by the end of last week, Malta was one of a select group of countries registering stable or decreasing trends in both new cases and mortality. With regard to new cases, among the 28 countries with high case notification rates (at least 60 per 100 000 population), increases were observed in 14 countries (Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden). While the agency did not report any signif...

9th April 2021

France still in favour of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

The French health regulator should say later on Friday that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, like those developed by Pfizer and BioNTech , should be used as a second dose for people younger than 55 years who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first shot, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Friday. Veran also told RTL radio that France was continuing to encourage the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The French health ministry on Thursday reported the number of people in intensive care units with COVID-19 fell by 24 from Wednesday, to 5,705, the first decrease in eight days...

9th April 2021

Tunisia approves Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Tunisia approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, the health minister Faouzi Mehdi said, and will soon receive 1.5 million doses of the vaccine under an African Union plan. The North Africa country also intends to buy further doses directly from the company to speed up its vaccination campaign, as it seeks to vaccinate 5 million people by the end of the year. Tunisia will extend its nighttime curfew hours and will prevent all gatherings and weekly markets to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic, as intensive care units near maximum capacity in most hospitals. ...

9th April 2021

Vaccine rollout in England prevented 10,400 deaths by end-March

England’s fast rollout of COVID-19 vaccines prevented over 10,000 deaths of people aged 60 and older by the end of March, according to an analysis by Public Health England. England experienced a peak in infections, hospitalisations and deaths in January, but the toll would have been even worse without the rapid vaccination programme that began on Dec. 8, according to the study. Over 15 million doses of vaccine were given to adults aged 60 and over in England by the end of March, preventing an estimated 10,400 deaths, mostly among those aged 80 and over, Public Health England said. ...

9th April 2021

Australia doubles Pfizer vaccine order as AstraZeneca clotting worries upend rollout

Australia has doubled its order of the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, as the country raced to overhaul its inoculation plan over concerns about the risks of blood clots with the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine. Until late Thursday, Australia based its vaccination programme largely on an AstraZeneca shot, with an order for 50 million doses - enough for the required two shots for its entire 25 million population - to be made domestically by biopharma CSL Ltd. But Australia has now joined a host of countries in restricting use of the vaccine due to c...