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Business groups expressed concerns over Britain’s new COVID-19 restrictions, with the Confederation of British Industry calling them a “real kick in the teeth” for many businesses.
In China’s Wuhan, the original epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak, the city’s residents are returning to normal life, even as they continue to grapple with memories of the early outbreak, which struck fear in the city. It’s been almost seven months since the city recorded a locally transmitted case of the disease due to a strict city-wide lockdown and a mass testing event of almost all the city’s 11 million residents.
An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 on the Richter scale hit Hindu Kush, Afghanistan at 6:09 am today: National Center for Seismology
People sit near fire to protect themselves from cold.
Delhi: People were seen sitting near fire to protect themselves from cold in Anand Vihar area. Suresh, a local say… https://t.co/mhGbtx7WFp
— ANI (@ANI) 1608427867000
WHO says in close contact with UK officials on new COVID-19 virus variant
- The World Health Organization said on Saturday it was in close contact with UK officials over a new COVID-19 virus variant.
- “They’ll (UK officials) continue to share info & results of their analysis & ongoing studies. We’ll update Member States & public as we learn more about the characteristics of this virus variant & any implications”, WHO said in a tweet.
- A new strain of coronavirus identified in the United Kingdom is up to 70% more infectious but it is not thought to be more deadly and vaccines should still be effective, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and scientists said on Saturday.
Trump contradicts Pompeo over Russia’s role in Hack
Contradicting his secretary of state and other top officials, President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested without evidence that China _ not Russia _ may be behind the cyber espionage operation against the United States and tried to minimize its impact. In his first comments on the breach, Trump scoffed at the focus on the Kremlin and downplayed the intrusions, which the nation’s cybersecurity agency has warned posed a “grave” risk to government and private networks.
Netanyahu receives Covid-19 vaccine jab, kickstarts vaccination drive in Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the first Israeli to receive the coronavirus vaccine, kick-starting the vaccination process in the country. Prime Minister Netanyahu hailed the start of the vaccination process in the country as the “very great day” for Israel.
Biden introduces environment team to tackle ‘existential threat’
- President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday introduced key members of his environmental team and said his administration would make the fight against global warming a pillar of his drive to rebuild the pandemic-hit US economy.
- Biden said these nominees will “lead my Administration’s ambitious plan to address an existential threat of our time — climate change.”
- The nominees introduced Saturday include Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico to be Interior Secretary.Overseeing America’s natural resources that include national parks and wildlife refuges, if confirmed by the Senate, Haaland would be the first Native American to hold a Cabinet position.
