Europe

Dutch police detain alleged Asian drug syndicate kingpin

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

AMSTERDAM/SYDNEY (NETHERLANDS/AUSTRALIA) – Dutch police have arrested the alleged leader of a large Asian drug syndicate, listed as one of the world’s most-wanted fugitives and has been compared to Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Tse Chi Lop is expected to

Tech

Sources say Huawei mulls selling its premium smartphone brands P and Mate

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – Huawei Technologies Co Ltd of China is in discussions to sell its premium smartphone brands P and Mate, said two sources. This could see the firm leaving its high-end smartphone manufacturing business. For months at a stretch, discussions have been going on between the telecoms giant and a consortium headed by Shanghai […]

Europe

Dutch PM slams lockdown riots, calls it ‘criminal violence’

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

AMSTERDAM (NETHERLANDS) – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday condemned riots across the country this weekend, when demonstrators took to protests and attacked police, setting fires and raising voices against a night-time curfew to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Mark Rutte called them “criminal violence”. The police said hundreds of people had

Europe

France’s Macron: moves are on to better control COVID pandemic in Europe

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

PARIS (FRANCE) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Europe as a whole was moving towards getting better control to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Macron told the “Choose France” investment summit, “Everywhere in Europe, we are moving in the coming weeks in order to adapt our strategy to better control the pandemic.”

UK

UK opposition leader Starmer says he is following self-isolation, has no COVID symptoms

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

LONDON (UK) – Britain’s opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Monday he was under self-isolation after he came into contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19. This is the third time he was required to quarantine. Starmer said on Twitter, “I have no symptoms and will be working from home until next […]

Middle East

Bahrain gives nod to Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID shot emergency use

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

DUBAI (UAE) – The Bahrain government has given its nod to the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, according to state news agency BNA on Monday. The report cited the Gulf nation’s National Health Regulatory Authority.

Asia

US Navy in South China Sea not good for peace: Beijing

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – The Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday that the US often despatches ships and aircraft into the South China Sea as a sort of sabre rattling which is not good for peace. This comes after a US aircraft carrier group sailed into the disputed waterway. Trillions of dollars worth of trade is […]

Europe

Spain’s Health Minister steps down to contest in regional Catalan elections

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

MADRID (SPAIN – Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa will leave his job on Tuesday to contest in the regional Catalan elections scheduled on February 14, the Prime Minister’s office said on Monday in a statement. The statement said, “Salvador Illa starts today his last 24 hours at the helm of the ministry. Tomorrow Tuesday will […]

Europe

Head of French health regulatory body says COVID situation is worrisome

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

PARIS (FRANCE) – The head of the country’s Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) health regulator told France Inter radio on Monday that the COVID-19 situation in France is worrying, as President Emmanuel Macron’s government is mulling over a new lockdown. France has the world’s seventh-highest COVID-19 death toll, and has so far witnessed more than […]

Finance

Japan economy stable because of fiscal, monetary support: BOJ’s Kuroda

Editorial Bureau January 25, 2021

TOKYO (JAPAN) – A combination of expansionary fiscal and monetary policies was successful in ensuring the economy remaining stable in spite of the pandemic crisis, said Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Monday. “The resurgence of COVID-19 and the state of emergency declaration by the government just a few weeks ago would tend to […]