U.S. authorizes J&J's COVID-19 vaccine, making it third available

(Reuters) - The U.S. government on Saturday authorized Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, enabling millions more Americans to be vaccinated in the coming weeks and setting the vaccine up for additional approvals around the world. Read full story
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CoronaVac vaccine arrives in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: The first batch of China’s CoronaVac vaccine has arrived in Malaysia and is being stored at the Pharmaniaga facility where it will be processed into 300,000 doses. Read full story
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KJ: I’ll take next approved vaccine to instil confidence

PETALING JAYA: Khairy Jama­luddin will be the first to receive whichever Covid-19 vaccine that is approved next by Malaysia to encourage others not to be selective about the vaccines they are offered. Read full story
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No to compulsory vaccine passport for domestic use

PETALING JAYA: A vaccine passport with wider uses, other than enabling international travel, should not be made compulsory for entry into local facilities and services like restaurants and gyms, say health experts. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtc17X

Alex Yeow brings vast experience as Star Media Group CEO

PETALING JAYA: Star Media Group Bhd (SMG) has appointed Alex Yeow Wai Siaw as its new group CEO effective March 1,2021. Read full story
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Three journos among frontliners to get jabs

KUCHING: Three journalists from Kuching have become the first in the country to receive the Covid-19 vaccine along with other frontliners. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rtc158

Amnesty says Eritrean troops killed hundreds of Ethiopian civilians in Axum

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Eritrean soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in Ethiopia's ancient town of Axum between Nov. 28 and 29, rights group Amnesty International said on Friday, one of several mass killings reported during a conflict that erupted nearly four months ago in the northern region of Tigray. Read full story
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Exclusive: U.S. carries out airstrike against Iranian-backed militia target in Syria - officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday carried out an airstrike in Syria against a structure belonging to what it said were Iran-backed militia, two officials told Reuters. Read full story
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U.S. president, Saudi king have phone call ahead of expected Khashoggi report release

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday told Saudi King Salman he would work for bilateral ties "as strong and transparent as possible," the White House said, ahead of the expected release of a sensitive U.S. intelligence report on the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Read full story
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Alor Setar locals taken by Tecoma blooms

ALOR SETAR: The colourful Tecoma flowers may not attract as many admirers as before because of the ban on interstate and inter-district travel under the movement control order, but it’s still a sight to behold for the residents here. Read full story
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Divers retrieve Jane Doe from submerged car

KUCHING: The body of an unidentified woman, who was in a car that plunged into Sungai Sarawak near the Satok Suspension Bridge, has been removed from the vehicle. Read full story
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Gunmen kill 36 in attacks on two northern Nigerian states

ABUJA (Reuters) - Gunmen killed 36 people in two attacks in northern Nigeria on Wednesday, a day after insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades amid worsening security facing Africa's most populous nation, officials and residents said. Read full story
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China imposes new rules to restrict independent online content creators

China has this week imposed its tightest restrictions to date on the publication of original content online via short video and “self-media” accounts, in the latest escalation of its ongoing crackdown on public discourse. Read full story
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Australian lawmakers expected to pass amendments to Facebook, Google law

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian lawmakers are expected to approve amendments to landmark legislation to force Alphabet's Google and Facebook to pay media companies for news content, despite opposition from some minor political parties. Read full story
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New research: Why Zoom can wipe you out

Covid-19 pandemic has moved our lives into a virtual space. Why is that so exhausting? Read full story
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Refund in full for cancelled flights, airlines told

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) said airlines ought to make full refunds of flight tickets cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions. Read full story
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Vaccine passport offers hope

PETALING JAYA: As Covid-19 vaccinations start to roll out in many countries, including Malaysia which will start soon, talk of a “vaccine passport” is gaining pace. Read full story
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Aviation aims for the sky with IATA Travel Pass

PETALING JAYA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will unveil the specifics of the IATA Travel Pass as it seeks to revive the badly battered civil aviation sector. Read full story
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PM: Vaccination vital for herd immunity

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has voiced his hopes that those eligible for the Covid-19 vaccination will register for it when registration opens soon. Read full story
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MDEC: Malaysia all set for digital transformation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) reflects the country’s preparedness in undertaking transformation by employing a whole-of-nation approach, says Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) chief executive officer Surina Shukri. Read full story
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RTS to further spur Johor’s economy

JOHOR BARU: The state is slated to boom further by the next five years with the completion of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link which will take commuters only five minutes to reach Singapore, says the Ruler of Johor. Read full story
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Australian PM Morrison gets COVID-19 vaccine as inoculation rollout starts

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was injected on Sunday with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, as the nation started its inoculation program a day ahead of schedule. Read full story
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Niger votes in presidential runoff to usher in first democratic transition

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger votes on Sunday in the second round of a presidential election that is expected to usher in the first democratic transition of power since the West African nation gained independence from France in 1960. Read full story
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Never Trumpers, Sometimes Trumpers and Always Trumpers

The three factions vying for control of the GOP. Read full story
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Four key combinations every Windows user needs to know

Read full story
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Apple in talks to buy self-driving sensors, key step in car plan

Apple Inc. is shopping for lidar car sensors for its self driving cars, an indicator that the finished product could be several years away still. Read full story
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UK top court shakes up gig economy with ruling against Uber

After a four year legal saga, UK's top court ruled that Uber drivers are entitled to workers' rights, a decision that could have huge implications to the gig economy. Read full story
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Australia to continue talks with Facebook's Zuckerberg over media code

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he would continue his talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday after the social media platform blocked its news feeds in the country over disputes over a new media payment code. Read full story
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Canada attempts to address 'shameful' racial disparity in criminal justice system

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's federal government introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at addressing what the justice minister called a "shameful" over-representation of Black and indigenous people in the criminal justice system. Read full story
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Exclusive: U.S. would accept EU invitation for talks with Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States would be ready to hold talks with Iran if the European Union extended an invitation, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday, sketching out a possible diplomatic path to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Read full story
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Bitcoin mining operation smashed

PASIR GUDANG: A bitcoin mining operation suspected to have caused more than RM8mil losses to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) due to electricity theft has been smashed by the authorities. Read full story
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Fishing app surges in US during pandemic with user downloads

Fishing was one of the few sports where participation seemed to pick up when everything else went on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read full story
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Rush Limbaugh, ‘voice of American conservatism,’ has died

WASHINGTON (AP): Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to political correctness with a gleeful malice that made him one of the most powerful voices in politics, influencing the rightward push of American conservatism and the rise of Donald Trump, died Wednesday. He was 70. Read full story
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Saudi-led coalition intercepts drone fired by Yemen's Houthis: state media

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said late on Tuesday it has intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden drone fired by Iran-aligned Houthis towards Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia, Saudi state media reported. Read full story
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Valentine’s Day is a day of love – and scams

Many singles looking for romance have turned to online dating sites, especially now that the pandemic has led many to make socialising a virtual-only activity. Read full story
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Sensor Tower: Global consumer spending in top 100 subscription apps rose 34% in 2020

Even as the Covid-19 pandemic forced millions of users to stay indoors, digital platforms saw an exponential surge in usage and spending in 2020. Read full story
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China’s cryptocurrency stocks left behind in Bitcoin frenzy

As cryptocurrency mania pushed blockchain stocks to record breaking highs, China's equivalents are being left behind. Read full story
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Riot Games CEO faces sexual harassment allegations

League Of Legends maker Riot Games said it had hired an independent team to review allegations of sexual harassment against its top executive, in the latest episode highlighting a troubled workplace culture in the video game industry. Read full story
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French IT monitoring company was targeted by hackers, cyber agency says

Hackers targeted firms using French company Centreon's monitoring software for years, says cybersecurity watchdog. Read full story
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In the soup over turtle egg dinner

KOTA KINABALU: Wildlife authorities are in the midst of gathering information over a photo that shows a Sabahan family serving turtle eggs, which are protected, as part of their inter-racial Chinese New Year eve reunion dinner. Read full story
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Artist with a heart puts coffee waste to good use

PETALING JAYA: The movement control order has allowed many people to slow down and reflect. Read full story
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Accused cops identified

KUALA LUMPUR: The police personnel involved in the alleged sexual harassment incidents at two roadblocks have been identified. Read full story
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Relaxed i-Sinar rules a welcome relief

PETALING JAYA: The move to relax the i-Sinar withdrawal facility will bring much relief to those working in sectors hardest hit by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, say economic analysts. Read full story
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Talk on Ramadan vaccination guidelines next week

SEREMBAN: The Special Meeting of the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council on Islamic Reli­gious Affairs will discuss the guidelines for taking vaccines during the month of Ramadan for Muslims. Read full story
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Education channel begins airing on Wednesday

PUTRAJAYA: The Education Minis­try will introduce a special terrestrial Education TV channel known as DidikTV KPM starting on Wednesday. Read full story
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Imposter scams remain the most common type of fraud, says US FTC

Consumers reported losing more than US$3.3bil (RM13bil) to fraud in 2020, up from US$1.8bil (RM7bil) in 2019. Read full story
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Roaring Kitty to testify on GameStop alongside hedge fund managers

(Reuters) - The YouTube streamer known as Roaring Kitty, who helped drive a surge of interest in GameStop Corp, will testify before a House panel on Thursday alongside top hedge fund managers. Read full story
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U.S. FTC opens probe into Nvidia's acquisition of Arm - Bloomberg

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened an in-depth probe into Nvidia Corp's agreement to acquire Arm Ltd, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing a source. Read full story
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Govt relaxes i-Sinar rules

Read full story
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CNY is about family, says Selangor Sultan

KLANG: In his annual Chinese New Year message to the people, Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said the festival was a time when families bond together and strengthen their ties. Read full story
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‘Vaccination plan on track’

PETALING JAYA: The National Vaccination Programme will kick off exactly as planned as everything is in order, with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine confirmed to arrive in time for doses to be delivered to all vaccination stations, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba. Read full story
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Price of lower range laptops and desktops higher now

JOHOR BARU: The price of certain models of laptops, desktops and its accessories have gone up as there is a big demand for such items. Read full story
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Stocks run out in most stores as gadgets sell fast

GEORGE TOWN: The spike in demand for laptops and personal devices from those having to work or study at home has led to a shortage of supply. Read full story
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No artificial hike in gadget prices, says Pikom

PETALING JAYA: Despite complaints of price hikes in IT hardware recently, the National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) claimed it has not seen a marked increase in prices across the board. Read full story
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Elderly man arrested in Minnesota clinic shooting that wounded five

(Reuters) - An elderly man opened fire inside a Minneapolis-area medical clinic on Tuesday, wounding five people before being arrested by police. Read full story
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North Korea's Kim lays out paths to take with South Korea, external affairs

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the paths for his ruling Workers' Party to take with South Korea and external affairs, state media KCNA said on Wednesday. Read full story
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US woman who glued hair receives internet's help

The internet rallied behind an American woman who glued her hair with extra strong glue, donating more than RM60,000 for possible surgery. Read full story
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Blinken stops short of endorsing Trump recognition of Golan Heights as Israel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday stopped short of endorsing the Trump administration's recognition of the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel, instead noting that the territory was important for Israel's security. Read full story
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Georgia Secretary of State's office launches probe into Trump's election phone call

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Georgia's Secretary of State's office opened a probe on Monday into former U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election results, a step that could lead to a criminal investigation by state and local authorities. Read full story
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U.S. may weigh baby steps to revive Iran nuclear deal

WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - The United States is weighing a wide array of ideas on how to revive the Iranian nuclear deal, including an option where both sides would take small steps short of full compliance to buy time, said three sources familiar with the matter. Read full story
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‘Foreign labour freeze to be lifted once pandemic is under control’

KULAI: Any exemption on the freeze on hiring foreign workers Read full story
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SPM students: Let us back in school

PETALING JAYA: Many SPM candidates prefer to be in school to prepare for their examinations, which will start in about two weeks. Read full story
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Stadium turned into Covid-19 testing centre

SHAH ALAM: The Malawati Stadium here has begun operating as a Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) for the Petaling district. Read full story
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Firefighters in Western Australia get upper hand on several bushfires

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Firefighters in Western Australia got under control six fires in the state's southwest that authorities said on Sunday were most likely deliberately lit, while rain helped to contain a weeklong blaze that destroyed 86 homes in the hills of Perth. Read full story
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GameStop booster did well; many devotees won't as shares sag

Doubts emerged about GameStop and its online boosters this week as the stock plunged, spelling trouble for novice investors who got in too late, bought too high and found themselves caught up in an epic story of battling against the 1%. Read full story
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Review, revise ridiculous SOP for Chinese New Year

COME on, we can do better than this because the present SOP for the Chinese New Year is plain ridiculous. No wonder it’s been met with a barrage of criticism. Read full story
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S’gor hospitals ‘running smoothly and able to cope with Covid-19’

KLANG: Hospitals in Selangor are still able to cope with the number of Covid-19 patients as well as patients with other non-communicable ailments. Read full story
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Database on the vaccinated needed

PETALING JAYA: With Malaysia’s mass vaccination programme due to start at the end of this month, health experts have called for a proper database of the people who will be vaccinated to avoid vaccine wastage and to monitor side effects. Read full story
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Families send off Kitchen God

KLANG: The Covid-19 pandemic has not stopped some Taoists from faithfully sending off the Kitchen God to heaven as part of a ritual to welcome the Chinese New Year. Read full story
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Severe weather warning for Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a severe weather warning, with continuous heavy rains expected in several areas in Sarawak involving Kuching, Serian and Samarahan throughout today. Read full story
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Long queue at police station for travel papers

KLANG: The South Klang police station has seen long lines of people queuing up to get interstate travel passes since the second round of the movement control order was implemented. Read full story
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UK tells social media to take down Covid myths

The British government said on Feb 4 it was telling social media giants to take down posts containing coronavirus disinformation over concern that many in minority communities were refusing to be vaccinated. Read full story
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King never proposed any other name for interim PM, says Dr M

Read full story
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4,284 new cases, 18 deaths

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded a total of 4,284 new Covid-19 cases with 18 fatalities. Read full story
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Jamali – a stand-up who was ‘all of us’

PETALING JAYA: One of Malaysia’s beloved comedy icons Datuk Jamali Shadat, who tickled the nation with his one-man multiracial repertoire, has passed away, leaving behind a shining legacy of humour and cultural sensitivity. Read full story
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Construction sector seeks govt subsidy to test foreign workers

PETALING JAYA: Acknowledging that fortnightly testing of foreign construction workers is a good idea, the industry wants the government to help defray costs estimated at over RM500mil. Read full story
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Police to come down harder on MCO flouters

KUALA LUMPUR: The 2,285 compliance operation teams have been instructed to be more thorough in their patrols and take sterner action against those who flout Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), says the Inspector-General of Police. Read full story
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22 babies at shelter test positive for Covid-19

JOHOR BARU: A 10-day-old infant is among 22 babies at a shelter home here who have tested positive for Covid-19. Read full story
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With Amazon billions, MacKenzie Scott shakes up philanthropy

Food banks, immigrant rights groups, and struggling colleges across the US discovered a surprise benefactor last year as billions of dollars flowed into organisations hurting during the pandemic from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Read full story
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Iran's Zarif hints at way to bridge nuclear deal impasse

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested a way on Monday to overcome the U.S.-Iranian impasse over who goes first in returning to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying a top EU official could "synchronize" or "choreograph" the moves. Read full story
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Flash estimate puts Latvia's economic downturn in 2020 at 3.5 pct

RIGA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Stricken by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Latvian economy shrank by an estimated 3.5 percent in 2020, the national statistics office informed on Monday, citing preliminary data. Read full story
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Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Jan. 31

JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Aviv Kochavi met with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Stefano Del Col on Sunday to discuss the security situation in southern Lebanon. Read full story
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Algeria reports 217 new COVID-19 cases, 107,339 in total

ALGIERS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Sunday reported 217 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in the North African country to 107,339. Read full story
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Poland's largest one-day charity event suffers from COVID-19 pandemic

WARSAW, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Poland's largest one-day charity event collected over 91 million zloty (24.4 million U.S. dollars), the fundraising organization said on Sunday. Read full story
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