Trump pardons ex-aide Bannon but not himself or family January 19, 2021 at 07:58PM

Biden State nominee says to review Taliban deal January 19, 2021 at 09:09PM

"We want to end this so-called forever war. We want to bring our forces home. We want to retain some capacity to deal with any resurgence of terrorism, which is what brought us there in the first place," Antony Blinken, Biden's nominee for secretary of state, told his Senate confirmation hearing.

China triumphant one year after Wuhan lockdown January 19, 2021 at 07:16PM

With China's official death toll from the virus under 5,000, Beijing is on a prolonged victory lap to promote its narrative of how it contained Covid-19, engineered vaccines and rebooted its economy. China this week reported 2.3% GDP growth in 2020 - the slowest in decades but still the only major economy to post positive figures during the pandemic.

Vogue to release new Kamala cover after controversy January 19, 2021 at 07:54PM

Vogue will publish a limited edition of its latest issue featuring a different photo of Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris after the original cover image sparked controversy, the magazine said Tuesday. ​​Critics slammed the photo that graced the hard copy of the February issue, saying it was poorly composed and diminished Harris's achievements as the first Black woman to be elected vice president.

UK Covid strain detected in at least 60 countries: WHO January 19, 2021 at 06:52PM

@POTUS resets as Twitter juggles presidential accounts January 19, 2021 at 06:30PM

These institutional accounts don't belong to any particular individual - they're reserved for official government use by those in the current administration. Twitter will transfer them to President-elect Joe Biden once he is officially inaugurated on Wednesday. Minus, that is, most of their followers.

Germany to extend Covid curbs until Feb 14: Merkel January 19, 2021 at 07:01PM

Germany will extend and strengthen the coronavirus-related restrictive measures until February 14, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "Today we held talks again and agreed to introduce new measures... We are doing this as a precautionary measure for the sake of citizens' health, as well as for the sake of the economy and labor market," Merkel said. Merkel said the number of new coronavirus infections in Germany was gradually reducing, and this was encouraging.

Germany to extend Covid curbs until Feb 14: Merkel January 19, 2021 at 07:01PM

Germany will extend and strengthen the coronavirus-related restrictive measures until February 14, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "Today we held talks again and agreed to introduce new measures... We are doing this as a precautionary measure for the sake of citizens' health, as well as for the sake of the economy and labor market," Merkel said. Merkel said the number of new coronavirus infections in Germany was gradually reducing, and this was encouraging.

Netanyahu makes surprise campaign pitch to Arab voters January 19, 2021 at 05:19PM

Tourism on track in the world's largest cave January 19, 2021 at 05:11PM

Home to flying foxes and a 70-metre rock formation resembling a dog's paw, Son Doong -- a cave so large it has its own ecosystem and weather patterns -- is an otherworldly wonder that has reshaped the lives of the surrounding community since it opened for boutique tourism in 2013.

Covid: US passes 400,000 virus deaths as Europe battles surge January 19, 2021 at 05:24PM

President-elect Joe Biden led a moving tribute Tuesday for US coronavirus victims - now more than 400,000 - as European nations battled record daily fatalities and fear spread of new virus strains. The pace of the pandemic has picked up with 100,000 deaths in the past month alone. "Let us shine the lights in the darkness along the sacred pool of reflection and remember all who we lost," said Biden.

Trump: We did what we came here to do January 19, 2021 at 04:40PM

US President Donald Trump, in a farewell address released on Tuesday, touted his legacy and wished luck to the new administration of President-elect Joe Biden. "We did what we came here to do, and so much more," he said.

Trump halts deportation of Venezuelans for 18 months January 19, 2021 at 05:01PM

"I have determined that it is in the foreign policy interest of the United States to defer the removal of any national of Venezuela, or alien without nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela," for 18 months, the executive ordered signed by Trump said.

Biden leads Covid memorial on eve of inauguration January 19, 2021 at 04:20PM

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday signalled a new tone for the US government by leading a powerful tribute to the 400,000 Americans lost to Covid-19 as he arrived in Washington on the eve of his inauguration.

Kremlin dismisses calls to free Navalny, warns against protests January 19, 2021 at 01:08AM

The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed Western demands to free top opposition politician Alexei Navalny and said his calls to stage mass protests were troubling.

China's Covid outbreak worst since March 2020 January 19, 2021 at 12:14AM

China is battling the worst outbreak of Covid-19 since March 2020, with one province posting a record daily rise in cases, as an independent panel reviewing the global pandemic said China could have done more to curb the initial outbreak. ​​State-backed tabloid the Global Times on Tuesday defended China's early handling of Covid-19, saying no country had any experience in dealing with the virus.

Pentagon ramps up efforts to root out far-right extremism January 18, 2021 at 11:26PM

Turkey hits Twitter, Pinterest with advertising bans January 18, 2021 at 11:13PM

The social media legislation passed last year meant networks with over a million users had to appoint an envoy to handle court orders to remove offending content within 48 hours.

Tunisia rocked by fourth night of street riots January 18, 2021 at 11:06PM

More than 600 people had been arrested by Monday over the disturbances in which teenagers and adolescents have hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police who have fired volleys of teargas at them.

Dubai, party haven amid pandemic, faces its biggest surge January 18, 2021 at 10:30PM

With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights. Daily case counts have nearly tripled in the past month, forcing Britain to slam shut its travel corridor with Dubai last week. But in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city won't lock down.

Biden has set sky-high expectations. Can he meet them? January 18, 2021 at 09:32PM

Thail court gives record 43-yr sentence for insulting king January 18, 2021 at 09:52PM

The Bangkok Criminal Court found the woman guilty on 29 counts of violating the country's lese majeste law for posting audio clips to Facebook and YouTube with comments deemed critical of the monarchy, the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said.