Daily News Briefing
Brief. Me - December 22, 2024 6:08 pm
Covid-19: Hancock hails Oxford vaccine for slowing virus spread
BBC News says results that show the Oxford-AstraZenenca vaccine may reduce the spread of coronavirus have been hailed as “absolutely superb”.
Matt Hancock said the study shows “vaccines are the way out of this pandemic”.
It is the first time a vaccine has been shown to reduce transmission of the virus. The UK has given a first Covid jab to 9.6 million people so far.
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Leak reveals Labour plan to focus on flag and patriotism to win back voters
The Guardian says Labour must make “use of the [union] flag, veterans [and] dressing smartly” as part of a radical rebranding to help it win back the trust of disillusioned voters, according to a leaked internal strategy presentation.
The presentation, which has been seen and heard by the Guardian, is aimed at what the party calls “foundation seats”, a new term for the “red wall” constituencies that handed Boris Johnson a landslide in 2019, and other seats it fears could also turn blue. It will be seen as a marker of how concerned Labour is about its electoral position.
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WHO Covid-19 investigation team visits Chinese virus lab in Wuhan
France24 says WHO inspectors visited a lab in Wuhan on Wednesday that American officials suggested could have been the source of the coronavirus.
The inspection of the Wuhan virology institute, which conducts research on the world’s most dangerous diseases, will be one of the most-watched stops on the team’s probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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UAE confirms 3,310 new COVID-19 cases, 7 additional deaths
Arab News says the UAE on Tuesday recorded seven deaths related to COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, and 3,310 new confirmed cases of the disease. The number of infections once against topped the 3,000 mark after dipping below it for two days.
The total number of cases in the country since the pandemic began has reached 309,649 and the death toll stands at 866. A total of 285,201 people have recovered from the virus, including 3,791 in the past 24 hours.
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Half of New Delhi residents exposed to COVID, says gov’t survey
Aljazeera says more than half of New Delhi’s 20 million inhabitants may have been infected with the coronavirus, according to a government serological survey whose findings echoed earlier private-sector research.
India has reported 10.8 million COVID-19 infections, the most anywhere outside the United States.
But the survey, conducted between January 15 to January 23 and based on some 28,000 samples, suggests the true figure among its 1.35 billion population is dramatically higher and approaching herd immunity levels, when the majority of the population becomes immune to the disease.
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Tens of thousands of IDPs in Iraq are on the verge of becoming homeless
TRT World says while Daesh’s presence continues to linger, the Iraqi government is shutting down the remaining IDP camps. But no work has been done to ensure their safe repatriation as they fear retribution for the crimes they haven’t committed.
Ever since Daesh took control of large parts of Iraq in 2014 and then lost power city by city, province by province as a result of a global campaign against the terror group, at least six million Iraqis have left their homes under duress. They have been living in squalid camps built for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
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New York Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez Gives Her Account of Capitol Siege
VOA says New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Monday gave a live, roughly 90-minute, sometimes emotional account of the January 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, saying at one point she feared for her life.
On her Instagram social media account, Ocasio-Cortez gave a detailed account of the time leading up to the day. She also revealed, without elaborating, that she was a victim of sexual assault.
UK WEATHER FORECAST
SUNRISE 07:38
SUNSET 16:58
TODAY
Today, rain, sleet and snow will persist in the north. In the far south, rain will move eastwards in the morning, clearing by the afternoon. Elsewhere, there will be a mix of sunny spells and showers.
TONIGHT
Tonight, hill snow will persist in southern and central Scotland and northern England, but it will turn largely clear in the far south and far north. Rain in Northern Ireland later on.
TWEETS
We join the United Kingdom and the world in honoring the memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore, who inspired millions through his life and his actions. https://t.co/b2zUsZkHo3
FROM WTX NEWS
https://wtxnews.com/2021/02/02/alcohol-deaths-record-covid-19-pandemic/
RENAISSANCE
For all those people who are finding it difficult at the moment: the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away
Captain Sir Tom Moore
PM urges EU action to ease Brexit tensions in NI
Boris Johnson has called for “urgent action” from the EU amid rising tensions over post-Brexit checks at Northern Ireland ports.
UK and EU leaders are to hold talks to try to resolve the trade issues between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Checks on goods were suspended on Tuesday after threats to staff.
Mr Johnson said the EU had “undermined” the Brexit deal by threatening emergency controls of Covid vaccine exports across the Irish border. – BBC News
COVID vaccine: von der Leyen reveals EU will have access to 400M doses by June
The EU will have access to around 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of June, Ursula von der Leyen has told MEPs.
That means if no other vaccines are obtained in the meantime, there will only be enough doses to inoculate fewer than half of the EU’s 447 million population. Vaccines so far approved in the EU require two jabs for full protection. – Euronews
Half of Americans either refuse or delay Covid vaccination
At least 51 per cent of American people have said they will either wait and see how effective the Covid-19 vaccines are or simply refuse to receive it, according to a recent survey.
Nearly 26 million people in the US have received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine, including almost six million who have had the second jab, according to the country’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Despite the roll out of Covid-19 vaccine reaching 26 million, many Americans are still skeptical about being vaccinated. – TRT World
UAE launches program to attract world’s top graduates
The UAE launched the “Moonshot 2071” program to attract top graduates from notable local and international institutions.
The apprenticeship program, organized by Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, will help develop innovative solutions for the UAE’s future, state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday.
The three-months training will also help the graduates develop and enhance their skills and capabilities. – Arab News
Myanmar army chief says coup was ‘inevitable’
The military ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in Myanmar was “inevitable”, army chief General Min Aung Hlaing said on Tuesday (Feb 2), as Washington formally designated the takeover as a coup.
Myanmar’s powerful military stunned the nation on Monday when it detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other National League for Democracy (NLD) party leaders in pre-dawn raids ahead of a scheduled resumption of parliament. – CNA
SpaceX Starship launch: Rocket prototype explodes after failed landing in Texas
A SpaceX Starship prototype rocket has exploded on landing after an experimental launch in Texas.
The Starship SN9 launched successfully but blew up on its final descent in Boca Chica on Tuesday, in a repeat of an accident that destroyed previous test rocket the SN8 in December. – Sky News
Business news
Sports News
Man Utd score 9 in record-equalling over Southampton – Read on
Luiz and Leno sent off for Arsenal as Wolves end winless run – Read on
Six Nations 2021 to take place after French government approves Covid rules – Read on
Emma Hayes: Chelsea manager says women’s football is ‘not a step down’ from men’s game – Read on
Cultura
Rihanna creates flutter in India with tweet on farmer protests – Read on
Sacked actress ‘kept no gay roles rule secret’ – Read on
Rita Ora faces another backlash after travelling to Australia for The Voice – Read on
Armie Hammer’s estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers addresses leaked message allegations – Read on
YOUR QUESTIONS answered
what happened at the capitol?
On January 6, 2021, a mob of rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaching security and occupying parts of the building for several hours.
After attending a rally organized by Trump, thousands of his supporters marched down Pennsylvania Avenue before many stormed the United States Capitol in an effort to disrupt the electoral college vote count during a joint session of Congress and prevent the formalization of President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory.
After breaching police perimeters, they occupied, vandalized, and ransacked parts of the building for several hours. The insurrection led to the evacuation and lockdown of the Capitol building and five deaths. – Read on
what does brexit mean?
Brexit was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) at the end of 31 January 2020 CET.
To date, the UK is the first and only country formally to leave the EU, after 47 years of membership within the bloc, after having first joined its predecessor, the European Communities (EC), on 1 January 1973.
It continued to participate in the European Union Customs Union and European Single Market during a transition period that ended on 31 December 2020 at 23:00 GMT. – Read on
covid-19 meaning
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020.
As of 11 January 2021, more than 90.3 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 1.93 million deaths attributed to COVID-19.
coronavirus definition
Meaning of “coronavirus” and related terminology “coronavirus” means severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
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Get the latest NHS information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19)
