Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Austria and Denmark to form vaccine alliance with Israel

Two European Union member states are breaking away from the bloc's vaccine strategy and forging a 'vaccine alliance' with Israel. 

Austria and Denmark will be holding talks in Jerusalem this week, amid frustration at the slow pace of the EU's vaccine roll-out. 

Lucy Hough has more from Brussels. 

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Pressure builds on Merkel to end Covid-19 lockdown

Chancellor Angela Merkel is preparing to meet with her country's sixteen state premiers to decide whether to extend lockdown. 

The meeting, which will happen Wednesday, comes as a growing chorus of politicians call for the Chancellor to loosen lockdown restrictions. But Merkel has warned a "third wave" could be on the way, and is expected to take a cautious approach when it comes to unlocking Europe's biggest economy. 

Trent Murray reports from Berlin 

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UK GOVT NOT RULING OUT TAX RISES

The UK government isn't ruling out tax rises in a crucial Budget to be revealed on Wednesday.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce £400 million in additional support for Britain's culture sector which has been devastated by lockdown restrictions.

He's also expected to extend measures like the furlough scheme which sees the state pay workers' wages so they're not laid off.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng says tax increases may have to be part of the mix because of high government spending during the pandemic.

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South Sudan's government begins auditing petroleum companies

South Sudan's government is beginning a petroleum sector audit as the United Nations pushes for transparency in the oil and gas industry in the East African country.

The law in South Sudan provides for quarterly and yearly financial reports form petroleum ministry as well as oil companies in the country but no information has been availed to the public on oil revenue and expenditure since 2011.

Patrick Oyet reports from Juba
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Cybersecurity firms says Chinese hackers could be targeting Indian vaccine makers

Intro:

Chinese state-backed hackers could be attacking Indian vaccine makers' IT systems according to a cybersecurity firm.

The motive, it says, could be to steal proprietary information…

That could get Chinese COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers a competitive edge.

Ishan Garg tells us more from New Delhi.

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US Senate confirms Cardona as education secretary

The US Senate has confirmed Miguel Cardona as the new education secretary.

He's charged with pushing through the Biden administration's plan to
reopen schools within the President's first 100 days.

Nick Harper reports from Washington.

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Monday, March 1, 2021

S&P posts best day since June

U.S. stocks soared Monday with the S&P 500 index posting its best day
since June.

Traders were buoyed by positive movement on a new stimulus package and
the vaccine rollout over the weekend.

William Denselow reports from New York.

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US aims for migrant children reunifications in America

The Biden administration says it is looking at reuniting separated
migrant families on US soil and helping them stay in America if they
choose.

The head of Homeland Security blasted the "cruelty" of the Trump
administration's migrant separation policy, adding Trump had "gutted"
the country's immigration system.

Nick Harper reports from Washington.

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White House coronavirus response team warns of potential "fourth surge" in US


The White House coronavirus response team is warning of a potential "fourth surge" in the US, even as it rolls out the newly-approved Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

The single dose vaccine received emergency authorisation over the weekend, the third coronavirus vaccine to get the green light from US regulators.

Giles Gibson reports from Washington.

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Sarkozy sentenced to jail after guilty verdict in corruption trial

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of corruption and sentenced to three years in prison…two of them suspended.


It's the first time a modern-day former French head of state has received a jail sentence and he is expected to appeal.


Victor Mallett is the Paris correspondent for the Financial Times.


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New York marks Covid-19 anniversary

It's been a year since the first Covid-19 case was reported in New York.

The Empire State quickly became the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus
outbreak with more than 1.5 million cases now confirmed.

William Denselow reports from New York.

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First US Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines being delivered

The newly approved Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine has been
shipped out across the US.

The first doses should be administered within two days.

Sarah Walton reports

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PRINCE PHILIP MOVES HOSPITAL

The Queen's husband, Prince Philip, has been transferred to a second hospital in London.

The 99 year-old had already spent 13 nights at King Edward VII hospital before the move.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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EU DRAFTING SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA

Permanent Representatives to the European Union are drafting sanctions against Russia in response to the recent imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Last month he was found guilty of violating a suspended sentence and was sent to prison.

But his lawyers — and the European Court of Human Rights — call the charges politically motivated.

Stuart Smith reports.

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PRINCE HARRY TELLS OPRAH OF 'HISTORY REPEATING' FEAR

The Duke of Sussex has spoken about his fear that history might repeat itself - when discussing the pressures his mother Princess Diana faced when leaving the Royal family. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex were being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on their decision to step back from Royal life. Laura Makin-Isherwood has more.


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Search for Covid variant carrier in the UK continues

Health officials in the UK are trying to trace a so far unidentified person who's been infected with what the government says is a coronavirus "variant of concern" first found in Brazil.


The individual is one of six cases of the P1 variant found in the UK in February, as Benji Hyer reports from London.


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GHANA BEGINS VACCINATION AGAINST COVID-19


Ghana has begun its inoculation against COVID-19 and first in line is the country's president. It comes after Ghana received the first batch of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines under the W.H.O. COVAX program.

Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports from Accra.


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Germany introduces new border controls for France

French drivers will have to provide German police with a negative coronavirus test result in order to cross the border. 


The measures are being introduced by the German government after the country's leading health body classified the French region of Moselle as an area of high concern for coronavirus infection rates. 


From Berlin, Trent Murray reports 


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Uber drivers in Brussels can no longer use smartphones

Uber drivers in Brussels who use smartphones could be fined and see their cars confiscated.

It's the result of a new decision that sees the ride-sharing app effectively unable to operate in the Belgian capital.

Lucy Hough has more. 

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South Africa eases to Lockdown Level 1