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Asians around the world are reacting with "happy tears" as Chloe Zhao made history at the Golden Globe Awards, becoming the first Asian woman to ever win the prize for best director. The Nomadland director, who was born in China, is only the second woman to win the award. The first was Barbra Streisand in 1984.
Source: bbc.com
The vaccine is set to be a cost-effective alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and can be stored in a refrigerator instead of a freezer. Trials found it prevented serious illness but was 66% effective overall when moderate cases were included.
Source: bbc.com
The Danish government’s efforts towards meeting the country’s ambitious target of reducing emissions by 70% by 2030 have been judged “insufficient” by the body tasked with monitoring its progress, with measures so far announced only likely to take it a third of the way.
Source: theguardian.com
For most people, creating a snowman is hard work, but one family in Colorado took things to another level with this snake snow sculpture. Morn Mosley and his five siblings spent ten hours working on this year's model of a snake which has delighted locals.
Japanese companies are ramping up the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced technology to reduce waste and cut costs in the pandemic, and looking to score some sustainability points along the way.
Source: reuters.com
Pope Francis expects to die in Rome, still the Catholic pontiff, without returning to spend his final days in his native Argentina, according to a new book titled The Health of Popes. Asked how he sees his final days, Francis, who is 84, responded: “I will be pope, either active or emeritus, and in Rome. I will not return to Argentina.”
Source: theguardian.com
Virginia lawmakers approved a bill on Saturday that would legalize the sale and recreational use of marijuana — but not until 2024. The historic move makes Virginia the first Southern state to vote to legalize marijuana, joining 15 other states and the District of Columbia.
Source: nbcnews.com
Glenn Roeder, who managed West Ham United between 2001 and 2003, has died following a lengthy illness. Roeder was a much-liked and respected coach who also managed Gillingham, Watford, Newcastle United and Norwich City. He worked as a coach with England during Glenn Hoddle’s spell as the national team manager.
Source: theguardian.com
Experts have made an "extraordinary" discovery of a tree which is still intact after being petrified by a volcanic eruption 20 million years ago in Lesbos, Greece. It was found complete with roots and branches.
Source: cnn.com
Friday’s U.S. air strikes against Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria encourage terrorism in the region, Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani, said on Saturday.
Source: reuters.com
Large retailers that sell toys, clothes and other children's items in California would have to devote floor space to merchandise marketed to both boys and girls under a new bill. Stores would be able to sell the same products they do now as long as they maintain some areas where shoppers can find all toys or clothes, regardless of gender-based marketing.
Source: politico.com
A Chinese variety show has apologised for editing a post-surgery photo of US pop star Selena Gomez and actress Francia Raisa in a comedy sketch. The episode of Who's the Murderer? altered the picture, taken after Raisa donated her kidney to Gomez in 2017, to replace the duo with men.
Source: bbc.com
Lionel Messi may yet stay at current club Barcelona despite earlier wanting to leave the Catalans. Jadon Sancho is heading for the exit at Borussia Dortmund as they need to raise money, while Eden Hazard is running out of time at Real Madrid. Rafael Benitez also missed out on the chance to take over at Bournemouth.
Source: eurosport.com
President Joe Biden scored his first legislative win as the House of Representatives passed his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday, though Democrats faced challenges to their hopes of using the bill to raise the minimum wage.
Source: reuters.com
The plane, a single-engine Cessna-182, crashed about two miles northeast of Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville, Georgia, shortly after takeoff.
Source: cnn.com
South Korea said 18,489 people received their first doses of AstraZeneca PLC’s vaccine by midnight on Friday as it launched an ambitious COVID-19 inoculation campaign, and will begin using Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines on Saturday.
Source: reuters.com
The Biden administration is closely following developments in Brazil with regard to human rights and climate, but intends to continue strengthening U.S. economic ties and trade with the South American country. The administration of Democratic President on Feb. 5 had announced an additional $300,000 in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development to bolster Brazil’s emergency COVID-19 response.
Source: reuters.com
Two French bulldogs belonging to Lady Gaga that were stolen at gunpoint earlier this week have been recovered unharmed.
Source: theguardian.com
The 1,270sq km chunk separated from Brunt Ice Shelf near a British Antarctic Survey station on Friday. The separation occurred just over 20km from Britain’s Halley research station but there was no one in the base and so there was no risk to human life.
Source: theguardian.com
Erection of the prefabricated double-arch steel bridge for the Cross Bay Link in Tseung Kwan O, which is also the largest component of the bridge, was completed on Friday.
This is the first time the “float-over method” has been applied for bridge construction in Hong Kong.
Source: chinadailyhk.com
Canada's regulator estimates vaccine efficacy to be 62.1%.
Source: cbc.ca
In an interview with fellow Brit and TV host James Corden, Harry discussed what the future holds for his family after the couple finalized their royal exit last week.
Source: nbcnews.com
Parasite, last year's Oscar winner from South Korea, dented assumptions that English-speaking audiences are wary of any film with subtitles. Now another Korean-language film is making waves. Minari is a very different story set in rural America. But there's buzz about its chances in April's Academy Awards.
Source: bbc.com
Begum was 15 years old when in 2015 she left the UK with two school friends to join ISIS in Syria. She was stripped of her British citizenship by then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid on February 19, 2019 upon being discovered in a northern Syrian refugee camp.
Source: cnn.com
Thirty-seven countries are now set to receive Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for Covid-19, and Russian authorities have applied to the European Medicines Agency for its authorisation in the EU. But some Russians living abroad and international students in Moscow are opting to get the jab at the source.
Source: france24.com
Spain’s former King Juan Carlos, who left the country in August amid a cloud of scandals, has settled a back tax bill worth more than 4 million euros. It was the second such payment by the former monarch in recent months. The tax settlement of 4 million euros was based on 8 million euros worth of goods and services he received, the newspapers said. The payment was to compensate for private flights from which he benefited.
Source: reuters.com
Heavily armed criminal gangs in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging. "More than 300 girls are unaccounted for after a headcount of remaining students," said a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe.
Source: france24.com
A group of Russian diplomats and their families made an unusual exit out of North Korea on a hand-pushed rail trolley due to strict Covid measures. The eight people travelled by train and bus before pushing themselves across the Russian border for about 1km over train tracks. North Korea has blocked most passenger transport to limit the virus' spread.
Source: bbc.com
Families of Saudi Arabian prisoners of conscience have begged Lionel Messi not to be “used” by the country’s regime to “launder its reputation”, after the Barcelona star has reportedly received an offer to become the face of the kingdom’s tourist board. ‘Visit Saudi’ are currently on a publicity drive, and have been seeking high-profile stars to endorse their campaign, with Messi reportedly being the prime target.
Source: independent
The United States launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities used by Iranian-backed militia groups. The Pentagon said the strikes were in retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.
Source: nbcnews.com
A zoo worker in Spain has died after he was struck by an elephant’s trunk, knocking his head against the bars of an enclosure, the zoo and local officials said. The female elephant weighing around 4,000kg hit the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday morning at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander.
Source: theguardian
A Boeing Co 777 aircraft operated by Rossiya Airlines made an emergency landing in Moscow at 4:44 a.m. local time due to engine trouble, less than a week after a similar aircraft flown by United Airlines Holdings Inc suffered a dramatic blowout over Denver, shedding debris onto neighborhoods below.
Source: chinadailyhk.com
Lady Gaga is offering $500,000 for the return of her two French bulldogs - Koji and Gustav, after someone stole them and shot the man who walked her dogs Wednesday evening in Hollywood. The victim is "recovering well," according to the sources close to Gaga. A third bulldog, named Miss Asia ran away and was later recovered by police.
Source: bbc.com
The actor found global fame with The Crown and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, following a prolific and acclaimed career in the theatre and on television.
Source: theguardian
The bus is equipped with sensors and cameras and links Málaga’s port to the city centre on an 8km loop it does six times a day. Self-driving vehicle can interact with traffic lights and is the first project of its kind in Europe.
Source: theguardian
The captive daughter of Dubai's ruler, has appealed to UK police to re-investigate the kidnap of her older sister from a Cambridge street more than 20 years ago. In a letter Latifa tells Cambridgeshire police this could help free Princess Shamsa, who was captured on the orders of their father. Shamsa, who was just 18 then and is now 39, has not been seen in public since.
Source: bbc.com
Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio and Italian carabiniere, or paramilitary police officer, Vittorio Iacovacci, died on Monday after their car was attacked as they traveled in a UN convoy in the eastern part of the Central African country. A third man, Congolese driver Moustapha Milambo, was also killed.
Source: cnn.com
The Brazil international's former club Internacional has confirmed that the father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has died after drowning in a lake in a tragic accident. The body of 57-year-old Jose Agostinho Becker was found after he had been reported as missing.
Source: goal.com
President Joe Biden on Wednesday lifted a freeze on green cards issued by his predecessor during the pandemic that lawyers said was blocking most legal immigration to the United States.
Source: nbcnews.com
It said proof of a jab should not be required because there remain 'critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission'.
Source: dailymail
The company said it acted after deciding "the risks of allowing the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] on Facebook and Instagram are too great".
Source: bbc.com
The minority community of several hundred thousand was decimated first by al Qaeda’s rise in the early 2000s and later by Islamic State, the extremist group that brutally persecuted them and other minority faiths and sects from 2014-2017. Pope Francis’ visit from March 5-8 is welcome recognition of how they have suffered for their beliefs.
Source: reuters.com
Talking to someone on the phone for 10 minutes multiple times a week - if you're in control of the conversation - can decrease loneliness. Half of the 240 study participants were selected to receive brief phone calls from volunteers over the course of a month, and they reported feeling 20% less lonely on average.
Source: cnn.com
Daily new cases have plummeted, dropping from a peak of over 90,000 infections in September down to just over 10,000 a day in February. On February 9, the capital Delhi reported zero virus deaths for the first time in nearly nine months. Experts speculate that several factors are likely behind the decline in India's case numbers, such as the country's younger population or the possibility of rising immunity in urban areas. But there's also the possibility that the case count doesn't reflect reality.
Source: cnn.com
Customs authorities in Germany and Belgium have seized a record of more than 23 tonnes of cocaine that was destined for the Netherlands. German officials discovered 16 tonnes in five shipping containers that had arrived in the port of Hamburg from Paraguay earlier this month. Further in the Netherlands 7.2 tonnes of cocaine was seized by the police at the Belgian port of Antwerp.
Source: bbc.com
More than 90 per cent of people who have had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine have high levels of Covid antibodies, a major study has found. New data from Imperial College London also showed that those who have previously had Covid had a strong immune response after a single dose.
Source: thesun
The last public statue of Spain's former dictator, Francisco Franco, was removed from Spanish soil on Tuesday. Workers took away the statue, which stood on a street in Melilla, a Spanish enclave in Morocco.
Source: cnn.com
A major Paris work by Vincent van Gogh that has been part of the same French family’s private collection for more than a century is to go on public display for the first time since it was painted in the spring of 1887. Acquired by a French collector in 1920, it has remained in the same family ever since and never been shown in public. It will be exhibited in London, Amsterdam and Paris before being sold by Sotheby’s in March.
Source: theguardian
The 71-year-old rock star admitted drinking two shots of tequila on Sandy Hook beach in his home state. But prosecutors dropped drink-driving and reckless driving charges against the star, who had initially pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The singer was arrested in November and must also pay $40 (£28) in costs.
Source: bbc.com
Ecuador's prisons were designed for some 27,000 inmates but house about 38,000.
Source: nbcnews.com
Systems engineer Ian Clark used a binary code to spell out “Dare Mighty Things” in the orange and white strips of the 70-foot (21-meter) parachute. He also included the GPS coordinates for the mission’s headquarters at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Source: apnews.com
An Oklahoma man suspected of murdering three people has confessed to killing his neighbor, cutting her heart out, and then cooking it to feed his family, authorities said. Lawrence Anderson allegedly stabbed Andrea Lynn Blankenship, 41, to death in her Chickasha home on Feb. 9.
Source: foxnews.com
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will support Merrick Garland’s nomination for attorney general, five years after blocking the judge's path to the Supreme Court.
Source: politico.com
He passed away from lung disease on Monday evening, confirmed the store's vice president and director of marketing and publicity, Stacey Lewis.
Source: cnn.com
The people of Tokyo have voiced their disapproval of this summer’s rearranged Olympic Games as the pandemic grips Japan, and chaos continues to follow a beleaguered organising committee.
Source: independent
Malaysia has deported 1,086 people back to Myanmar, defying a court order and appeals from human rights groups to halt the process. Rights organisations say the group includes some ethnic minorities which have suffered persecution in Myanmar. They say sending them back to Myanmar, where the army took power in a coup, could put them at even greater risk.
Source: bbc.com
Hyundai Motor Co will replace battery systems in some 82,000 electric vehicles globally due to fire risks, a problem which combined with an earlier recall is likely to cost the automaker an estimated $900 million. Most of the latest recall applies to its best-selling electric car, the Kona EV, which was first recalled in October for a software upgrade after a series of fires.
Source: reuters.com
The 15-time golf major champion, 45, had to be "extricated from the wreck" by firefighters and paramedics. A statement said he had suffered "open fractures affecting the tibia and fibula bones" in his lower right leg and a rod had been inserted.
Source: bbc.com
A Beijing divorce court has ordered a man to compensate his wife for the housework she did during their marriage, in a landmark ruling. The woman will receive 50,000 yuan ($7,700) for five years of unpaid labour. The case has generated a huge debate online over the value of domestic work, with some saying the compensation amount was too little.
Source: bbc.com
The two actors will star alongside Ryan Reynolds in the upcoming movie The Adam Project.
Source: people.com
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