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World - 2020-12-10
Spanish state takes over Franco's palace, evicts heirs
Europe

Spanish state takes over Franco's palace, evicts heirs

  • As state attorney general Consuelo Castro arrived at the palace in the northwestern region of Galicia to conduct a final inspection and formally take possession.
  • Built between 1893 and 1907 by the writer Emilia Pardo-Bazan, the Pazo de Meiras palace was valued at more than 5 million euros ($5.93 million) by the family last year.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 10:56pm
Dutch expel two Russian diplomats for suspected espionage
Europe

Dutch expel two Russian diplomats for suspected espionage

  • The Netherlands on Thursday ordered the expulsion of two Russian diplomats accused of spying on the Dutch high-tech sector.
  • The Netherlands presented no evidence of unlawful acts by the Russian diplomats, Russia's embassy in The Hague said.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 10:18pm
Indian government offers more concessions as farmers intensify protests
South Asia

Indian government offers more concessions as farmers intensify protests

  • India’s agriculture minister said on Thursday the government was ready to consider further changes to divisive reforms that have triggered the biggest protests by farmers in years.
  • Huge crowds have been out on the streets around Delhi since November demanding the government repeal the laws that they say will eventually dismantle India’s regulated markets and leave them at the mercy of private buyers.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 08:30pm
Pakistan gets U.S. Presidential waiver to avoid sanctions on religious freedom
USA

Pakistan gets U.S. Presidential waiver to avoid sanctions on religious freedom

  • United States Secretary of State Michael 'Mike' Pompeo has issued a Presidential waiver for Pakistan, exempting it from any subsequent sanctions that follow a country's designation as a violator of religious freedom.
  • Furthermore, Pakistan also pointed out that "the glaring omission of India, where the RSS-BJP regime and their leaders openly disregard religious freedom and discriminate against minorities communities in an institutional manner".
Updated 10 Dec, 2020 07:41pm
60 percent do not want Trump to run again in 2024: Poll
USA

60 percent do not want Trump to run again in 2024: Poll

  • According to a recent poll, sixty percent of voters do not want President Trump to run for President again in 2024.
  • The survey concluded that only 32 percent of respondents think that the President should run for a second non-consecutive term.
Updated 10 Dec, 2020 05:28pm
Indian Pharma industry's COVID-19 vaccine plans
South Asia

Indian Pharma industry's COVID-19 vaccine plans

  • Several Indian pharmaceutical companies are working to develop or manufacture at least eight anti-COVID-19 formulations as the world’s largest producer of vaccines prepares for a massive response to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • India, which has itself been badly hit by the pandemic with nearly 10 million infections, the second-highest in the world, is focusing on affordable vaccines instead of the expensive messenger RNA shots of Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 04:06pm
U.S. Senate to vote on spending stopgap as COVID-19 aid debate continues
USA

U.S. Senate to vote on spending stopgap as COVID-19 aid debate continues

  • Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has said the Senate will take it up this week and send it to Trump in time to avoid a government shutdown.
  • The move gives Congress seven more days to enact a broader, $1.4 trillion “omnibus” spending measure for all government agencies from the Pentagon to national parks.
Updated 10 Dec, 2020 04:17pm
China sanctions US officials over Hong Kong moves
Asia

China sanctions US officials over Hong Kong moves

  • The financial hub was rocked by pro-democracy protests last year that were largely halted by a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing, drawing criticism over eroding rights from countries including the US.
  • On Monday, the US said it was freezing any US assets and barring travel to the United States for 14 vice-chairs of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, which spearheaded the tough new law.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 02:33pm
U.S. blacklists Chinese crime boss, others in anti-corruption sanctions
USA

U.S. blacklists Chinese crime boss, others in anti-corruption sanctions

  • The sanctions also apply to three entities headed by Wan, who is also known as “Broken Tooth,” the agency said in a statement.
  • The United States also blacklisted one Liberian individual and one Kyrgyz individual under Executive Order 13818, which targets corruption and serious human rights abuse.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 02:31pm
France imposes 135mn euros in fines on Google, Amazon

France imposes 135mn euros in fines on Google, Amazon

  • The regulator said "no matter what path the users used to visit the website, they were either insufficiently informed or never informed of the fact that cookies were placed on their computer."
Published 10 Dec, 2020 01:24pm
UK says: we need progress on Brexit trade deal by Sunday
Europe

UK says: we need progress on Brexit trade deal by Sunday

  • Britain and the European Union have scope to strike a trade deal but significant differences remain and real progress needs to be made to keep talking beyond the new deadline of Sunday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
  • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union’s chief executive gave themselves until the end of the weekend to seal a new trade pact after failing to overcome persistent rifts.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 01:14pm
North Korea wasted chance to improve relations under Trump, U.S. envoy says
USA

North Korea wasted chance to improve relations under Trump, U.S. envoy says

  • “Regrettably, much opportunity has been squandered by our North Korean counterparts over the past two years, who too often have devoted themselves to the search for obstacles to negotiations instead of seizing opportunities for engagement,” he said.
    • Biegun called for North Korea to resume talks in the coming months.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 12:03pm
Erdogan in Azerbaijan to hail 'glorious' Karabakh victory

Erdogan in Azerbaijan to hail 'glorious' Karabakh victory

  • Azerbaijan's army paraded military hardware and weapons seized from Armenia during the six-week war through the capital Baku ahead of Erdogan's arrival to rehearse for a large-scale victory parade on Thursday.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 12:03pm
An antitrust lawsuit in US calls for the breakup of Facebook

An antitrust lawsuit in US calls for the breakup of Facebook

  • FTC alleges that the social network used monopoly power with the intention of suppressing and deterring serious competitive threats
  • Facebook says the US government wants a do-over with no regard for the impact that precedent would have on the broader business community
Published 10 Dec, 2020 11:44am
Top US negotiator on North Korea blames Pyongyang for deadlock

Top US negotiator on North Korea blames Pyongyang for deadlock

  • Talks over the North's nuclear arsenal have been stalled since early last year when a summit in Hanoi between President Donald Trump and leader Kim collapsed over what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for a loosening of sanctions.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 11:35am
India's 15-year-old disinformation, influence operation against Pakistan exposed
Europe

India's 15-year-old disinformation, influence operation against Pakistan exposed

  • This vast network was active in Geneva and Brussels in producing and amplifying content designed to primarily sabotage Pakistan.
  • The disinformation operation actively targeted academic institutions and served New Delhi's interests mainly by reviving “dead media, dead think-tanks, and NGOs”, EU DisinfoLab report says.
  • The investigation revealed that the Indian network aims to reinforce pro-New Delhi and anti-Pakistan, anti-China content in India.
Updated 10 Dec, 2020 02:03pm
Gunmen shoot Afghan TV journalist dead

Gunmen shoot Afghan TV journalist dead

  • The murder of Maiwand, who was in her 20s, comes just weeks after Radio Liberty reporter Aliyas Dayee was killed in a car bomb attack in Lashkar Gah.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 11:24am
Sikh farmers' protest should be 'pre-eminently' settled between India and Pakistan: Boris Johnson

Sikh farmers' protest should be 'pre-eminently' settled between India and Pakistan: Boris Johnson

  • Johnson said that they have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan, 'but these are pre-eminently matters for those two governments to settle'.
  • Since last month, thousands of farmers, mostly from the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against the three farm laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Updated 10 Dec, 2020 12:07pm
US Senate backs massive arms sales to UAE after Trump veto threat

US Senate backs massive arms sales to UAE after Trump veto threat

  • Some lawmakers also worried that the weapons transfers might violate US guarantees that Israel will retain a military advantage in the region. But Israel, which enjoys strong support in Congress, has said it does not object to the sales.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 11:03am
Biden picks Capitol Hill staffer Tai as US trade 'czar'

Biden picks Capitol Hill staffer Tai as US trade 'czar'

  • "Ms. Tai has the experience she needs to succeed as USTR, and her record of getting wins for American workers demonstrates she knows how to champion the values that matter to US families," he said in a statement.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 10:56am
UK issues anaphylaxis warning on Pfizer vaccine after adverse reactions

UK issues anaphylaxis warning on Pfizer vaccine after adverse reactions

  • The briefing documents said 0.63% of people in the vaccine group and 0.51% in the placebo group reported possible allergic reactions in trials, which Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said was a very small number.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 10:38am
Turkey hopes for 'good start' with Biden
Europe

Turkey hopes for 'good start' with Biden

  • Turkey has had a turbulent relationship with Donald Trump's administration but Erdogan has also formed a bond with the outgoing president, who has spoken fondly of him.
Published 10 Dec, 2020 02:25am
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