oann--2020-12-08--Biden chooses retired general Lloyd Austin as defense secretary: sources

WASHINGTON/WILMINGTON , Del .
( Reuters ) – President-elect Joe Biden has chosen retired General Lloyd Austin , who oversaw U.S. forces in the Middle East under President Barack Obama , to be his defense secretary , two people familiar with the decision said on Monday .
Austin , who would be the first Black U.S. secretary of defense , was a surprise pick over Michele Flournoy , a former top Defense Department official who was considered the leading contender for the job .
Flournoy would have been the first woman defense secretary .
The news was first reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , will need a waiver from Congress since it has been less than the required seven years since he served .
He would be the second Pentagon chief in four years to need a waiver , after President Donald Trump picked James Mattis , a retired Marine general , to be his first defense secretary .
The nomination of Austin , who headed U.S. Central Command under Obama , could draw fire from some progressive groups given his role in retirement on the board of a number of companies , including weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Austin developed a working relationship during the Obama administration and the retired general has been advising the transition team on national security issues , one of the people familiar with the decision to name him said .
Biden , who takes office on Jan. 20 , on Monday also announced key members of his health team to lead the administration ’ s response to the raging coronavirus pandemic .
Biden chose California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for secretary of health and human services and Dr. Rochelle Walensky , chief of infectious diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , was named as Biden ’ s chief medical adviser on the virus .
Biden ’ s first major challenge in the White House will be containing a resurgent COVID-19 virus that has killed more than 283,000 Americans , and finding ways to jump-start an economy still reeling from millions of pandemic-fueled job losses .
He installed Jeff Zients , an economic adviser https : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as coronavirus “ czar ” to oversee a response that will include an unprecedented operation to distribute hundreds of millions of doses of a new vaccine , coordinating efforts across multiple federal agencies .
“ This team of world-class medical experts and public servants will be ready on Day One to mobilize every resource of the federal government to expand testing and masking , ” Biden said in a statement , adding they would “ oversee the safe , equitable , and free distribution of treatments and vaccines.
” Biden ’ s choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former congressman , adds a politician to a health effort that otherwise largely relies on government administrators and health experts .
The choice also comes as Biden faces pressure to ensure diversity in his Cabinet appointments , including complaints from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about the number of Latinos and from civil rights groups about the lack of Black nominees .
Biden ’ s decision to nominate the first Black defense secretary in Austin helps him make good on his diversity promise .
It also will resonate among proponents for greater diversity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is regularly criticized for failing to promote Black servicemembers and whose top tier has been largely white .
Austin has not cultivated a public persona and is not seen as someone who enjoys the media spotlight .
However , he is known to be a shrewd military strategist with deep knowledge of the U.S. armed forces .
Earlier on Monday , the Democrat who leads the House Armed Services Committee , Rep. Adam Smith , had openly shown his preference for Flournoy .
“ I think Michelle Flournoy is hands-down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Smith said .
But David Segal , executive director of the progressive group Demand Progress , said Austin was a better choice given his role presiding over drawdowns of forces from Iraq and Afghanistan .
And while he had some concerning ties to major companies like Raytheon , they were not as broad in scope as those of Flournoy .
“ He doesn ’ t seem to have a web of entanglements that are as opaque and dense as hers , ” Segal told Reuters .
Biden , a Democrat , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House even as Trump , a Republican , refuses to concede the Nov. 3 election and wages a foundering effort to overturn the results with unsubstantiated claims of fraud .
Dozens of Trump ’ s legal challenges have been rejected by the courts , the latest on Monday when judges in Detroit and Atlanta tossed bids to decertify Biden ’ s election victories in Michigan and Georgia .
Biden won Michigan by about 154,000 votes and Georgia by about 12,000 votes .
In Georgia , Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement said , after a third count confirmed Biden ’ s win .
The Electoral College will formalize results nationwide on Dec. 14 .
Raffensperger , a Republican , said continued debunked claims about voting fraud were “ hurting our state.
” Runoff elections for Georgia ’ s two U.S. Senate seats , scheduled for Jan. 5 , will determine which party controls the chamber .


oann--2020-12-08--Biden chooses retired general Lloyd Austin to be defense secretary: source

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oann--2020-12-08--Trump adviser Navarro violated law against political activity -federal watchdog

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – President Donald Trump ’ s trade adviser Peter Navarro knowingly and willfully violated federal law by attacking then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden while serving in his official capacity , the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said on Monday .
The federal watchdog agency explained its conclusion in a 13-page report to Trump , leaving it up the president to determine what it called “ appropriate disciplinary action.
” The agency is continuing to investigate other alleged violations of the Hatch Act of 1939 by the Trump campaign and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees except the president and vice president .
“ OSC ’ s investigation determined that Dr. Navarro violated the Hatch Act ’ s prohibition against using his official authority or influence to affect an election by engaging in political activity during official media appearances and on his official Twitter account , ” the agency said .
From May 26 through Oct. 19 , Navarro lambasted Biden , who won the Nov. 3 presidential election , and his running mate Kamala Harris , during at least six media interviews in which he appeared in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Dr .
Navarro often attacked Mr. Biden about his relationship with China and at times accused him of being ‘ compromised ’ and susceptible to being ‘ bought ’ by China , even nicknaming him ‘ Beijing Biden , ' ” it said .
The Office of Special Counsel said Navarro chose not to respond to the report .
It said he continued to engage in the behavior despite being trained on the Hatch Act , and even after OSC launched its investigation .
The White House had no immediate comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommended that Trump fire adviser Kellyanne Conway after multiple violations of the Hatch Act , but he refused .
U.S. Representative Don Beyer , the Democratic vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee , told Reuters that while Navarro was unlikely to face consequences , a rank-and-file federal worker who engaged in similar behavior would likely have been fired .
In its report , OSC said the White House counsel ’ s Office had claimed Navarro did not violate the law , and that his statements “ about Joe Biden and his ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of factual , policy-based statements acceptable for him to make in his official capacity , ” OSC said .
But that was not the case , the watchdog said .
“ A federal employee acting in his official capacity violates the Hatch Act when , as here , he makes statements intended to encourage others to vote for or against a candidate for partisan political office or otherwise promotes or disparages that candidate ’ s campaign .
Dr. Navarro violated the Hatch Act because he engaged in that very activity , ” @ @ @


oann--2020-12-08--Oil dips as COVID cases and lockdowns outweigh vaccination news

LONDON ( Reuters ) -Oil prices fell on Tuesday , extending the previous session ’ s losses after California tightened its pandemic lockdown through Christmas and coronavirus cases surged in the United States and Europe .
Brent crude futures fell 18 cents , or 0.4 % , to $ 48.61 a barrel by 1314 GMT , while U.S. West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) crude futures lost 29 cents or 0.6 % , to $ 45.47 .
Both benchmarks retreated by about 1 % on Monday .
Oil prices were briefly buoyed after the world ’ s first fully-tested COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Britain , but investors quickly returned their focus to ebbing fuel demand .
A sharp rise in coronavirus cases globally has led to a string of renewed lockdowns , including strict measures in California , Germany and South Korea .
“ The pandemic situation is continuing to be very disruptive in quite a few places in the U.S. and parts of Europe .
That ’ s impacting sentiment on demand near term , ” said Lachlan Shaw , National Australia Bank ’ s head of commodity research .
France may have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , government sources said , after signs the downward trend in new cases had flattened after shops were allowed to reopen late last month .
Analysts said they were closely watching U.S. lawmakers ’ efforts to approve a new economic stimulus package needed to drive jobs growth and energy demand .
“ As supply expectations are now firmer after the OPEC+ meeting , at least for January , prices are not expected to deviate much for a while and swings will be focused on ‘ lighter ’ market events , even if these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the first vaccinations in the UK , ” said Bjornar Tonhaugen , head of oil markets at Rystad Energy .
The OPEC+ group of oil producers is likely to hold their next meeting on Jan. 4 , after agreeing last week to raise oil output by 500,000 barrels per day ( bpd ) next month .
Data due from the American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday and from the U.S. government on Wednesday is expected to show that U.S. crude stocks fell last week while refined product stockpiles rose , according to estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @


oann--2020-12-08--Oil dips as COVID cases, lockdowns outweigh vaccination news


oann--2020-12-08--Tesla launches second $5 billion share sale in three months

( Reuters ) -Tesla Inc unveiled a $ 5 billion capital raise on Tuesday , its second such move in three months as the electric-car maker cashes in on a stellar rise in its shares this year .
The company ’ s shares touched a record high on Monday , pushing Tesla ’ s market value above $ 600 billion and further cementing its position as the most valuable auto company in the world despite production that is a fraction of rivals such as Toyota Motor , Volkswagen and General Motors .
Ten major banks , including Goldman Sachs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will conduct the sale , the carmaker said in a filing , giving no timeline for its completion .
( https : //bit.ly/33QXGmU ) Demand for Tesla ’ s shares has been further fueled by the decision last month to add the company to the S & P 500 index , making it one of the most valuable firms ever to join the main U.S. stock market benchmark .
Some investors and Wall Street analysts believe Tesla ’ s stock is in a bubble , and a few have warned against adding it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current levels .
Analysts ’ median price target on the stock stands at $ 400 , $ 230 short of the current price .
The 670 % rally in Tesla ’ s shares this year has also boosted Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk ’ s net worth from $ 27 billion to $ 155 billion , making him the world ’ s second-richest person , according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index .
In September , Tesla said it would raise $ 5 billion to ease its future debt pressures as the company seeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles and build new factories near Berlin , Germany and Austin , Texas .
The company also has plans to launch new lines of vehicles , including a semi-truck called the Tesla Semi and its futuristic Cybertruck .
The company ’ s shares fell 1.3 % to $ 633.73 in premarket trading .


oann--2020-12-09--DoorDash doubles valuation to raise $3.4 billion in U.S. listing – source

( Reuters ) -DoorDash Inc said on Tuesday it sold shares in its initial public offering at $ 102 apiece , above its upwardly revised target range , to raise $ 3.37 billion in what will be one of the biggest U.S. stock market debuts of 2020 .
The IPO gives the U.S. food delivery startup a fully diluted valuation of around $ 38 billion , more than double its $ 16 billion valuation during a private fundraising round in June .
DoorDash , the largest U.S. third-party delivery company for restaurants , had aimed to sell 33 million shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It had earlier targeted a price range of between $ 75 and $ 85 .
The share offering comes as DoorDash and rivals Uber Eats , Grubhub Inc and Postmates Inc have benefited from a surge in demand for food delivery services due to widespread COVID-19 restrictions .
DoorDash joins other big Silicon Valley companies , including Palantir Technologies Inc and Snowflake Inc , that have had blockbuster IPOs , riding on a stock market rally in the second half of the year fueled by stimulus money and hopes of a COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third quarter ended September reached $ 879 million , up from $ 239 million in a similar period last year .
The company posted a loss of $ 43 million after reporting its first quarterly profit of $ 23 million three months earlier .
Founded in 2013 , DoorDash is backed by the Vision Fund managed by Japanese tech giant SoftBank Group Corp , venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and sovereign wealth fund Government of Singapore Investment Corp .
The company ’ s shares are set to start trading on the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticker “ DASH.
” Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan are the lead underwriters for DoorDash ’ s offering .


oann--2020-12-09--Talk of a ‘no deal’ Brexit grows as deadline looms

LONDON/DUBLIN ( Reuters ) -Talk of a chaotic British split from the European Union grew on Tuesday with just three weeks left to break a deadlock in trade deal negotiations , with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that the two sides may have to accept “ no deal ” .
The EU ’ s chief negotiator , Michel Barnier , told a meeting of the bloc ’ s ministers that he believed a no-deal scenario at the end of the year was now more likely than an agreement on trade ties , an EU official and two diplomats told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Micheal Martin said that unless there was a breakthrough “ in the next day or two ” , EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday would have to discuss contingency plans for the economic disruption a rupture with no trade accord would bring .
“ Unfortunately we are facing the prospect of a no-deal Brexit if something doesn ’ t break that in the next day or two , ” Martin told parliament in Dublin .
Johnson will meet Ursula von der Leyen , president of the EU ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Brussels on Wednesday to try and close gaps their negotiators have struggled with for months .
But the language on both sides has hardened , and both have called on the other to compromise ahead of a meeting that is widely seen as a last throw of the dice .
Britain formally left the EU in January , but has since been in a transition period during which it remains in the EU single market and customs union , meaning that rules on trade , travel and business have stayed the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if by then there is no agreement to protect around $ 1 trillion in annual trade from tariffs and quotas , businesses on both sides would be hit hard .
Asked whether he would try until the last possible moment to do a deal on trade , Johnson told reporters : “ Yeah of course.
” “ We ’ re always hopeful but you know there may come a moment when we have to acknowledge that it ’ s time to draw stumps and that ’ s just the way it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cricketing term for the end of play .
“ We will prosper mightily under any version and if we have to go for an Australian solution then that ’ s fine too.
” Australia has no free trade deal with the EU , and so the bulk of its trade is on basic World Trade Organization terms .
In a sign of some movement in parallel talks on implementing an earlier treaty on Britain ’ s withdrawal – not the terms of future trade – the two sides said they had reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border .
As a result , Britain said it would remove clauses in legislation that were in breach of the exit treaty .
The Irish government welcomed the deal , which avoids the need for a hard border on the only land frontier between the EU and the United Kingdom .
Northern Ireland , a British province , in effect stays in the EU customs union and single market for goods when the rest of the United Kingdom leaves fully .
“ Hopefully this is a signal that the British government is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simon Coveney told RTE news .
The sticking points in trade talks have been over fishing rights in British waters , ensuring fair competition for companies on either side , and ways to solve future disputes .
With little sign that positions are narrowing – officials said talks had , if anything , gone backwards on Monday – the European Commission said discussions could continue after the end of this year .
Britain has repeatedly ruled this out .


oann--2020-12-09--Stocks hit fresh record peak, sterling eyes Brexit talks

LONDON ( Reuters ) – Global stocks reached record highs on Wednesday as investors hailed efforts to provide more fiscal stimulus and positive news on COVID-19 vaccines , and sterling made gains as British and European leaders meet for talks on a Brexit trade deal .
U.S. lawmakers continued to negotiate over additional stimulus to help offset the economic impact of the pandemic while pursuing a stopgap government-funding bill .
Leaders in both parties remain adamant a deal must be struck but are still working through sticking points .
More good news on COVID-19 vaccines also lifted investor spirits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation to begin a wide vaccination campaign , and Johnson & Johnson said it could obtain late-stage trial results for a single-dose vaccine in January , earlier than expected .
Pfizer Inc also cleared another hurdle when the U.S. health regulator released documents flagging no new safety or efficacy concerns .
“ Momentum will be a little bit less than it has been .
There are certain questions to be answered about the logistics of the vaccines , and vaccines don ’ t change the winter picture for the virus , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … there ’ s a lot going for the global economy , ” said Seema Shah , chief global strategist at Principal Global Investors .
MSCI ’ s gauge of stocks across the globe rose to a record 635.65 , up 0.23 % .
The index has been on a roll for weeks , gaining 15 % since the beginning of last month .
U.S. futures rose 0.14 % , pointing to Wall Street adding to its record high .
[ .N ] European stocks reached their highest since February .
The German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s FTSE 100 , which has been hardest hit of the main global indexes this year , added 0.36 % .
However , Britain injected a note of caution into the vaccine euphoria , saying people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely to the Pfizer vaccine .
The euro was down 0.66 % against the British pound and the pound was up 0.78 % versus the dollar before make-or-break talks on a trade deal between Britain and the European Union .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Brussels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a push to avoid a turbulent breakup in three weeks .
There was a glimmer of hope on Tuesday after Britain said it would drop clauses in draft domestic legislation that breach the already agreed Brexit divorce settlement , after reaching an “ agreement in principle ” with the EU over how to manage the Ireland-Northern Ireland border .
Britain and the EU have agreed a trusted trader scheme on the border , Ireland ’ s state broadcaster RTE said on Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s two-and-a-half-year high against the U.S. currency before a rate decision at 1500 GMT .
The central bank is expected to keep rates unchanged until the end of 2022 and will not ramp up its asset- purchase programme anytime soon , according to a Reuters poll .
Euro zone bond yields – which move inversely to price – edged down before Thursday ’ s European Central Bank meeting , where further monetary stimulus is expected .
[ GVD/EUR ] Portugal ’ s 10-year bond yield , which fell this week to a record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at zero .
[ PT10YT=RR ] “ That caps off a remarkable journey from the height of the sovereign debt crisis , when in early 2012 ( the yield ) was trading above 18 % intraday , ” Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note .
Spain ’ s 10-year yields could be next to go sub-zero , they said .
The U.S. dollar dipped to 90.82 against a basket of currencies , nearing a two-and-a-half-year low hit last week in a move to riskier assets .
Highlighting the dollar ’ s weakness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6.5000 to reach its strongest in more than two years .
The onshore yuan also traded near its highest in more than two years .
Japan ’ s Nikkei rose 1.3 % to approach a 29 1/2-year high .
South Korean stocks also jumped by 1.6 % to trade near a record high after falling on Tuesday .
Shares in China bucked the trend and fell 0.7 % on profit taking .
Oil prices rallied as the positive vaccine news lifted investor hopes for a recovery in fuel demand .
Brent crude futures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrel .
U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 13 cents to $ 45.73 .
[ O/R ] Spot gold fell 0.9 % as the start of vaccine treatment reduced safe-haven demand for the precious metal .


oann--2020-12-09--Cabin fever: Singapore cruise passengers stuck in rooms after COVID-19 case

SINGAPORE ( Reuters ) – A Royal Caribbean “ cruise-to-nowhere ” from Singapore confined nearly 1,700 passengers to their cabins in port for more than 16 hours after a COVID-19 case was detected on board , before allowing some to disembark on Wednesday .
All passengers aboard the Quantum of the Seas vessel had cleared a mandatory polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) test for the virus up to three days before the four-day cruise began on Monday .
Authorities said close contacts of the COVID-19 patient among the 1,680 guests and 1,148 crew members on board had so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck in their rooms while contact tracing was being conducted .
“ I feel relieved , it was obviously a very boring wait , ” said Isaac Lung , a 16-year-old student , who had taken the cruise with his parents .
The coronavirus patient , an 83-year-old male , had reported to the ship ’ s medical centre with diarrhoea and a subsequent onboard test revealed the infection.He was taken to hospital on Wednesday after the ship returned to port .
Other guests were awoken with the news of the infection in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like : ‘ there it goes , the worst fear has happened ’ , ” said passenger Melvin Chew , a 31-year-old business development manager , who said he learned about the infected guest via an announcement on the ship ’ s tannoy around 3 a.m. ( 1900 GMT on Tuesday ) .
The Quantum of the Seas returned to Singapore at 8 a.m. local time , and a Reuters witness saw some passengers disembarking at about 8 p.m. All passengers will undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing before leaving the terminal .
The ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tannoy that the passenger disembarkation process would start around 7:30 p.m. and would take 3-4 hours .
The crew will rest overnight and take PCR tests in the morning , he added .
“ I am terribly sorry that the cruise ended a day early and ended this way , ” the captain said in a recording heard by Reuters .
The “ cruise-to-nowhere ” by Royal Caribbean is one of its first sailings since the company halted global operations in March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The sailing in waters off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and makes no stops .
The cruises are a part of Singapore ’ s plans to revive its tourism industry , which has been battered due to the novel coronavirus , which has infected more than 68 million people globally and killed 1,554,271 .
Singapore , which has reported just over 58,000 COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths , has been registering less than a handful of daily infections in recent weeks .
Part of the precautions for the resumption of cruises in Singapore involved pre-departure testing within 48 to 72 hours prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an electronic contact tracing device , wear masks and social distance at all times .
Infectious disease experts said there could be many reasons why the patient got through pre-departure screenings .
They said the PCR test may have been a false negative or failed to pick up fragments of an old virus , or the patient may have been incubating at the time or was infected between the test and boarding .
“ It is a reality check that the current tests are not perfect , ” said Paul Tambyah , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microbiology and Infection .
The infected case ’ s close contacts will be placed in quarantine or health surveillance , Singapore ’ s health ministry said in an advisory sent to passengers .
Others will need to monitor their health , while continuing regular activities including going to school or work , and undergo a swab test at the end of a 14-day monitoring period .


oann--2020-12-10--Oil rises above $49 as vaccine release spurs demand hopes

LONDON ( Reuters ) – Oil rose to nearly $ 50 a barrel on Thursday as hopes of a faster demand recovery after the release of COVID-19 vaccines offset a huge rise in U.S. crude inventories that showed there was still ample supply available .
Britain began vaccinations this week and they could start as soon as this weekend in the United States .
Canada on Wednesday approved its first vaccine and said initial shots would be delivered starting next week .
Brent crude was up 78 cents , or 1.6 % , at $ 49.64 a barrel at 1322 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
U.S. West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) crude rose 71 cents , or 1.6 % , to $ 46.23 .
Oil gained even after the latest weekly report on U.S. oil inventories showed a massive , 15.2 million-barrel rise in crude stocks .
Analysts had expected a 1.4 million-barrel drop .
[ EIA/S ] “ The latest set of data has exceeded any bearish expectations , ” said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM .
“ The stubbornness of oil bulls and their confidence in the positive economic impact of the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack on an Iraqi oilfield also lent support .
Two wells at a small field were set ablaze by explosives on Wednesday , but overall production from the field was not affected .
“ Traders are also nervous about the oil supply , ” said Naeem Aslam of Avatrade , referring to the Iraq attack .
Oil has recovered from historic lows reached in April when the pandemic hammered demand , helped by a record supply-cut deal by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies , known as OPEC+ .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January by adding an extra 500,000 barrels per day although the easing is more gradual than previously agreed , to provide additional support to the market .


oann--2020-12-11--Hyundai Motor chief, units to buy Boston Dynamics from SoftBank: source

SEOUL ( Reuters ) – Hyundai Motor Group and its chairman have agreed to buy a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank Group Corp in a deal that values the U.S.-based robot maker at $ 1.1 billion .
The South Korean automaker group said on Friday the purchase would help it expand automation in its vehicle factories and design autonomous cars , drones and robots , as it seeks to turn itself from a manufacturer into a broader mobility service provider .
Hyundai Motor Group said the deal , which involves a new share issue , would give the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % stake in Boston Dynamics , while Softbank will retain 20 % .
Newly promoted Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung has pledged to reduce reliance on traditional car manufacturing .
He has said robotics would account for 20 % of the firm ’ s future business , while car-making would account for 50 % and urban air transport would make up the remaining 30 % .
Chung will own a 20 % stake in Boston Dynamics , while Hyundai Motor and its affiliates Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Glovis will hold a combined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Executive Masayoshi Son said the partnership with Hyundai Motor Group would accelerate the robot maker ’ s path to commercialisation .
Boston Dynamics , which was spun out from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 , was bought by Google in 2013 and sold to SoftBank in 2017 .
The company ’ s products include Spot , a dog-like robot that can climb stairs .
The firm has gained media attention although the company has struggled to build a commercial business .
Boston Dynamics reported a net loss of $ 103 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , widening its losses by more than 60 % from a year earlier .
The transaction , subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions , is expected to close by June 2021 .
Boston Dynamics ’ clients include Ford Motor Co , which leased two Spot robots in July as part of a pilot programme .
Last year , Ford Motor also said it was partnering with walking robot maker Agility Robotics as it designs a planned fleet of self-driving delivery vans that will drop packages at the doorsteps of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dynamics deal is the latest pullback by SoftBank from operating businesses as Son focuses on investing .
It marks the fading in SoftBank ’ s robotics ambitions , which were talked up by Son .
It leaves the group ’ s own rump robotics business , which includes humanoid robot Pepper , looking increasingly isolated .
For Hyundai Motor Group , this is the latest in a flurry of deals under Chung , who pledged to transform the automaker into a mobility provider , amid threats from electric carmaker Tesla Inc and tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technologies .
“ Automakers are in an innovation race .
Hyundai is a late-comer to the race , and it seems that they want to showcase that they can do it , rather than trying to generate money from the robot business , ” said mobility consultant Cha Doo-won .
Hyundai Motor Group has developed a wearable robot to reduce fatigue for factory workers and ran pilot programmes at its U.S. plants .
In January , Hyundai Motor Group announced it had partnered with Uber to develop electric air taxis , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sell its loss-making flying taxi unit to Joby Aviation , an electric passenger aircraft developer .


oann--2020-12-12--China leads auto industry recovery as sales top expectations

BEIJING/SHANGHAI ( Reuters ) – China ’ s vehicle sales are likely to hit 25.3 million units this year , an industry body said on Friday , as the world ’ s biggest vehicle market continued to lead the global auto industry recovery from lows hit during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Xu Haidong , senior official at China Association of Automobile Manufacturers ( CAAM ) , told an annual conference of the association in Beijing that CAAM expects Chinese sales this year of 20.2 million passenger vehicles and 5.1 million commercial vehicles , which include trucks and buses .
China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xu said CAAM ’ s forecast for next year ’ s overall sales is 26.3 million vehicles , up around 4 % from this year , thanks to supportive government policies and automakers ’ discounts .
Xu said China expects to sell 1.8 million new energy vehicles ( NEV ) next year , up from 1.3 million this year and 1.2 million last year .
NEVs include battery-powered electric , plug-in petrol-electric hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles .
CAAM also expects Chinese sales to hit 30 million vehicles in 2025 .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CAAM predicted China ’ s auto sales would fall 15 % to 25 % this year due to the impact of the virus , it later tweaked the forecasts as sales rebounded .
Auto sales in China rose 12.6 % in November from the same month a year earlier to 2.77 million vehicles , the eighth straight monthly rise , CAAM data showed .
Sales of new energy vehicles ( NEVs ) surged 105 % to 200,000 , their fifth consecutive month of gains .
NEVs include battery-powered electric , plug-in petrol-electric hybrids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as homegrown Nio Inc and Xpeng Inc as well as foreign groups , such as Tesla Inc , are expanding manufacturing capacity in China where the government has promoted greener vehicles to reduce air pollution .
As the global auto industry is hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic , China has become a ray of hope for automakers , including Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co .
Global automakers including Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd have forecast higher profit on surging China sales .


oann--2020-12-13--Leaders expected to push Brexit trade talks to 11th hour

BRUSSELS/LONDON ( Reuters ) – London and Brussels agreed to “ go the extra mile ” in coming days to try to reach an elusive trade agreement despite missing their latest deadline to avert a turbulent ‘ no deal ’ exit for Britain from the European Union ’ s orbit at the end of the month .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the president of the EU ’ s executive Commission , Ursula von der Leyen had given negotiators a Sunday deadline to find a way to resolve an impasse on arrangements that would guarantee Britain zero-tariff and zero-quota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market .
On Sunday they mandated negotiators to continue , although Johnson sounded a downbeat note on prospects for a breakthrough .
“ Despite the exhaustion after almost a year of negotiations , despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over we think it is responsible at this point to go the extra mile , ” Johnson and von der Leyen said in a joint statement .
Britain quit the EU in January but remains an informal member until Dec. 31 – the end of a transition period during which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market and customs union .
Johnson said the two sides would try to be as creative as possible but Britain could not compromise on key “ red lines ” .
“ I ’ m afraid we ’ re still very far apart on some key things , but where there is life there ’ s hope , ” he told reporters , but added trade might have to revert to the non-concessionary terms set by the World Trade Organization .
“ I ’ ve got to repeat the most likely thing now is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready for WTO-terms , ” he said .
A final Brexit without a trade deal would damage the economies of Europe , send shockwaves through financial markets , snarl borders and sow chaos through the delicate supply chains across Europe and beyond .
“ Every opportunity to reach a deal is highly welcome , ” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin .
The two sides have struggled to agree on fishing rights in British waters and EU demands that Britain face consequences if in the future it diverges from the bloc ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it calls a level playing field .
“ They are making some inroads on difficult stuff .
How to manage divergence and soften the blows for ( EU ) fishermen is still open , ” one EU diplomat said .
With a succession of deadlines missed , time is now critically short .
“ The next days will be important , ” the 27 EU member states were due to say in reponse to the decision to continue talks , according to diplomatic sources in the bloc ’ s hub Brussels .
EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time for parliamentary approval by the EU parliament , EU member states could endorse an agreement reached by negotiators to allow for “ provisional application ” .
“ Time to hold our nerve and allow the negotiators to inch progress forward – even at this late stage , ” Ireland ’ s foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter .
“ A deal clearly very difficult , but possible.
” The British government has warned that even with a trade deal , 7,000 trucks heading for Channel ports in south-east England could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if companies do not prepare the extra paperwork required .
Britain is expected to fast-track the movement of some perishable goods when its transition period ends to help reduce the expected disruption at ports .
The Ministry of Defence said four Royal Navy patrol ships will be ready on Jan. 1 to help protect Britain ’ s fishing waters in the event of no deal .
There are concerns about possible skirmishes between British and foreign fishing vessels under that scenario because existing rules that give EU boats access to British waters will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told France Inter radio the bloc would keep its cool : “ I will not say like Donald Trump might that our boats are bigger than theirs , because I try to be serious .
On the European side , we will keep our composure.
” France also shrugged off the naval deployment plans .
“ Keep calm and carry on , ” an official at the French presidential office told Reuters on Saturday , using a British wartime slogan .


oann--2020-12-14--Stocks hold out hope for vaccine-led recovery, U.S. stimulus

LONDON ( Reuters ) -Stocks began the week with robust gains as investors gauged the chance of added U.S. fiscal and monetary stimulus , while Britain ’ s pound jumped on the last-gasp extension to Brexit talks .
News that London and Brussels had agreed to “ go the extra mile ” to try to salvage a Brexit trade agreement lifted Europe ’ s main shares indexes 1 % and also pushed the euro up against the struggling dollar .
[ .EU ] “ We are going to give every chance to this agreement … which is still possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiator , Michel Barnier , told journalists before updating envoys from the 27 EU countries on Monday .
“ Two conditions aren ’ t met yet .
Free and fair competition … and an agreement which guarantees reciprocal access to markets and waters .
And it ’ s on these points that we haven ’ t found the right balance with the British .
So we keep working.
” Progress on coronavirus vaccines also cheered risk sentiment , with the first doses being shipped across the United States as part of an effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the end of March .
That was despite the second waves of the pandemic forcing Germany , the Netherlands and possibly London back into stricter lockdowns , and surges in cases in Japan , South Korea and parts of the United States too .
“ The vaccine has and will likely continue to provide a tailwind to the market that is allowing investors to look beyond record case levels , hospitalisations , and deaths , ” analysts at JPMorgan said in a note .
E-Mini futures for the S & P 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel stocks [ .N ] , while March Treasury bond futures slipped 4 ticks and Europe ’ s government debt yields inched off recent record lows .
[ GVD/EUR ] MSCI ’ s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan ended up 0.1 % , after a string of record highs last week .
Japan ’ s Nikkei rose 0.3 % as a survey showed the mood among Japanese businesses had improved in the December quarter .
Sterling was the day ’ s big mover though , gaining on both the euro and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be evaporating prospects of a Brexit agreement , came back to life .
Against the dollar , the pound rose 1.5 % to $ 1.3423 from Friday ’ s close of $ 1.3222 .
The euro slipped 1.1 % versus the UK currency to 90.53 pence , off a three-month top of 92.29 .
“ Even in the face of amped up rhetoric , we continue to think a deal is the most plausible outcome , ” said AXA Group chief economist Gilles Moec .
At this stage , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brussels or London pushing the envelope a bit too far , too late to get an agreement done in time .
“ From this point of view , the fact that no new deadline has been tagged on the latest round of talks is positive in our view , ” he said .
That could see the euro climb to 96.00 pence , analysts at Goldman Sachs said in a note ; a deal could send the pound rallying to 87.00 per euro .
The single currency has already been gaining against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entered a cyclical downtrend as near-zero U.S interest rates and the prospect of a vaccine-driven global economic recovery lessens the need for safe havens .
The euro was up 0.35 % on Monday at $ 1.2155 and within striking distance of its recent 31-month top of $ 1.2177 .
The dollar index stood at 90.528 , near its recent trough of 90.471 .
An added hurdle for the dollar will be the Federal Reserve ’ s policy meeting on Dec. 15-16 .
The market is assuming the central bank will merely refine its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more bonds or “ twisting ” its portfolio to add more longer-dated debt .
The Bank of England on Thursday and the Bank of Japan on Friday will close out the central banks meetings for 2020 this week .
Before that , Wednesday sees the global flash PMIs and Tuesday sees China ’ s monthly data dump .
“ The risk is then if the Fed does unveil a surprise twist at this meeting , then Treasuries could rally and the USD could fall , ” said Tapas Strickland , a director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the chance of a U.S. deal on fiscal stimulus after a top Democrat hinted a compromise was possible to get an agreement past Republican objections .
Reuters reported a $ 908 billion relief plan would be split in two to win approval and could be introduced as early as Monday .
The talk of stimulus helped put a floor under gold , leaving it lower at $ 1,836 an ounce .
Gold has gained more than 21 % this year .
Oil prices rose on Monday ; it has now rallied for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global recovery next year .
[ O/R ] U.S. crude rose 47 cents to $ 47.04 a barrel .
Brent crude futures rose 52 cents to $ 50.49 .
Iron ore , which has surged 21 % since the start of December , dropped over 2 % though .
Analysts at Deutsche Bank said it was likely to be caused by a call from one of China ’ s leading mills group for authorities to investigate ore ’ s rally after allegations of illegal activities .


oann--2020-12-16--Stocks hit record highs on vaccine, stimulus, Brexit deal hopes

LONDON ( Reuters ) -World stocks rose to record highs on Wednesday as drugmakers rolled out COVID-19 vaccines and U.S. congressional leaders expressed optimism about a stimulus deal , with the upbeat mood dragging the safe-haven dollar to 2-1/2 year lows .
In Europe , markets were cheered by the possibility of a Brexit trade deal , better-than-expected euro zone PMI economic data and a European Central Bank decision to let euro zone banks start paying dividends again if they have enough capital .
Markets are watching the U.S. Federal Reserve later on Wednesday for hints that it will extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it thinks the economy will suffer a double-dip recession or is on the cusp of a vaccine-inspired boom .
E-mini futures for the S & P 500 were up 0.31 % , after U.S. stocks climbed more than 1 % overnight [ .N ] .
CMC Markets ’ senior analyst Michael Hewson said markets were being driven up by three main factors – “ the hopes of U.S. stimulus , the hopes of a UK and EU ( Brexit ) trade deal and better-than-expected PMIs ” .
“ You have all three of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , although he added that the impact of a new set of lockdowns in Europe was still to be felt .
The MSCI world stock index hit a record high of 636.64 , and was later up 0.4 % .
The index has climbed 15 % since the beginning of November , propelled by trillions of dollars worth of global stimulus .
European stocks rose 1 % to nine-month highs , with the UK ’ s FTSE 100 index jumping 1.1 % .
The MSCI broadest index of Asia Pacific shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The region is also near record highs and up 3.8 % so far in December , putting it track for its best yearly performance since 2017 .
U.S. congressional leaders reported substantial progress on Tuesday after two meetings of top Democrats and Republicans to end a months-long standoff on coronavirus relief and finalize a $ 1.4 trillion funding bill to avert a government shutdown .
Sebastien Galy , macro strategist at Nordea Asset Management , said the prospect of a stimulus deal “ is rightfully welcomed by the markets , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue ” .
Progress on rolling out vaccines continued after Moderna Inc ’ s COVID-19 vaccine appeared set for regulatory authorization this week .
The United States also expanded its rollout of the newly approved vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE .
Analysts expect guidance later in the day on when and how the Fed might change its bond purchases .
“ We are not expecting a lot of fireworks from the Fed today – they have already engineered very easy monetary conditions and the tone of their messaging has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , senior strategist at State Street Global Markets .
“ This is unlikely to change … in this meeting.
” The dollar fell to its lowest since April 2018 against a basket of currencies in anticipation of the easy Fed policy .
The euro rose above $ 1.22 for the first time since April 2018 , and German government bond yields , which tend to rise on positive news on the economic outlook , hit a one-week high after data showed better-than-expected business activity in the bloc this month .
[ GVD/EUR ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollar and a one-week high against the euro .
It gained after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there had been progress on a Brexit trade deal and that the next few days would be critical .
The dollar fell to a 1-1/2 month low of 103.30 against the Japanese yen and also hit its lowest in nearly six years against the Swiss franc .
A long-overdue U.S. Treasury report on the foreign exchange practices of U.S. trading partners could label several countries , including Switzerland , as currency manipulators or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commodities , gold prices rose 0.4 % to $ 1,860.20 an ounce .
[ GOL/ ] Gold has risen over 22 % so far this year amid unprecedented government stimulus globally .
Brent crude rose 4 cents to $ 50.80 a barrel and U.S. crude rose 2 cents to $ 47.64 .
[ O/R ]


oann--2020-12-19--Mausoleum of Rome’s first emperor restored and ready to reopen

ROME ( Reuters ) – After decades of neglect , one of ancient Rome ’ s most important monuments , the mausoleum of the first emperor Augustus , has been restored and will reopen early next year , city officials announced on Friday .
The mausoleum is the largest circular tomb in the world and was constructed in 28 BC near the banks of the river Tiber to house the remains of Augustus and his heirs , including the emperors Tiberius , Caligula and Claudius .
“ This is an historic moment , ” Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourists on March 1 , with entrance free for all until April 21 , the day the city marks its founding in 753 BC .
“ To reopen a monument like this is a signal of hope as we look with good faith towards the future despite the uncertainties of the pandemic .
We need to work for the future and maintain our traditions , ” she said .
Once one of the most magnificent buildings in the city , it underwent many changes after the fall of the Roman empire , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then a hanging garden and subsequently an amphitheatre for bullfighting and firework displays .
At the start of the last century it was transformed into a huge theatre for concerts and operas before the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini ordered the dismantling of the auditorium as he sought to restore the landmarks of ancient Rome .
The site fell into disrepair over the years , trees grew from the walls and rubbish filled the pathways .
All that has been cleared and the structure has been made safe thanks to a 10-million-euro ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by phone company TIM .
Augustus helped transform Rome into a world-class city with his infrastructure projects .
On his deathbed , he reportedly said : “ Marmoream relinquo , quam latericiam accepi ” ( I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble ) .
The original marble cladding that adorned his tomb was plundered centuries ago and a statue that once towered over the building has long vanished , but tourists will get the chance to glimpse its past glories thanks to virtual reality tours .


oann--2020-12-19--Ex-governor of cartel-ravaged Mexican state gunned down in beach resort

MEXICO CITY ( Reuters ) -The former governor of the Mexican state of Jalisco was shot dead early on Friday in a restaurant bathroom in the beach town of Puerto Vallarta , one of the most high profile political killings since Mexico embarked on its “ War on Drugs ” in 2006 .
Jalisco state officials said Aristoteles Sandoval was shot in the back by an unidentified assailant while his security detail were outside .
A shootout erupted as his bodyguards began moving Sandoval to hospital .
Mexico is struggling to tame raging violence across the country , with Jalisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warfare that last year drove murders to an all-time high with 34,670 homicides recorded .
Sandoval ’ s 2013-18 term as governor was overshadowed by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel ( CJNG ) , which rose from obscurity to become one of the most powerful in Mexico , leaving a trail of death and defiance behind it .
Today the CJNG competes with the Sinaloa Cartel of imprisoned kingpin Joaquin “ El Chapo ” Guzman for control of much of the drug trade inside Mexico as well as to the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the 46-year-old Sandoval had been with three other people at the restaurant and was gunned down at around 1.40 a.m after going to the bathroom .
Sandoval had 15 bodyguards assigned to him , officials said , though local media reports suggest about half were on duty .
Solis told Mexican radio one bodyguard was seriously wounded in the gunfight .
The attorney general said the restaurant had “ manipulated ” the crime scene , cleaning up fingerprints and taking security cameras in an apparent attempt “ to evade justice.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were part of the attack , but did not indicate who was responsible .
A federal official said authorities suspected CJNG involvement .
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered his condolences and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice .
While low-level political murders are not uncommon in Mexico , it is rare to see powerful governor-level figures killed .
Sandoval ’ s murder is likely to heighten tensions ahead of mid-term elections due on June 6 , 2021 .
With his killing the Jalisco cartel will have unnerved the political class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They are constructing this reputation that they can kill top politicians at state level in case it is necessary , ” said Eduardo Guerrero , a security analyst from Lantia Consultores .
Sandoval ’ s term in Jalisco got off to a bloody start , with his minister for tourism shot dead in state capital Guadalajara by suspected CJNG gunmen just a week after he took office .
More murders and clashes with security forces followed .
Authorities said the gang bought off thousands of police as it gradually extended its reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have been intended as a warning for his successor , Governor Enrique Alfaro , who has been battling the Jalisco cartel .
“ The message is : give in or negotiate with the Jalisco New Generation cartel , or you will have the same fate as Sandoval , ” added analyst Guerrero .


oann--2020-12-18--Boeing ‘inappropriately coached’ pilots in 737 MAX testing -U.S. Senate report

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) -Boeing officials “ inappropriately coached ” test pilots during recertification efforts after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people , according to a lengthy congressional report released on Friday .
The report from the Senate Commerce Committee Republican staff raised questions about testing this year of a key safety system known as MCAS tied to both fatal crashes was contrary to proper protocol .
The committee concluded Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) and Boeing officials “ had established a pre-determined outcome to reaffirm a long-held human factor assumption related to pilot reaction time … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FAA and Boeing were attempting to cover up important information that may have contributed to the 737 MAX tragedies.
” The report citing a whistleblower who alleged Boeing officials encouraged test pilots to “ remember , get right on that pickle switch ” prior to the exercise that resulted in pilot reaction in approximately four seconds , while another pilot in a separate test reacted in approximately 16 seconds .
The account was corroborated during an FAA staff interview , the committee added .
Numerous reports have found Boeing failed to adequately consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its development of the 737 MAX .
Boeing said Friday it takes “ seriously the committee ’ s findings and will continue to review the report in full.
” The FAA said Friday it was “ carefully reviewing the document , which the committee acknowledges contains a number of unsubstantiated allegations.
” The agency added it is “ confident that the safety issues that played a role in the tragic ( 737 MAX ) accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 have been addressed through the design changes required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its partners.
” Senate Commerce Committee chairman Roger Wicker said the report “ details a number of significant examples of lapses in aviation safety oversight and failed leadership in the FAA.
” The committee also said “ multiple independent whistleblowers contacted the committee to allege FAA senior management was complicit in determining the 737 MAX training certification level prior to any evaluation.
” Boeing resisted requiring simulator training for pilots before operating the 737 MAX but reversed course in January .
The report also noted Southwest Airlines was able to operate more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jets without confirmation that required maintenance had been completed .
The Senate report said the Southwest flights “ put millions of passengers at potential risk.
” Southwest said Friday it was aware of the report and added “ we do not tolerate any relaxing of standards that govern ultimate safety across our operation.
” Boeing still faces an ongoing criminal probe into the MAX .
The committee said its review was “ constrained due to the continued criminal investigation ” Last month , the FAA approved the 737 MAX ’ s return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The first U.S. 737 MAX commercial flight with paying passengers is set for Dec. 29 .
Last month , the Senate committee unanimously a bill to reform how FAA certifies new airplanes and grant new protections for whistleblowers , among other reforms , while the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a similar bill .


oann--2020-12-20--European neighbours shut doors to Britain amid alarm over new coronavirus strain

LONDON ( Reuters ) – Britain ’ s European neighbours began closing their doors to travellers from the United Kingdom on Sunday amid alarm about a rapidly spreading strain of coronavirus that has caused cases to soar there .
France said it would bar all people coming from the United Kingdom for 48 hours from Sunday night , including freight carriers , whether by road , air , sea or rail .
Germany , Italy and the Netherlands ordered a suspension of flights from Britain , while Ireland said it would impose restrictions on flights and ferries from its neighbour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders to flights and trains – including the popular Eurostar service – coming from the United Kingdom .
“ The COVID variant recently discovered in London is worrying and will need to be investigated by our scientists , ” Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said .
“ In the meantime we choose the path of maximum prudence.
” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that the new strain had led to spiralling infection numbers .
His government tightened its COVID-19 restrictions for London and nearby areas , and also reversed plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The travel curbs also compound problems for the United Kingdom as it finally exits the European Union on Dec. 31 after a transition period this year .
London and Brussels have so far failed to reach a post-Brext trade deal , raising the prospect of chaos in goods traffic .
The German government said all flights from the United Kingdom would be suspended from midnight .
“ It ( the virus mutation ) has not yet been identified in Germany , ” Health Minister Jens Spahn told public broadcaster ARD .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Britain very seriously.
” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said the ban on incoming travel from Britain covers Eurostar services via the Channel Tunnel and will take effect for at least 24 hours from midnight on Sunday , broadcaster VRT said .
The Italian order blocked any flights departing from Britain and prohibited anyone who had transited through it in the last 14 days from entering Italy .
The Netherlands banned flights carrying passengers from the United Kingdom from Sunday and the restrictions will remain in place until Jan. 1 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also planning to ban flights from Britain , the APA news agency said , citing the health ministry .
Sweden said it was preparing a decision to ban entry from the United Kingdom .
Romania , Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia , Bulgaria and the Czech Republic also announced plans to bar flights from the United Kingdom .
At London ’ s St. Pancras International station , the terminal for Eurostar , thousands of travellers tried to secure places on trains .
“ We got the last two tickets for today , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We each respectively had tickets for Monday and Tuesday .
But given the situation and what is happening we didn ’ t want to take any risk .
And we were the last to be able to do so.
” The new variant in Britain has added a twist to a battle against the virus that many countries in Europe are waging .
The number of coronavirus cases in Britain surged by 35,928 on Sunday , the highest daily rise since the start of the pandemic , and it recorded 326 deaths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 67,000 .
In addition to the measures announced for England , the United Kingdom ’ s other nations , who control their own anti-coronavirus policies , tightened restrictions .
Scotland has imposed a ban on travel to the rest of the United Kingdom .


oann--2020-12-21--Oil tumbles as new virus strain revives demand worries

LONDON ( Reuters ) -Oil prices tumbled on Monday as a fast-spreading new coronavirus strain that has shut down much of Britain and led to tighter restrictions in Europe sparked worries about a slower recovery in fuel demand .
Brent crude was down $ 2.23 , or 4.3 % , to $ 50.03 a barrel by 1308 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) crude was down $ 2.10 , or 4.3 % , to $ 47.00 a barrel .
Both contracts had fallen more than $ 3 earlier in the session , their biggest daily drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new strain of the coronavirus has weighed on risk sentiment and oil .
New mobility restrictions across Europe are also not helping as European oil demand will suffer , ” said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo .
“ Investors need to be mindful that the road to higher oil demand and prices will remain bumpy , ” he added .
Brent climbed above $ 50 last week for the first time since March amid optimism stemming from the rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines .
But a new COVID-19 strain , said to be up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original , has caused renewed fears about the virus that has killed about 1.7 million people worldwide .
More countries closed their borders to Britain on Monday , causing travel chaos and raising the prospect of UK food shortages .
[ nL1N2J10IW ] “ The new strain of the coronavirus in the UK has shown us that the vaccine optimism holding Brent above $ 50 per barrel could be deflated in a fleeting moment , ” said Rystad Energy ’ s analyst Louise Dickson .
The new virus strain has already been detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netherlands and Italy .
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the new virus strain had an impact on oil prices , adding that recovery of global oil markets was happening slower than earlier expected and could take two to three years .
The negative sentiment completely overshadowed a weekend deal among U.S. congressional leaders for a $ 900 billion coronavirus aid package , and the rollout of a new vaccine in the United States on Saturday .
Adding to pressure , the U.S oil and gas rig count , an early indicator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 346 in the week to Dec. 18 , the highest since May , Baker Hughes said , reflecting crude prices that have traded above $ 45 a barrel since late November .


oann--2020-12-21--Oil falls $3 as new virus strain prompts demand worries


oann--2020-12-22--Tesla tumbles 6.5% from record high in S&P 500 debut

( Reuters ) – Shares of Tesla ended sharply lower in their S & P 500 debut Monday , with losses accelerating after news of potential future competition from Apple .
Tesla ended down 6.5 % from a record high in the previous session , its steepest one-day drop in over a week .
Losses steepened towards the end of the session after Reuters reported that Apple is targeting 2024 to produce a passenger vehicle that could include its own breakthrough battery technology .
The company ’ s shares had opened down nearly 5 % .
The decline in Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percentage points of the S & P 500 ’ s 0.4 % decline for the day , according to Refinitiv data .
The electric car maker , headed by billionaire Elon Musk , is the most valuable company ever admitted to Wall Street ’ s main benchmark and accounted for a 1.69 % weight in the index ahead of Monday ’ s trading .
The shares had surged almost 60 % since mid-November , when Tesla ’ s debut in the S & P 500 was announced https : //www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/media-center/news-announcements/ # indexNews , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far in 2020 .
Tesla jumped 6 % on Friday in frantic trading ahead of its S & P 500 entry .
Tesla ’ s addition to the S & P 500 led index-tracking funds to buy $ 90 billion of shares by the end of Friday so their portfolios reflected the index , according to S & P Dow Jones Indices ’ analyst Howard Silverblatt .
The change was effective prior to the open of trading on Monday , and Tesla is replacing Apartment Investment and Management Co .
Actively managed funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & P 500 must now decide whether to buy shares of Tesla , and risk underperforming if Tesla ’ s recent rally continues and they do not own the shares .
“ We put off that decision because we really believe the stock was running up into its inclusion in the S & P and that those who are in it for the arbitrage would sell starting today , and at least today , we are right , ” said Tim Ghriskey , chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel in New York .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its market value at about $ 616 billion , making it the sixth most valuable publicly listed U.S. company , although many investors view it as wildly overvalued .
Silverblatt said the S & P 500 ’ s 2021 price/earnings ratio rises to 22.6 from 22.3 following Tesla ’ s addition .
Tesla is by far the most traded stock by value on Wall Street , with $ 18 billion worth of its shares exchanged on average in each session over the past 12 months , easily beating Apple , in second place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion , according to Refinitiv .
About a fifth of Tesla ’ s shares are closely held by Musk , the chief executive , and other insiders .


oann--2020-12-24--Supermodel Stella Tennant dies suddenly aged 50

LONDON ( Reuters ) – Stella Tennant , one of Britain ’ s top models , has died at the age of 50 , British media reported on Wednesday .
Tennant was born into the Scottish aristocracy .
Her unconventional , androgynous looks helped her break into the world of fashion in the 1990s .
She went on to become the new face of Chanel and graced the covers of fashion magazines around the world .
“ It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on 22nd December 2020 , ” her family said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all .
She will be greatly missed.
” The BBC quoted a police spokesman as saying there were “ no suspicious circumstances ” surrounding her death , which came five days after her 50th birthday .
Away from the catwalk , Tennant campaigned to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry .
“ It ’ s going to take us a long time to change our habits , but I think that this is so obviously a step in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian newspaper last year .
Tennant retired from the fashion industry in 1998 , returning on a part-time basis to shoot clothing campaigns and appear on the runway .
She is survived her husband , David Lasnet , and their four children .


oann--2020-12-25--Coronavirus aid at risk as U.S. lawmakers block Trump’s changes

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) -U.S. lawmakers on Thursday blocked attempts to alter a $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus aid and government spending package , rejecting President Donald Trump ’ s demand for extensive changes and leaving benefits for millions of Americans at risk .
Democrats in the House of Representatives sought to increase direct payments to Americans included in the bill from $ 600 to $ 2,000 per person as part of a coronavirus economic relief initiative , acting on one of Trump ’ s requests .
Trump ’ s fellow Republicans , who oppose the higher amount , blocked that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of foreign aid included in the package , seeking to address another one of Trump ’ s complaints .
Democrats blocked that request .
The flurry of activity on the House floor did nothing to break a standoff that threatens desperately needed assistance for millions of Americans and raises the prospect of a partial government shutdown at a time when officials are trying to distribute vaccines in a country where nearly 320,000 people have died from COVID-19 .
Embittered by his loss to Democrat Joe Biden , Trump in a surprise move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and government-spending package , which passed by wide , bipartisan margins on Monday .
A bipartisan group of Senate and House members on Thursday urged Trump to back down and sign the legislation .
The lawmakers were instrumental in getting negotiations moving forward a few weeks ago when they proposed $ 908 billion in coronavirus aid , slightly above the level Congress finally settled upon .
“ The legislation would bring desperately needed help to struggling families , unemployed workers , hard-hit small businesses , an overburdened health care system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” they wrote .
Eleven senators , including Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Mitt Romney of Utah , signed the statement , along with two House members , the Republican and Democratic co-chairs of the “ Problem Solvers Caucus.
” West Virginia and Utah were among states that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the November election .
Trump was playing golf in Florida on Thursday .
The White House did not respond to a request for comment .
Trump posted multiple tweets on Thursday , most of which related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election was rigged , but none discussed the spending package .
The 5,500-page bill took months to negotiate and the White House had said earlier that Trump would sign it into law .
With the status quo unchanged , it was unclear whether Trump would sign the package into law or hold out for further action .
If Trump does not sign the package into law , unemployment benefits for about 14 million Americans will lapse starting on Saturday and the U.S. government would be forced into a partial shutdown beginning on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out as soon as next week , would be delayed , as would payments to cash-strapped states that are administering the vaccine rollout .
A moratorium on tenant evictions would expire on Dec. 31 , instead of being extended for another month .
The standoff comes as the U.S. economy is cooling in the face of the raging pandemic .
Congress could keep operations running by passing a fourth stopgap funding bill before midnight on Monday .
To successfully do that , lawmakers would need Trump ’ s cooperation at a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remain in office beyond Jan. 20 , when Biden will be sworn in .
A stopgap bill would not include coronavirus aid , however .
Many Democrats say the $ 892 billion coronavirus aid package is not big enough to address the pandemic , and they have welcomed Trump ’ s call for larger stimulus checks .
“ How ironic it would be to shut down the federal government at a time of pandemic crisis , the very time when government services are needed the most , ” House Democratic Leader Steny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the chamber would hold a vote on the stimulus-check increase on Monday .
The House will also on Monday try to override Trump ’ s veto of an unrelated defense-policy bill .
Republicans opposed larger direct payments during negotiations as they sought to limit the size of the coronavirus aid package .
Increased payments could add hundreds of billions of dollars to the overall price tag .
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday that Democrats should be willing to address foreign aid and other elements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasteful spending .
“ House Democrats appear to be suffering from selective hearing , ” he wrote in a letter to other House Republicans .
The Trump administration had requested the foreign aid in a budget proposal earlier this year , and Trump ’ s lead negotiator , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , had supported the $ 600 stimulus payments .
Biden has said a larger coronavirus aid package will be necessary to help fight the pandemic and assist those whose lives have been upended by it .
His transition team declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump sparked a record 35-day government shutdown two years ago when he rejected a federal spending bill over what he said was insufficient funding for building a U.S.-Mexico border wall .
That idled tens of thousands of federal workers and forced military service members and public-safety employees to work without pay .


oann--2020-12-25--Oil edges higher after Brexit deal, gains capped by pandemic

CALGARY , Alberta/LONDON ( Reuters ) -Oil prices inched higher on Thursday , helped by late-day buying in a low-volume session to close out the week .
The market built gains overnight as Britain and the European Union reached a post-Brexit trade deal , reversed those gains , and then rebounded during the U.S. session to end modestly higher .
U.S West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) crude < CLc1 > settled up 11 cents to $ 48.23 a barrel , while Brent crude futures settled 9 cents higher at $ 51.29 .
Volumes were light on the last trading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week , U.S. crude fell 1.6 % while Brent lost 2 % .
Markets have rallied sharply since late October as vaccines progressed to approval in numerous countries .
Worldwide , infections are still growing , and investors ’ outlook will be clouded by the pandemic for several months .
“ While the Brexit deal is supportive , the impact of COVID is the dominant driver in the oil market , ” said Andrew Lipow , president of Lipow Oil Associates , in Houston , Texas .
“ The oil market is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get the public back on the road and in the air.
” New strains of the coronavirus , which appear to spread the disease more quickly , have hit the United Kingdom , Nigeria , and other countries .
At least four drugmakers expect their COVID-19 vaccines will be effective against the new fast-spreading variant of the virus that is raging in Britain , and are performing tests that should provide confirmation in a few weeks .
By clinching a Brexit deal , Britain avoids a chaotic departure from one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a move many investors warned would have sparked further volatility in financial markets .


oann--2020-12-25--In Christmas message curbed by COVID, pope calls on nations to share vaccines

VATICAN CITY ( Reuters ) – Pope Francis in his Christmas message on Friday said political and business leaders must not allow market forces and patent laws to take priority over making Covid 19 vaccines available to all , condemning nationalism and “ the virus of radical individualism ” .
In a sign of the times , Francis delivered his traditional “ Urbi et Orbi ” ( to the city and the world ) message virtually from a lectern inside the Vatican instead of from the central balcony of St. Peter ’ s Basilica before tens of thousands .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominated the message , in which Francis called for global unity and help for nations suffering from conflicts and humanitarian crises .
“ At this moment in history , marked by the ecological crisis and grave economic and social imbalances only worsened by the coronavirus pandemic , it is all the more important for us to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters , ” he said .
Stressing that health is an international issue , he appeared to criticise so-called ‘ vaccine nationalism ’ , which U.N. officials fear will worsen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last .
“ I beg everyone , heads of state , companies and international organisations to promote cooperation and not competition , to find a solution for everyone – vaccines for all – especially for the most vulnerable and needy in all areas of the planet , ” he said .
“ The most vulnerable and needy must be first , ” he said , in the Vatican ’ s Hall of the Benedictions , with only about 50 Vatican staff wearing masks sitting along the long walls .
“ We can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market forces and patent laws before the laws of love and the health of humanity , ” he said .
“ We can not let closed nationalisms block us from living like the true human family that we are.
” Francis also appeared to criticise people who have refused to wear masks because it violates their freedom , an attitude that has become widespread in nations such as the United States .
“ And neither can we allow the virus of radical individualism to triumph over us and make us indifferent to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
Italians are under a nationwide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year holiday period .
The restrictions mean people are not able to go to St. Peter ’ s Square or the basilica for papal events , all of which have been moved indoors .
Christmas is above all a time to help others because Jesus himself was born a poor outcast , Francis said on Thursday night at his Christmas Eve Mass , which started two hours early so the few participants could get home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ May the Child of Bethlehem help us , then , to be generous , supportive and helpful , especially towards those who are vulnerable , the sick , those unemployed or experiencing hardship due to the economic effects of the pandemic , and women who have suffered domestic violence during these months of lockdown , ” he said in his Friday address .
He then called for peace and reconciliation in Syria , Yemen , Libya , Nagorno-Karabakh , South Sudan , Nigeria and Cameroon and Iraq , which he is due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also asked to comfort those suffering from humanitarian crises or natural disasters in Burkina Fasso , Mali , Niger , the Philippines and Vietnam .


oann--2020-12-27--Sweden confirms first case of variant coronavirus in visitor from UK

FILE PHOTO : Travellers from Denmark are met by Swedish police in protective masks at the border control point at Hyllie station , as the Swedish government shut the border after a mutated strain of the coronavirus was discovered in Denmark , in Malmo , Sweden December 22 , 2020 .
TT News Agency/Johan Nilsson via REUTERS FILE PHOTO : Travellers from Denmark are met by Swedish police in protective masks at the border control point at Hyllie station , as the Swedish government shut the border after a mutated strain of the coronavirus was discovered in Denmark , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TT News Agency/Johan Nilsson via REUTERS STOCKHOLM ( Reuters ) -The new variant of coronavirus linked to a rapid rise in infections in Britain has been detected in Sweden after a traveller from the United Kingdom became ill and tested positive , the Swedish Health Agency said on Saturday .
Health Agency official Sara Byfors told a news conference the traveller had been isolating and that no further positive cases had so far been detected .
The unidentified traveller was staying in Sormland , south of Stockholm , according to Signe Makitalo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new variant is thought to be more transmissible than others currently circulating .
“ The person that tested positive with the virus travelled to Sormland from Great Britain for a visit over Christmas , ” Makitalo said , adding that the risk of further contagion from the case was considered extremely limited .
Sweden imposed travel restrictions earlier this month on passengers from Britain amid concerns over the variant .
Similar measures have been taken by several other countries in the EU and across the world .
[ L8N2J3105 ]


oann--2020-12-26--China to leapfrog U.S. as world’s biggest economy by 2028: think tank

LONDON ( Reuters ) – China will overtake the United States to become the world ’ s biggest economy in 2028 , five years earlier than previously estimated due to the contrasting recoveries of the two countries from the COVID-19 pandemic , a think tank said .
“ For some time , an overarching theme of global economics has been the economic and soft power struggle between the United States and China , ” the Centre for Economics and Business Research said in an annual report published on Saturday .
“ The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding economic fallout have certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour.
” The CEBR said China ’ s “ skilful management of the pandemic ” , with its strict early lockdown , and hits to long-term growth in the West meant China ’ s relative economic performance had improved .
China looked set for average economic growth of 5.7 % a year from 2021-25 before slowing to 4.5 % a year from 2026-30 .
While the United States was likely to have a strong post-pandemic rebound in 2021 , its growth would slow to 1.9 % a year between 2022 and 2024 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Japan would remain the world ’ s third-biggest economy , in dollar terms , until the early 2030s when it would be overtaken by India , pushing Germany down from fourth to fifth .
The United Kingdom , currently the fifth-biggest economy by the CEBR ’ s measure , would slip to sixth place from 2024 .
However , despite a hit in 2021 from its exit from the European Union ’ s single market , British GDP in dollars was forecast to be 23 % higher than France ’ s by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead in the increasingly important digital economy .
Europe accounted for 19 % of output in the top 10 global economies in 2020 but that will fall to 12 % by 2035 , or lower if there is an acrimonious split between the EU and Britain , the CEBR said .
It also said the pandemic ’ s impact on the global economy was likely to show up in higher inflation , not slower growth .
“ We see an economic cycle with rising interest rates in the mid-2020s , ” it said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have borrowed massively to fund their response to the COVID-19 crisis .
“ But the underlying trends that have been accelerated by this point to a greener and more tech-based world as we move into the 2030s .
”


oann--2020-12-27--Niger votes in search of first democratic transition

NIAMEY ( Reuters ) -Voting began in Niger on Sunday in an election that is expected to lead to the West African nation ’ s first transfer of power between two democratically elected presidents .
A smooth handover would be a rare bright spot for a country blighted by widespread poverty and Islamist violence that has killed hundred of civilians and soldiers in the last year alone .
Niger has experienced four coups since gaining independence from France in 1960 .
It would also contrast with Ivory Coast and Guinea , whose presidents this year used constitutional changes to extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears of a democratic backslide in West Africa .
“ It ’ s extremely important for us because we are seen as the champion of the coup d ’ etat , ” said 50-year-old Massaoudou Abdou who voted in a school in the town of Maradi in southern Niger .
“ In 60 years of independence , this is the first time , ” he said , referring to the passing of power from one elected president to another .
Former interior minister Mohamed Bazoum , the ruling party ’ s candidate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mahamadou Issoufou , who is stepping down after two five-year terms leading the country of 23 million .
Bazoum , 60 , has promised continuity with Issoufou ’ s policies , while also vowing to clean up pervasive corruption .
“ If I am lucky enough to win this election , you will have chosen someone who is ready from day one , ” he said in a campaign video .
Niger has suffered repeated attacks near its western borders with Mali and Burkina Faso from militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed at least 89 soldiers .
Hundreds of miles to the east , near its southeastern border with Nigeria , it faces attacks from Boko Haram .
More than 40 % of Niger ’ s population lives in extreme poverty , and the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed growth to a crawl , compounding the effects of climate change and low prices for top export uranium .
Bazoum faces 29 other candidates , who will hope to force a second round by denying him an outright majority .
Hama Amadou , who finished runner-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from running because of a criminal conviction , leaving the opposition without an obvious figurehead .
But last week , Amadou ’ s party called on its supporters to turn out for Mahamane Ousmame , who was president from 1993-1996 , which could spur some to turn out and vote .


oann--2020-12-28--S.Korea to accelerate virus vaccine efforts as first U.K. variant detected

SEOUL ( Reuters ) – South Korean officials are vowing to speed up efforts to launch a public coronavirus vaccination programme as the country on Monday announced it had detected its first cases of the virus variant linked to the rapid rise in infections in Britain .
The new variant , thought to be more transmissible than others currently circulating , was found in three people who had entered South Korea from London on Dec. 22 , the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency ( KDCA ) said on Monday .
South Korea will extend a ban on direct flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 , and will require any passengers arriving from that country or South Africa to undergo testing before departure , officials announced on Monday .
Overall the KDCA reported 808 new cases as of midnight Sunday , the lowest since a record 1,241 infections were logged on Friday .
Authorities cautioned that the drop may be due to less testing done over the weekend and the Christmas holiday , and said on Sunday they would be extending social distancing measures until early January .
South Korea ’ s government has faced mounting domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans , which call for the first vaccinations to begin in the first quarter of next year , months after places such as the United States and the European Union .
Meanwhile , the first shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines was distributed to three military treatment facilities across U.S. military bases in South Korea , U.S .
Forces Korea said on Twitter .
They added that South Korea is one of four overseas locations in the Department of Defense ’ s initial phased distribution plan .
Negative views of the vaccine plans was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Moon Jae-in ’ s disapproval rating to an all-time high of nearly 60 % , pollster Realmeter said on Monday .
Regulators will shorten the period required to approve vaccines and treatments from an average of 180 days to as little as 40 days , the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on Sunday .
An additional approval process for the distribution and sale of vaccines , which usually takes several months , will be shortened to around 20 days , the ministry said .
Medical workers and elderly residents will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plans to vaccinate the broader public are accelerating , Moon said on Monday .
“ There are concerns that our country hasn ’ t secured enough vaccines or that the vaccinations will be delayed .
This is not true , ” Moon told a meeting with his top aides , according to a statement .
“ We are making efforts to advance the timeline for adopting vaccines.
” South Korea ’ s plans call for it to buy enough doses to eventually vaccinate 46 million people , or more than 85 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they expect South Korea ’ s population to reach a level of herd immunity through the vaccines as fast or faster than many other countries .
South Korea has reported a total of 57,680 coronavirus cases , with 819 deaths .


oann--2020-12-29--U.S. House approves $2,000 coronavirus aid checks sought by Trump

WASHINGTON/PALM BEACH , Fla. ( Reuters ) – The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 275-134 to meet President Donald Trump ’ s demand for $ 2,000 COVID-19 relief checks on Monday , sending the measure on to an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate .
But even as Democrats helped secure approval for what the Republican president sought on stimulus payments , they spearheaded a House vote just a short time later to override his veto of a separate $ 740 billion defense policy bill .
The rebuke , in Trump ’ s final weeks in office , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency if seconded by the Senate this week .
Trump last week threatened to block a massive pandemic aid and spending package if Congress did not boost stimulus payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000 and cut other spending .
He backed down from his demands on Sunday as a possible government shutdown loomed , brought on by the fight with lawmakers .
But Democratic lawmakers have long wanted $ 2,000 relief checks and used the rare point of agreement with Trump to advance the proposal – or at least to put Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on Monday , less than a month before he leaves office .
The 275 votes for passage meant the stimulus proposal narrowly exceeded the two-thirds of votes cast needed .
A total of 130 Republicans , two independents and two Democrats opposed the increased checks on Monday .
Trump , who lost November ’ s election to Democratic challenger Joe Biden but has refused to concede defeat , finally signed the $ 2.3 trillion package into law after holding it up with a veiled veto threat .
But he continued demanding $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes $ 1.4 trillion in spending to fund government agencies and $ 892 billion in COVID-19 relief .
It is not clear how the measure to increase aid checks will fare in the Senate , where individual Republican lawmakers have complained the higher amount would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the latest relief bill .
Increasing the checks would cost $ 464 billion , according to the Joint Committee on Taxation , which prepares cost estimates for legislation before Congress .
The Senate is due to convene on Tuesday , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would then seek passage of the higher stimulus checks bill in the chamber , where Republicans have the majority .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday made no mention of Senate plans for a vote , after welcoming Trump ’ s signing of the relief bill .
The coronavirus pandemic has killed nearly 330,000 people in the United States and led to widespread economic hardship , with millions of families relying on unemployment benefits and COVID-19 relief funds .
Global markets were buoyed after Trump approved the package .
Wall Street ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday as Trump ’ s signing of the aid bill bolstered bets on an economic recovery and drove gains in financial and energy stocks .
As the floor debate was under way , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said : “ Republicans have a choice , vote for this legislation , or vote to deny the American people the bigger paychecks that they need.
” And Democratic U.S. Representative Dan Kildee said : “ We would have included much larger payments in the legislation had he ( Trump ) spoken up sooner .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the right thing.
” Asked at the end of an event in Wilmington , Delaware , whether he supported expanding the coronavirus payments to $ 2,000 , Biden replied : “ Yes.
” Georgia Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , who face crucial Senate runoffs next month that could determine who controls the chamber , welcomed Trump ’ s move , without saying whether the payments should be increased .
Republican Representative Kevin Brady said the bill does nothing to help people get back to work .
“ I worry that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars so hastily , that we are not targeting this help to the Americans who are struggling the most and need that help , ” he said .
The U.S. Treasury Department is anticipating sending the first wave of $ 600 stimulus checks to U.S. individuals and households as early as this week , as previously planned , a senior Treasury official said on Monday .
Also in the hands of the Senate , for a vote expected this week , will be whether to override Trump ’ s veto of the defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House vote , which met the two-thirds majority needed , only 66 Republicans sided with Trump ’ s rejection of the bipartisan bill , underscoring deep divisions in the Republican Party .
Trump , who is angry that some Republicans have acknowledged his loss to Biden , vetoed the defense bill last Wednesday .
He said he was against it because he wanted it to overturn liability protections for social media companies unrelated to national security , and opposed a provision to rename military bases named after generals who fought for the pro-slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters that Trump ’ s veto had been “ stupid ” and “ small-minded.
” “ This was too irrational a move for the Republicans to rationalize , ” the Democratic lawmaker said , predicting that the Senate would take similar action .


oann--2020-12-29--Oil rises on hopes U.S. pandemic stimulus to spur fuel demand

SINGAPORE ( Reuters ) – Oil rose on Tuesday , for the third time in four sessions , on expectations for rising fuel demand as the United States may expand their pandemic aid payments and a final Brexit deal is set to stabilize trade between Europe and the UK .
Brent crude climbed 23 cents , or 0.5 % , to $ 51.09 a barrel , as of 0410 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) crude futures added 23 cents , or 0.5 % , to $ 47.85 a barrel .
“ Markets feel very rangy into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today from broader risk markets as stocks are soaring on the prospects of larger stimulus checks , ” aid Stephen Innes , chief global market strategist at Axi , a broker .
“ However , for oil markets gains could be limited due to the new COVID variant and OPEC meeting overhangs.
” Crude rose along with a gains in Asian shares , with Japanese stocks hitting a 30-year high , on rising investor risk appetite as the U.S. House of Representatives voted to raise pandemic relief payments to $ 2,000 from $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on the measure .
Forecasts for tightening U.S. crude oil stocks also added support to prices .
U.S. crude oil stockpiles are expected to have declined last week , while refined products inventories likely rose , a preliminary Reuters poll ahead of this week ’ s data showed on Monday .
Five analysts polled by Reuters estimated , on average , that crude stocks likely fell by 2.1 million barrels in the week to Dec. 25 .
Still , concerns over coronavirus lockdowns are capping gains .
A new variant of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the reimposition of movement restrictions , hitting near-term demand and weighing on prices , while hospitalizations and infections have surged in parts of Europe and Africa .
A Jan. 4 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) and allies including Russia , a group known as OPEC+ , also looms over the market .
OPEC+ is tapering record oil output cuts made this year to support the market .
The group is set to boost output by 500,000 barrels per day ( bpd ) in January and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount in February .
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Monday he expected there would be 5 million to 6 million bpd additional oil demand in 2021 , which has not fully recovered from the pandemic .
Money managers raised their net-long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to December 21 , the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Monday .
The speculator group raise its combined futures and options position in New York and London by 4,455 contracts to 325,787 during the period .


oann--2020-12-29--Euro beats yen, sterling as Brexit, U.S. stimulus boost risk appetite

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) – The euro was boosted on Monday as risk sentiment improved in the wake of Britain ’ s trade deal with the European Union and U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s decision to approve a new fiscal stimulus package .
Britain on Thursday clinched a narrow Brexit trade deal with the EU , just seven days before it exits one of the world ’ s biggest trading blocs in its most significant global shift since the loss of its empire .
“ What we are seeing is a continuation of the pricing out of hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , head of FX research at Commerzbank in Frankfurt .
Risk sentiment also improved after Trump on Sunday signed into law a $ 2.3 trillion pandemic aid and spending package , restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a federal government shutdown .
The euro gained 0.43 % to 126.77 yen .
It reached a seven-month high of 1.0892 against the Swiss franc , before falling back to 1.0858 , up 0.04 % on the day .
The single currency was down 0.09 % against the U.S. dollar at $ 1.2209 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 0.9077 .
Sterling has underperformed since the Brexit deal was reached , with traders saying the news was likely priced in .
Also “ I would argue that this is markets slowly but surely acknowledging that this is not an optimal deal for the UK , ” said Andreas Steno Larsen , global chief FX and rates strategist at Nordea in Copenhagen .
“ This is rather a very slim deal that merely avoids the cliff edge , but there are still large gaps that will have to be dealt with in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secured , ” Larsen said .
The British pound dipped 0.66 % against the U.S. dollar to $ 1.3447 , and was holding below a two-and-a-half-year high of $ 1.3625 reached on Dec. 17 .
Bitcoin climbed 2.74 % to $ 26,695 but was below a record high $ 28,378 reached on Sunday .
“ There is a lot of enthusiasm among ( crypto ) traders who truly believe in this asset class , and they know that the rally has only begun because we were only recovering losses for the past few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market analyst at AvaTrade , said in a report .
The dollar gained 0.14 % against a basket of currencies to 90.32 .
Investors are betting the dollar will continue to decline – it fell more than 6 % this year – on expectations the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates near zero and the U.S. economy will struggle to recover from coronavirus-related shutdowns .
Win Thin , global head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman , expects the dollar index to test its February 2018 low of 88.25 .
Then “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will largely depend on how well the U.S. controls the virus in 2021 as well as the outlook for further fiscal stimulus , ” Thin said in a report .
The dollar slipped 0.16 % against the Canadian dollar to $ 1.2848 .


oann--2020-12-29--McConnell introduces competing bill for $2K stimulus checks

In an effort to compete with the Democrat-approved bill , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced his own bill to @ @ @ @ @ .
McConnell proposed the new bill on Tuesday , shortly after he rejected a request @ @ @ @ @ House ’ s bill .
Unlike the Democrat approved bill , however , McConnell ’ @ @ @ @ @ 230 of the Communications Decency Act .
Additionally , it would set up a commission @ @ @ @ @ This came after Sen. Bernie Sanders ( D-Vt. ) vowed to delay a vote to @ @ @ @ @ veto of the NDAA until the Senate votes on the stimulus payments .
McConnell ’ @ @ @ @ @ work-around to that filibuster .


oann--2020-02-03--Justice Department meeting state AG offices Tuesday to discuss Google: sources

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – Justice Department officials will meet on Tuesday with representatives of state attorneys general to discuss their investigations of search and advertising giant Google , according to sources familiar with the plans .
The meeting is in the afternoon , according to one source , and will include officials from six or seven states , including Texas , according to a second source familiar with the matter .
The Justice Department and nearly all state attorneys general have opened investigations into allegations that Alphabet ’ s Google has broken antitrust law .
The probes focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google ’ s Android operating system .
Google , Facebook , Amazon and Apple are all the focus of federal , state and congressional investigations following complaints that the four tech giants abused their clout in dealings with smaller companies .
The probes are being carried out by the Justice Department , the Federal Trade Commission , state attorneys general and the House Judiciary Committee .
U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said he would like to see them wrapped up this year .
The companies have come under fire from all parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump critical of the companies and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders calling for the break-up of Amazon and Facebook .