Washington has demanded the immediate release of government officials in Myanmar after de-facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others were reportedly detained by the military ahead of the first meeting of the new parliament.
“The United States expresses grave concern regarding reports the Burmese military has detained multiple civilian government and civil society leaders. The military must reverse these actions immediately,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Monday.
He called on the military leaders to “respect” the results of Myanmar’s November 8 election, which saw Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party securing an absolute majority in a blow to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.
The move by the Myanmar military to declare a state of emergency, citing allegations of voter fraud, drew stark condemnation from the UN as well. The secretary general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, denounced the takeover in the name of election integrity as “a serious blow to democratic reform,” urging “all leaders” to promote democracy through “meaningful dialogue,” while at the same time steering away from violence.
One of the Rohingya community leaders in Bangladesh, which currently hosts around 860,000 refugees from Myanmar’s ethnic minority, has issued a call to the international community to take urgent action in view of the events.
“We urge the global community to come forward and restore democracy at any cost,” Dil Mohammad, who represented Rohingya Muslims in repatriation talks with the Myanmar government, said, as cited by Reuters.
The 2017 crackdown by the Myanmar military sparked a mass exodus of Rohingya to neighboring countries, with the majority of the refugees settling in Bangladesh camps. The military campaign prompted accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide, which were denied emphatically by the Myanmar government. Suu Kyi, who rose to prominence as a champion for democracy and an international icon for peaceful resistance, came under fire after she effectively sided with her country’s military, dismissing accusations at the International Court of Justice in the Hague in December 2019. Although the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Winner admitted that “disproportionate force” might have been used towards the minority, she insisted that the campaign was aimed at “insurgents” and “terrorists,” and not an ethnic group.
Myanmar military has seized power in the country, saying it’ll be in charge for a year, imposing state of emergency over what it sees as rigged elections won by the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, now reportedly under arrest.
With most of the TV broadcasting cut off amid rumours of a military coup in the making, military-owned Myawaddy TV announced Monday morning that commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces General Min Aung Hlaing will be taking up the reins over the country for one year.
The channel reported that the military invoked a state of emergency in accordance with the constitution, which provides it with far-reaching emergency powers.
The military, known locally as the Tatmadaw, doubled down on its allegations of the voter fraud in the November general elections, citing the civilian government’s failure to investigate these allegations as one of the reasons behind the move.
Myanmar’s residents have reported issues with internet and phone lines, and a state-run TV channel was forced to cut off broadcast over transmission problems amid reports of de-facto Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrest.
State-run Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) reported early Monday morning local time that it could not stick to its regular programming schedule due to ongoing and unspecified “communication difficulties.”
This came shortly after spokesman for Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party announced that she and a number of other senior civilian officials had been apparently detained by the military.
"With the situation we see happening now, we have to assume that the military is staging a coup." NLD spokesman Myo Nyunt said, as cited by AFP.
There have been unconfirmed reports in the media that the military took over the channel.
Our correspondent in Yangon says that the military has just seized the government-owned national broadcaster MRTV.
Phone data has also been cut off with only wifi working now.
I'm getting reports from inside #Myanmar#Yangon that phone networks are completely down & people are afraid to go outside. Only those with Wi-Fi connection can still communicate. I've also been told (unable to confirm independently) that #military has surrounded #MRTV state TV pic.twitter.com/0JlKFMI1G9
I am in Yangon and military have taken control over the organs of state this morning. Please retweet as much as you can as we are being cut off from all the means of communications to connect outside world.
The Myanmar Times reporter John Liu tweeted that mobile internet and phone lines appeared to have been disrupted.
“Now mobile internet and phone lines are cut, only home wifi and military-operated phone line working. Having a hard time reaching my colleagues in Yangon,” he tweeted.
Now mobile internet and phone lines are cut, only home wifi and military-operated phone line working. Having a hard time reaching my colleagues in Yangon.
NetBlocks, a non-government organization which tracks Internet disruptions and shutdowns, reported a plunge in connectivity levels in Myanmar on Monday morning, saying that they dropped to some 50 percent of “ordinary levels” as of 8.00 a.m local time.
Update: Internet connectivity in #Myanmar has fallen to 50% of ordinary levels as of 8:00 a.m. local time amid an apparent military coup and the detention of civilian leaders; pattern of disruption indicates centrally issued telecoms blackout order 📵
The communication problems are taking place amid reports that a spate of high-ranking civilian officials have been detained by the military.
The government of Suu Kyi, who has been de-facto civilian leader of the country since 2015, is at loggerheads with the powerful military, known as the Tatmadaw, over the result of the November general elections that the NDL won in a landslide. Tatmadaw alleged widespread fraud, and demanded the electoral commission review the results. On Thursday, the electoral board, however, poured cold water on the claims, insisting the election had not been rigged.
Cristiano Ronaldo was able to laugh as he helped Juventus beat Sampdoria 2-0, ending a week in which police confirmed they would be investigating his alleged breach of Covid-19 rules during a snowmobile trip with his lover.
The striker sparked controversy when footage emerged that appeared to show him on a trip out of the Turin region to celebrate partner Georgina Rodriguez's birthday, sitting on a snowmobile with her in Courmayeur before reportedly spending a night in a hotel that was closed to the public.
Italian police confirmed to news agency Reuters that they are investigating the alleged breach, which could result in the pair being fined €400 each under regulations that state travel must only be made for work or second home purposes.
Before watching Ronaldo play a part in both goals in the Serie A win, Juve coach Andrea Pirlo had backed his star player at a pre-match press conference.
"Ronaldo was off duty and can do whatever he wants in his private time," said the Italy legend.
"Off the pitch, [players] are free and everyone has to assume their responsibilities."
Ronaldo celebrated Rodriguez turning 27 after being rested for Juventus's midweek cup exploits, returning to help the reigning champions secured a fourth consecutive win and clean sheet in all competitions since losing 2-0 at Inter Milan.
The Portugal captain has scored only once in his last five league appearances, leaving the goals this time to a 20th-minute effort from Federico Chiesa and a strike by former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey in added time.
"Ronaldo played really well," Pirlo told reporters afterwards. "He played a great pass before [Alvaro] Morata's assist for the first goal. He is always important, even when he fails to score.
"It's normal to be tired - we are playing a lot of games in this period. We have been playing every three days since the beginning of the season, so you can't be at your best for 90 minutes of every game."
Ronaldo remained top of the Serie A scoring chart with 15 goals, one ahead of Inter Milan marksman Romelu Lukaku.
The wife of jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Yulia, has been again detained in Moscow after turning up at an unsanctioned rally calling for her husband's release. Last Saturday, she was released after a few hours.
Footage available on social media shows several police officers placing Yulia into a van and driving away, as supporters chant her name. She was taking part in a protest staged on Sunday in Moscow to support her husband and is one of dozens taken into police custody in the capital. The gathering was organized despite a ban from the city authorities. There is a general prohibition on mass events in Russia, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A similar protest took place last Saturday week and resulted in clashes between demonstrators and the police, as well as hundreds of arrests. Yulia Navalnaya was also among those taken into custody that time.
Navalny's supporters demand his release from jail, where he is being kept pending a court ruling on whether he violated the terms of his parole. Similar pro-Navalny protests in other Russian cities have been staged on both weekends.
A letter sent to US President Joe Biden by allies of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny has sparked a fierce backlash in Moscow. It calls for harsh measures against high-profile Russian officials and businessmen.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), set up by Navalny in 2011, has asked the White House for fresh sanctions, local media reported on Sunday. The group is registered as a ‘foreign agent’ by the Russian Ministry of Justice, because it has received funding from abroad in the past.
The appeal calls on Biden to target the “corrupt Russian allies of President [Vladimir] Putin.”“We would be grateful if the US would take concrete policy and sanctions actions to limit corruption and abuse of human rights,” it said.
Among those on the list are billionaire Roman Abramovich, the country’s Minister for Health Mikhail Murashko and 33 other prominent Russians. However, amidst those singled out by the group, seven of those named are already targeted under existing US sanctions lists.
Vladimir Ashurkov, executive director of the foundation, told CNN that the letter was personally addressed to Biden as leader of the world’s “most powerful country.”“If anyone can do anything, it is the United States,” he said. The group is reportedly planning to send similar letters to leaders of the European Union and the United Kingdom.
First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov slammed the organization in comments made to RIA Novosti. “It smacks of treason,” he declared. “Can you imagine an American organization appealing to Vladimir Putin with a request to impose sanctions on the US president?”
The senator added that “this must be harshly suppressed. There must be a strong reaction from law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and [the state security agency] the FSB.”
The US, members of the EU and other nations had been considering a new package of sanctions in the wake of Navalny’s arrest at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport earlier in January. He was detained after flying home from Berlin, where he was transferred in a comatose state after what his supporters, and some international observers, allege was a state-sponsored poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok.
The opposition figure is accused of violating the terms of a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence for fraud. He is due to stand trial over the charges in early February. On Sunday, his supporters gathered in Moscow and cities across the country to protest for his release.
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Paige VanZant says she's stayed quiet about her haters for too long and has told critics of her switch to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to "grow up" as she prepares to make her debut for the promotion on February 5.
VanZant takes on Britain Hart in the main event of Bare Knuckle: Knuckle Mania in what will be her debut bout under bare-knuckle rules, and in an up-front interview with TMZ Sports she spoke out about people criticizing her decision to swap the MMA cage for the bare knuckle ring.
"You know what? I have, for the majority of my career – and I've been thinking about this – why have I kept my mouth shut so much about all the haters, and about all the hate and negativity I get?" she said.
"My idea was, if you talk sh*t about somebody, you should be willing to say that to their face.
"And not a single person who has said anything negatively about me publicly has been willing to say it to my face, and I've seen people in person."
Some have criticized the photogenic VanZant's decision to dive into the at-times brutal world of bare-knuckle fighting, where cuts and blood are commonplace in bouts due to the lack of padding on fighters' hands during bouts.
To those who suggested that VanZant shouldn't look to do anything to ruin her good looks, the cheerleader-turned-UFC star had a strong message in response.
"All the negativity about 'Oh! My face!' Grow up," she said.
"It's a face, and it's mine, and I can do whatever I want with it - and guess what? I'm still going to be beautiful even if I get cut open. It's not a big deal.
"That's so condescending to think of your beauty as being important."
The final stretch of a cross-border fiber optic cable is set to be laid by China in Pakistan to create the Digital Silk Road (DSR), Nikkei Asia reports. The DSR is part of the broader Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The fiber cable will link to the Pakistan East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable in the Arabian Sea, to service countries participating in BRI, and Europe. It is currently being laid between Pakistan’s Rawalpindi city and the port cities of Karachi and Gwadar. The $240-million project, which is in partnership with China's Huawei Technologies, was approved by the government last week.
The laying of sea cable in Pakistan's territorial waters will begin in March, following government approval this month for Cybernet, a local internet service provider, to construct an Arabian Sea landing station in Karachi.
The Mediterranean section of the cable is already being laid, and runs from Egypt to France. The 15,000 kilometer-long cable is expected to go into service later this year.
The PEACE cable will provide the shortest direct internet route between participating countries, and will drastically reduce internet data transfer speeds. It is expected to help reduce Pakistan's exposure to internet outages from damaged submarine cables by providing an additional route for internet connectivity.
According to Eyck Freymann, author of ‘One Belt One Road: Chinese Power Meets the World,’ the BRI is evolving to place less emphasis on traditional heavy infrastructure, and more on high-tech cooperation and digital services.
He told Nikkei Asia that "Beijing wants to dominate the physical infrastructure underlying global communications, particularly the internet,” adding: "This will give it an advantage in internationalizing its tech sector and pursuing future tech-related deals with partner countries."
The ambitious multi-trillion-dollar BRI initiative (or the new Silk Road), announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to boost connectivity and cooperation between East Asia, Europe, and East Africa. It is expected to significantly boost global trade, cutting trading costs in half for the countries involved, according to expert estimates.
The UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, says the European Union has reassured that it will not stop Covid-19 vaccines from entering the UK from Europe, having previously threatened to do so.
The UK government is “pleased that the EU admitted that the Article 16 invocation” was “a mistake and they are now not proceeding with that,” Truss said on Sky News’ ‘Sophie Ridge on Sunday’.
It’s vital we work together, it’s vital we keep borders open and we resist vaccine nationalism.
Going on to praise the UK’s vaccine rollout, Truss said she is “absolutely confident” that the programme will continue to be delivered, revealing that the government has “received reassurance from the European Union” that its Covid-19 vaccine contracts “will not be disrupted” at the border.
Truss argued that “restrictions and protectionism” would ultimately “only damage citizens all over the world.”
Asked exactly what reassurances the EU has made to the UK, Truss claimed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “has been very clear” in conversations with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the Covid-19 “contractual supplies won’t be disrupted.”
Truss also noted that the UK already has a considerable stockpile of vaccines and produces a percentage within its own borders, should the EU go back on its word.
The European Union sparked a major controversy on Friday, after deciding to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol in an attempt to stop Covid-19 vaccines moving from the EU to the UK through Northern Ireland. The decision – which was called “an almost Trumpian act” by former UK Secretary of State for Northern Island Julian Smith – was reversed following a series of high-profile condemnations from politicians, including Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who described it as “an incredible act of hostility.”
The Indian government plans to introduce a bill to prohibit “private cryptocurrencies,” paving the way to outlaw the likes of bitcoin. The law is set to facilitate the creation of the nation’s own official digital currency.
The ‘Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill’ was put on the government’s agenda, according to a bulletin, released by the lower house of parliament earlier this week. The proposed law could be discussed in several sessions, the first of which could be held as early as next week.
The legislation moves to prohibit what it calls “all private cryptocurrencies in India,” but allows “certain exceptions” to promote blockchain, the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses. It also aims to provide a framework to set up an official digital coin, issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
The central bank previously said that the government has long been skeptical about the rising popularity of crypto assets and the risks associated with them. However, the regulator said it was considering whether there is the need for a digital version of fiat currency and the possible ways to use it.
The difference between national digital currencies and the likes of bitcoin is that the former are centralized – issued by central banks and pegged to fiat currencies, the rupee in India’s case. On the other hand, most popular cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin have no central bank or other government agent to hold customers’ funds.
India has previously tried to ban virtual currencies, including bitcoin. In 2018, its monetary policy regulator alerted banks that they must stop dealing with them, citing “various risks associated in dealing with such virtual currencies.” However, the move was subsequently overturned by India’s Supreme Court.
The potential new restrictions on crypto assets comes as the market has started booming again in recent months, with major tokens showing massive growth. Some of India’s industry players have already voiced concern about the consequences of the move, while others noted that there is no such thing as “private cryptocurrency,” as they are decentralized and public by nature.
“We urge the government to take the opinion of all the stakeholders before taking a decision, which may affect the livelihood of the entire workforce employed in digital asset industry in India,” Shivam Thakral, the CEO of one of the largest exchanges in the country, BuyUcoin, said as cited by the Times of India.
The success of the proposed bill will depend on the details, particularly the definition of what it calls “private cryptocurrencies,” according to Rahul Pagidipati, the head of another leading exchange, ZebPay. The CEO noted that there are millions of crypto investors in India, and called on lawmakers to consult with crypto and blockchain companies before making decisions.
“Crypto assets and digital government currency can co-exist and together, they can bring tremendous benefits to the Indian economy,” Pagidipati said as cited by Indian media.
Lionel Messi's Barcelona deal has been labeled as ruinous for the club after a newspaper published purported details showing the scale of his pay, suggesting he will earn up to €555 million (around $673 million) over four years.
After what it described as a "laborious process", El Mundo has revealed that it has collated and produced details of the "largest contract in the history of sport" containing "figures hardly imaginable" on the deal Messi allegedly agreed with the club in 2017, taking him up to the end of this season.
The stated figures and accompanying analysis shows that the club's record scorer has already earned more than $620 million as part of the performance-related incentives in the contract, which Messi tried to end at the culmination of last season following Barcelona's failure to win La Liga and the Champions League.
La Gazzeta dello Sport said the contract could cause the "definitive rupture" between the icon and the Spanish giants, adding that the forward had delivered a "tremendous economic impact" on the "scarce coffers" of the club where he has spent his entire career.
El Mundo today, what a bomb. Leo Messi’s contract with Barcelona revealed on front page 🔴👇🏻 @elmundoes
- €555,237,619 contract [4 years].
- €138m per season fixed + variables.
- €115,225,000 as ‘renewal fee’ just for accepting the contract.
Earlier this week, it was widely reported that Barcelona's debt was more than $1 billion as the club attempts to make further savings following pay deferral agreements with Messi and his fellow squad members last year.
Argentinean outlet Clarin speculated that the figures could have been filtered out of the club in an effort to hasten Messi's potential departure, and an El Mundo writer claimed that the sum eclipsed the earnings of the likes of NFL star Patrick Mahomes, boxer Canelo Alvarez and the aid amount approved by the Latvian government to battle Covid-19 for the next five years.
Barca presidential candidate Victor Font was in no doubt that Messi is worth the outlay at the club whose trophy cabinet he has swelled over the course of his remarkable career to date.
"Leo Messi has won every last euro that Barca have paid him," Font wrote on Twitter, responding to El Mundo's assertion that the amounts involved threatened the club's future.
"He has not ruined us. On the contrary. He is the best player in history and we want him to stay with us forever."
It was business as usual for the superstar himself, meanwhile: TV3 journalist Francesc Latorre posted a video of Messi arriving at Barcelona's training facilities on Sunday morning, checking in ahead of their home match against Athletic Bilbao that evening.
A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic has visited a seafood and live animal market in Wuhan which was linked to the first detected clusters of the disease.
The team visited the now-shuttered Huanan Seafood Market on Sunday. The sprawling market has seen its security tightened, with additional barricades erected and more guards deployed in the area ahead of the high-profile inspection.
The experts spent around one hour at the location before leaving it in convoy. The team did not approach the press, who had amassed outside the market’s security barrier.
The WHO’s fact-finding mission began its work in China’s Wuhan on Thursday after getting discharged from a two-week quarantine. The experts have already visited several hospitals and markets, as well as an exhibition commemorating Wuhan’s battle against the initial outbreak of coronavirus.
Huanan Market made the headlines late in 2019, when the facility was shuttered after four cases of mystery ‘pneumonia’ – which turned to be Covid-19 – were linked to it. The market itself, as well as the controversial trade in such exotic animals as bats and pangolins, has been widely theorized to be the root of the pandemic, though no solid proof for such claims has emerged as yet. Moreover, mounting reports suggest that the dreaded virus was present in multiple countries around the world months before it was first detected and identified in Wuhan.
The ongoing pandemic, which has been plaguing the globe for over a year, has already killed over two million people and heavily battered the world’s economy. More than 100 million people have contracted the disease, the latest figures by the Johns Hopkins University show.
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All hell broke loose at a Polish MMA event on Saturday night when Russian welterweight Shamil Musaev body-slammed his opponent having already defeated him.
The fight saw two unbeaten welterweights collide as Russia's Musaev faced off against Uros Jurisic at KSW 58 in Lodz, Poland. After three keenly contested rounds, the judges all scored the fight to Musaev, who extended his unblemished record to 15-0.
Picking up the victory clearly wasn't enough for Musaev, who approached his opposite number after the verdict had been read and, catching Jurisic completely by surprise, violently slammed him down into the canvas before unloading punches to the shocked Slovenian's head.
Musaev's slam provoked scenes of chaos inside the cage, as members of both teams clashed while security staff attempted to restore order.
After the incident, the event's promoters, KSW, said in a statement on social media: "The KSW owners and officials will review the incident regarding Shamil Musaev and Uros Jurisic following their bout earlier tonight here at KSW 58.
"Upon a full review, a decision will be made on what actions to take."
Supporters of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny have taken to the streets on Sunday to demand his release from prison. The unsanctioned rallies are being staged across the country for a second consecutive weekend.
Last Saturday saw a number of violent clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators, which appears to have triggered a even larger police response ahead of the latest events. In Moscow, security services have erected metal barriers, closing off the city center, including the area around the Kremlin. In an unprecedented step, at least in modern times, seven central subway stations were also closed.
Navalny's team, which originally called for a gathering near the iconic Lubyanka Building (the headquarters of the FSB) has instructed protesters to meet near the Krasnye Vorota and Sukharevskaya subway stations, further to the north of Europe's largest city.
There are reports that riot police have already begun to detain some people and escort them to police vans.
The first wave of rallies in support of Navalny took place on January 23, some of which turned violent as police clashed with participants.
In Russia, as in almost all of Europe, mass gatherings are currently banned, to varying degrees, under regulations to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. In many cities, police used loudspeakers asking the crowds to disperse, and made arrests when people refused to leave.
Navalny remains in custody, awaiting a court ruling on whether he violated his probation terms. The court hearing is scheduled for February 2, and Navalny’s supporters plan on holding another rally that day.
In 2014, Alexey Navalny and his brother Oleg, who ran a logistics firm, were found guilty of defrauding two companies, including the French-based cosmetics giant Yves Rocher. Alexey, who claims that the entire case was politically motivated, was given a suspended sentence that required him to regularly check in with police. However, Oleg served a prison term.
The alleged probation violation happened after the activist was discharged from Berlin’s Charite clinic in September 2020, where he was being treated for suspected poisoning. Russia’s prison authority said that he had failed to show up for registration at a police station. The activist, meanwhile, argued that he needed to spend a few more months in Germany to make a complete recovery.
Navalny was flown to Germany last year after suddenly falling ill on board a plane in Russia. Berlin claims that traces of the Novichok-class nerve agent were found in his system. The activist himself has accused agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service of trying to assassinate him. Moscow denies the allegations and claims Navalny has been working with foreign intelligence services to smear Russia.
After spending months in Germany, Navalny returned to Moscow on January 17 and was immediately detained on arrival. He said his arrest was unlawful and called on his supporters to take to the streets in response.
Days later, Navalny’s team released a nearly two-hour video exposé, alleging that Russian President Vladimir Putin secretly owns a luxurious residence, currently being built on the Black Sea coast. The property, which was dubbed ‘Putin’s Palace’ in the film, was said to be evidence of corruption on the part of the Russian leader. Putin has denied having any involvement in the project.
On January 30, Russian billionaire Arkady Rotenberg said that he is the actual “beneficiary” of the property and wants to turn it into a hotel.
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Representative Stephen F. Lynch of Massachusetts has tested positive for Covid-19, his office said. The lawmaker received his second shot of the Pfizer vaccine before Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The 65-year-old tested positive on Friday, his office said. A staff member in his Boston office tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week, spokesperson Molly Rose Tarpey added.
Lynch “had received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and subsequently received a negative Covid-19 test prior to attending President Biden’s Inauguration,” on January 20, the statement added, without specifying the date. Lynch has not developed any symptoms and feels fine, but will remain in self-quarantine, voting in Congress by proxy.
The vaccine requires two shots administered several weeks apart, and some time afterwards, to fully kick in, and none of them claim to offer full protection, so it’s possible to be infected even after both doses. A false positive test is also possible.
Another Massachusetts representative, Lori Trahan, reported testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday. She said she was asymptomatic and self-isolating, and plans to cast her votes by proxy, too. Last week, during a visit to Washington, she tested negative, she said.
After repeatedly testing negative for COVID-19, I learned moments ago that I have tested positive for the virus. I am fortunate to be asymptomatic and have immediately begun to self-quarantine. Our team will continue working fully remote and remains a resource to #MA3 residents. pic.twitter.com/GyJGWrTKIV
Massachusetts currently has nine congressional districts, with all House seats held by Democrats. Lynch and Trahan represent the 8th and 3rd districts respectively.
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A huge mass of sea foam covered parts of Ireland’s east coast. Bad weather and high winds blew an especially large mass of it into the town of Bray, located south of Dublin.
Footage from the scene circulating online shows the town’s seafront entirely covered with the wobbly blob on Saturday afternoon.
A few people braved the strong winds, taking a knee-deep stroll through the blob resembling a massive porridge spill.
Supporters of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny are staging protests in numerous Russian cities on Sunday. One of the first events happened in Vladivostok, where people gathered on the frozen waters of Amur Bay.
Dozens of protesters defied not only the authorities but also local representatives of Navalny’s own team, who said they were endangering themselves by gathering on the ice. Off the coast, the demonstrators walked in circles in a way resembling traditional Russian folk dancing and chanted slogans.
The local rescue service deployed a hovercraft, but according to local media, it malfunctioned. Several people were detained by police before the ice walk. Caught in the crossfire were a few enthusiasts of ice fishing, whose Sunday plans were disrupted by the protest.
In Khabarovsk, there was a small rally in the central city square which lasted for about an hour. Just like the protest in Vladivostok, it was not sanctioned, so the police deployed scores of troops and called for people to disperse. Several people were taken into custody, but otherwise the rally was uneventful.
Somewhat larger protest marches took place in the Siberian cities of Novosibirsk and Irkutsk. In Yakutsk, only a handful of protesters showed up, possibly due to the temperature (around -40C) and heavy snowfall.
The main protest event is expected in Moscow. Last week, a pro-Navalny rally in the Russian capital resulted in clashes with the police and hundreds of people being arrested. The city authorities did not permit the protest this Sunday, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, but supporters of the opposition figure intend to ignore the ban.
Navalny remains in custody pending a court decision regarding his parole case. He was arrested earlier this month after returning to Russia from Germany, where he received medical treatment after an alleged poisoning. Protesters seek to pressure the Russian government into releasing him.
One year after the divorce with the EU, Britain announced plans to join one of the world’s largest free trade agreements. Known as the CPTPP, the deal includes 11 developed and emerging economies around the Pacific Rim.
The British government announced on Sunday its intention to formally apply to become a part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss will discuss Britain’s intention with ministers in Japan and New Zealand, which are parties to the pact, on Monday, while formal talks are set to start this year.
The trade pact stems from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, talks of which were abandoned by the US. CPTPP members include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, which together account for about 13 percent the world’s income.
According to the British government, the annual volume of trade between the UK and the members of the group grew by eight percent since 2016 to £111 billion (over $152 billion) in 2020. London says that that domestic manufacturers, including food and drink producers, as well as the automotive industry, will benefit from the deal, but the UK won’t have to cede control of its laws, borders, and money like under EU membership.
“One year after our departure from the EU we are forging new partnerships that will bring enormous economic benefits for the people of Britain,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. He noted that the UK will be the first nation to officially apply to join the agreement since it came into force in 2018, which “demonstrates our ambition to do business on the best terms” with partners across the globe.
While the intention was also welcomed by business groups, it still drew criticism. Labour’s trade policy chief, Emily Thornberry, said the UK’s “big decision” on membership in the mammoth agreement comes shortly after the country finally left a trade bloc with our closest neighbors, “only to join another one on the other side of the world with no public debate at all.” She called on the government to open public consultation on the matter, as most people even don’t know what the pact is.
Tunisia has become the third nation in Africa to authorize the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use. The country previously expressed hope that it could get a portion of the vaccines from neighboring Algeria.
The vaccine was approved for emergency use for one year, the Tunisian Health Ministry said in a statement. Tunisia became the third country in Africa to approve Sputnik V in Africa, following its larger neighbor, Algeria, and Guinea.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which funded the development of Sputnik V, called the news “an important step aimed at prevention of the spread of the coronavirus.”
Tunisia plans to kick off its immunization campaign in the second quarter of 2021. Officials expressed hope that Tunisia could receive a batch of vaccines from Algeria, which started administering Sputnik V on Saturday.
The North African nation previously authorized the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and signed a deal with Pfizer to receive 2 million doses, according to Hashemi Louzir, the head of the Pasteur Institute of Tunis.
Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi said earlier this month that starting from April, the country expects to receive 6 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine through the World Health Organization’s distribution program.
To date, over a dozen countries have approved the Sputnik V vaccine, including Argentina, Serbia, Hungary, Iran, and the UAE.
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New Delhi has allowed cinemas and theaters all over the country, except for Covid-19 containment zones, to increase seating from 50 percent to full capacity in a move welcomed by the battered movie industry.
The new guidelines, released by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday, pertain to “cinemas, theaters and multiplexes,” allowing them to operate at full capacity from Monday provided they abide by a set of rules aimed at preventing the spread of the disease.
These include physical distancing of “at least 6 feet” outside of cinema halls, common areas or waiting rooms. Visitors and staff must wear face coverings or masks “at all times,” as well as following basic hygiene rules such as covering their mouths and noses when sneezing or coughing and avoid spitting.
Theaters must continue to follow the precautionary measures already in place, such as having sanitizers readily available to guests, preventing overcrowding, and ensuring the auditoriums are sufficiently ventilated.
The newly-released regulations also roll back restrictions that ravaged Bollywood, with the spate of suicides of actors over the past year sending shockwaves across the nation.
Movie production resumed in the fall with stringent social-distancing rules in place, but although they were allowed to reopen in October, cinemas and theaters had to operate at 50-percent capacity.
Industry professionals rejoiced over the development. The Producers Guild of India described the move as “an important step” in Bollywood’s “recovery” from the coronavirus-induced downfall.
Film exhibitor Vishek Chauhan celebrated the news as “another step towards normalcy.”
“We were down… We saw our obituaries written,” he said, apparently referring to the series of tragic deaths in Bollywood amid the pandemic.
BIGGG NEWS... 100% seating capacity allowed in cinemas/theatres/multiplexes!!
Good news. Back to 100% capacity for cinemas soon. Contrary to perception, I don't believe the theatrical medium will ever pass away in #India. Time for OTT and cinemas to co-exist peacefully.
While New Delhi formally removed the seating cap, it left it to the states to decide whether they are ready to ease the restrictions, noting that “states/union territories may consider proposing additional measures as per their field assessment.”
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The access to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, touted as the nation’s largest mass vaccination site, was halted for an hour after a small group of protesters showed up to decry the immunization drive.
The entrance to the stadium, which has been serving as the mass vaccination site since mid-January, was sealed at around 2 p.m local time after a sparse crowd of protesters staged a rally near the gate.
Footage on social media showed several dozen protesters turning up with signs that read “Covid is a Scam,”“End the Lockdown,” “99 percent survival rate” and “No Vaccine” among others.
a Picture from todays anti-vax protest at Dodger Stadium..... sometimes the jokes write themselves..... pic.twitter.com/7kbXMHeCZF
The Los Angeles Times reported that the decision to block the motorists from driving inside the gate came from the Los Angeles Fire Department, and was deemed a “precaution.”
The site was off limits to those willing to get a Covid-19 jab for about an hour. It was not immediately clear why the stadium was temporarily closed, with author Mikel Jollett tweeting that “only about 30 protestors total” took part in the demonstration.
Footage posted by local reporter Emily Holshouser shows police officers securing the gate, and preventing anyone from getting inside. In the video, a man confronts an officer at the gate as to why police cannot let anybody in. The officer does not elaborate, saying only that he is acting on orders. “Right now it’s closed. You are not going to get through anybody right now. Just wait in your car, that’s the best you can do right now,” he says.
Someone waiting to get vaccinated speaks to an LAPD officer who says no one can get through, asks him to wait in his car. Says getting vaccinated is the right thing to do. pic.twitter.com/l387z0ALXp
While some commentators on social media placed blame on police for hindering the immunization campaign, LAPD denied it has anything to do with the site’s closure.
“The LAPD did NOT close the gates, and per LA City Fire, all scheduled vaccines will be delivered,” police said in a statement, adding that the protesters “remained peaceful.”
LAPD police chief Michel Moore noted that the officers were working with “public safety partners” to ensure everyone who is scheduled to get the jab won’t leave without being administered one.
In the series of tweets that followed, Moor repeatedly argued that the protest did not trigger the site’s closure.
“The protest did NOT shut down the vaccination site. ALL appointments are being met,” he stated.
The protest did NOT shut down the vaccination site. ALL appointments are being met. https://t.co/b8wNwoscX8
Before being repurposed into the mass vaccination site, the stadium served as a mobile testing site. Earlier this month Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti estimated that up to 12,000 people can be vaccinated there a day.
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Robinhood co-founders channeled the maximum sum allowed to the campaigns of the chiefs of the House Committee on Financial Services last year, it has been revealed. The panel is poised to investigate the GameStop craze.
Federal records, dug up by the media in light of the continuing massacre of hedge funds by retail investors using trading apps like Robinhood and Webull, has showed that Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev and the app co-founder Baiju Bhatt contributed $2,800 each to the campaigns of Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and top Republican on the committee, Patrick McHenry (R-NC), last October.
Under the federal law, $2,800 is the maximum allowed amount an individual donor can contribute to a candidate’s committee in the current election cycle.
Apart from this, both Tenev and Bhatt funneled $1,200 each to Innovation Political Action Committee, linked to McHenry, and to People Helping People, which, in turn, is associated with Waters. Tenev and Bhatt also donated $2,800 to WINRED, an online fundraising platform, endorsed by the Republican National Committee.
Sorry to any Robert McHenrys, this should be Patrick McHenry. Thx to @ff_ff8008ff_ff for the correction.
Not only did Vladimir Tenev & Baiju Bhatt make exactly the same political contributions, these are their *only* political contributions.https://t.co/GE8gXu4oBc
All of the contributions were made in the span of several days in October and appear to be the only political activity from the Robinhood execs to have ever left a footprint in the federal records.
The scoop was first reported by Mediaite and the Intercept’s Jon Schwarz on Saturday, two days after Waters announced the committee will hold a hearing “on short selling” and “online trading platforms” in view of the Gamestock and other heavily shorted stocks trading bonanza.
Reached by Mediate, spokesperson for Waters did not provide additional comment on what some critics deem a potential conflict of interest, citing her only statement on the issue instead.
Spokesman for McHenry dismissed the notion that the lawmaker could be biased in favor of the trading app, saying: “Rep. McHenry’s official actions have nothing to do with his political activities.”
In a statement on Thursday, Waters said that the focus of the hearing, the date for which has not been set yet, will be “the recent activity around GameStop (GME) stock and other impacted stocks with a focus on short selling, online trading platforms, gamification and their systemic impact” on the markets
Waters did not mention any trading platforms or hedge funds by the name. However, Robinhood traders, congregating on such platforms as Reddits’ WallStreetBets community, are seen as the main “culprits” behind the soaring stock prices of the companies like GameStop, BlackBerry and AMC Theatres, otherwise generally considered to be on the verge of demise.
Robinhood caught a lot of flack after the online brokerage severely restricted investors’ ability to speculate, imposing one share limit on a whopping 50 stocks, including that of GameStop and other “stonks" on Friday.
In addition to the barrage of criticism, the company also drew calls to investigate it for market manipulation, after it shut down trading in GameStop ($GME), BlackBerry ($BB), and AMC ($AMC) shares earlier this week, before coming up with a one-share limit.
Facing backlash from retail investors, Tenev insisted that he did so to abide by “regulatory requirements” on volatility, and maintained that his company’s connection with the firm Citadel Securities and related hedge fund Citadel LLC has nothing to do with the move. Citadel, which bailed out Melvin Capital after it suffered major losses in the GameStop debacle, also denied any link to the halt in trading.
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Former UK Secretary of State for Northern Island, Julian Smith has accused the European Union of committing “an almost Trumpian act” after it made an effort to stop vaccines from entering the UK at the Northern Irish border.
By deciding to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Friday, the EU attempted to stop vaccines moving from the Union to the UK – which, unlike the EU, has enjoyed a speedy inoculation rollout – through the perceived backdoor of Northern Ireland.
The EU reversed its plan after it was condemned by many high-profile politicians, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who called it “an incredible act of hostility.”
Smith, who served as secretary of state for Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2020, also tore into the EU’s decision during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ show on Saturday. “Years have been spent trying to ensure goods will flow freely and there will be no hard border,” he said.
The EU pulled the emergency cord without following any of the process that are in the protocol if one side wants to suspend it.
“And they did that, in my view, without anywhere near the understanding of the Good Friday Agreement, of the sensitivity of the situation in Northern Ireland, and it was an almost Trumpian act,” Smith continued, in reference to the controversial former US President Donald Trump, who was often accused by critics of being destructively tone-deaf.
“It is not just a backdoor for goods going to Britain, it is a very sensitive place, and we have a duty of care between the EU and the UK to preserve no hard border and stability in Northern Ireland,” Smith explained.
Prime Minister of Ireland Micheal Martin celebrated the reversal of the EU’s actions late on Friday, calling it a “welcome decision” and “a positive development given the many challenges we face in tackling COVID-19.”
Barcelona presidential hopeful Joan Laporta has reiterated his suspicions of PSG as they eye a move for Lionel Messi, accusing the French giants of a "lack of experience" and a potential breach of financial rules to seal the deal.
Laporta, who oversaw two Champions League titles during his previous premiership at Barca between 2003 and 2010, has accepted that the likes of Messi will "always" be targeted by the mega-rich French giants but warned that now was no time to "think" or "dream" about a potential switch.
Iconic striker Messi would almost certainly become the world's highest-paid player were he to move to Paris, and was even rumored to have been taking French lessons earlier this week.
“I don't know if they can sign him," Laporta told L'Equipe, speaking as his bid to become president at the Camp Nou again in March continues.
Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta hits out at PSG for their "disrespectful" pursuit of Messi. pic.twitter.com/0etMhRf979
Di Maria (PSG): "I always had the illusion of playing with Messi in a team, having him every day. Every time we go to the national team, it was too short. I had the chance to play with Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappé. Playing with Leo... I could safely retire." pic.twitter.com/8CJwgxK1k7
🗣 Mauricio Pochettino (PSG coach) "Would I like to see Messi join PSG? Whatever I say will be misunderstood, and I love what I have. Great footballers fit in any league and any team." [marca]
"Maybe yes if they continue to break Financial Fair Play [FFP] rules… from what I know, they had significant losses last year. I would be curious to know if they will ignore the rules of FFP to recruit him.
“If that happens, I hope that UEFA and FIFA will react firmly and that the Court of Arbitration for Sport will not hold back when it comes to delivering its verdict.
"I find it inappropriate. It shows their lack of experience at this level. They still have a lot to learn in the world of football."
PSG are bankrolled by Qatar Sports Investments and have been known for the lavish outlays that have taken them to the brink of winning the Champions League, including spening around $263 million to buy Neymar from Barca in 2017, who is expected to earn around $350 million across his five-year contract.
The club won an appeal against a UEFA investigation into an alleged FFP breach in 2019, when the Court of Arbitration for Sport sided with them.
New Paris manager Mauricio Pochettino said he would be "misunderstood" over anything he said about potentially adding Messi to his squad.
"I respect players who belong to other teams, because [the teams] can get angry and I understand why," he told Marca.
“We understand that in the world of football there are no saints; nobody can complain that each club does its best to improve the team."
