Colombia reports case of COVID-19 variant detected in Brazil

BOGOTA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Colombian Ministry of Health confirmed on Saturday that a new variant of the novel coronavirus discovered in Brazil is already circulating in the country. Read full story
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Relive the punishing, addictive gameplay of the 90s in ‘Cyber Shadow’

Ready for some retro? Platformer Cyber Shadow brings the aesthetics and rage-quit inducing difficulties of 80's gaming to modern consoles. Read full story
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Three questions you should ask yourself if your child is on TikTok

Three questions to ask if your child is interested in making videos on TikTok that could help keep them safe. Read full story
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Brazil sees public sector primary deficit of 9.49 pct of GDP in 2020

BRASILIA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's public sector registered a primary deficit of 703 billion reals (128.52 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020, equivalent to 9.49 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and the seventh year in a row of numbers in the red, the Central Bank of Brazil said on Friday. Read full story
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U.S. stocks fall sharply amid concerns over retail trading frenzy

NEW YORK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks tumbled on Friday as retail trading frenzy rattled investors. Read full story
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Number of active U.S. drilling rigs increases this week

HOUSTON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States increased by six to 384 rigs this week, down by 406 year on year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes. Read full story
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More than half the world’s population uses social media

More than half of the world’s population is now active on social media, or around 4.2 billion people. Read full story
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More than half the world’s population uses social media

More than half of the world’s population is now active on social media, or around 4.2 billion people. Read full story
http://dlvr.it/Rrb5h5

Greek twins named Ambassadors of Greek Tourism in China

ATHENS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Greek twins, Marianna and Sofia Erotokritou, were formally appointed "Ambassadors of Greek Tourism in China" in acknowledgement of their efforts to promote Greece in China, the Greek Tourism Ministry said on Thursday. Read full story
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Americas COVID-19 death toll hits one million, hospitals brimming, warns PAHO

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Over 1 million people have died from COVID-19 in North and South America, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday. Read full story
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News Analysis: Economic forecasting in Italy challenging amid pandemic

ROME, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Amid political turmoil and uncertainty connected to the coronavirus pandemic, economists say predicting Italy's economic performance in the near- or medium-term amounts to a guessing game. Read full story
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Biden administration temporarily holds some U.S. weapons exports, official says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration has temporarily paused some pending arms sales to U.S. allies in order to review them, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday. Read full story
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Could this robot be your future car dealer?

South Korean automaker Hyundai has unveiled DAL-e, an automated and intelligent robot capable of welcoming and advising the brand's customers. Read full story
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Biden reaffirms U.S. commitment to NATO's collective defense: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden, in a call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday, reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the alliance's collective defense, the White House said in a statement. Read full story
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Biden takes steps to narrow racial divide, saying America is 'ready to change'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued a firm call to heal America's racial divide, taking several steps and promising more to confront racism and inequality that he said has plagued the United States for far too long. Read full story
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AstraZeneca denies report vaccine less effective in elderly

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - AstraZeneca denied on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine is not very effective for people over 65, after German media reports said officials fear the vaccine may not be approved in the European Union for use in the elderly. Read full story
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Roundup: California lifts regional stay-at-home order for all regions

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- California lifted all regional stay-at-home orders in the most populous state in the United States, public health officials announced on Monday. Read full story
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Roundup: Italy reports over 8,500 new COVID-19 cases as vaccination continues

ROME, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Italy on Monday reported 8,562 new coronavirus cases, bringing total active infections to 491,630, according to the latest numbers posted by the Ministry of Health. Read full story
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Chile reports nearly 700,000 cases of COVID-19

SANTIAGO, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chile reported 4,498 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, for a total of 699,110 cases, as well as 79 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 17,933, reported the Ministry of Health. Read full story
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Canada's fight against COVID-19 in critical stage: top doctor

OTTAWA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Canada is in a critical stage against the COVID-19 pandemic and Canadians should not to let up, said Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, on Sunday. Read full story
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Pandemic boosts variety of video games

Certain video games have filled the need of the world’s confined for a bit of distraction, adventure and socialising and achieved unexpected success during the pandemic. Read full story
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Pakistani man killed during TikTok stunt on train track

A young man was hit and killed by a train in Pakistan while being filmed walking along the tracks for a TikTok stunt, police and rescue officials said. Read full story
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Russia wages online battle against TikTok and YouTube

“I’m an American!” a young Russian under the username Neurolera exclaims in English on the popular video-sharing app TikTok as she explains how to impersonate a tourist to avoid arrest at a street demonstration. Read full story
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4,275 cases a new high, recoveries top list

PUTRAJAYA: The number of Covid-19 cases reached a new high with 4,275 cases recorded. Read full story
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FAO head calls for efforts to strengthen world food systems

ROME, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The director-general of the Rome-based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Friday said the coronavirus pandemic has illustrated the need for the world to strengthen agriculture and food systems. Read full story
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More than 150 National Guard in Washington for inauguration test positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Between 150 and 200 National Guard deployed to Washington, D.C., to provide security for President Joe Biden's inauguration have tested positive for the coronavirus, a U.S. official said on Friday. Read full story
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Sao Paulo to close bars, restaurants, shops on nights and weekends due to raging COVID-19

SAO PAULO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo announced on Friday a return to the strictest phase of quarantine starting on Monday, with the closure of bars, restaurants and non-essential businesses during nights and weekends due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. Read full story
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U.S. stocks end mixed as energy sector lags

NEW YORK, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks finished mixed on Thursday as energy sector pulled back noticeably, weighing on the market. Read full story
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Queen's representative in Canada quits after report into harassment - media

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Governor General Julie Payette, the representative of the country's head of state, Queen Elizabeth, quit on Thursday amid allegations of workplace harassment, domestic media said, in an embarrassment for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Read full story
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Fauci says coronavirus infections might be plateauing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said on Thursday that based on recent seven-day averages, coronavirus infections may be about to hit a plateau in the United States. Read full story
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Biden urged to protect consumers from tech giants

As Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as US president, digital rights groups are calling on him and legislators to curb the power of tech firms and guard consumers’ online privacy. Read full story
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WiFi 6E: what difference will it make for me?

The new WiFi 6E wireless connection standard, opened up by the FCC last year, is rolling out. It will allow connections to take advantage of the 6GHz frequency band, which offers more speeds and possibilities. Read full story
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'No plan, no Q, nothing': QAnon followers reel as Biden inaugurated

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - For three years, adherents of the sprawling QAnon conspiracy theory awaited a so-called Great Awakening, scouring anonymous web postings from a shadowy "Q" figure and parsing statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they believed to be their champion. Read full story
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U.S. Texas to distribute largest COVID-19 vaccine this week: governor

HOUSTON, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state of Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that the largest shipment of COVID-19 vaccine so far is set to be distributed this week. Read full story
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Deep in remote Amazon, indigenous villagers receive coronavirus vaccine

TABATINGA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian military flew medical personnel and 1,000 doses of a Chinese vaccine deep into the Amazon rainforest on Tuesday to start inoculating indigenous people against the coronavirus. Read full story
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Prosecutors say Oath Keepers militia members conspired in U.S. Capitol siege

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors on Tuesday said three people affiliated with a far-right militia group conspired to breach the U.S. Capitol, the first time they have directly accused people of organizing the violent Jan. 6 uprising that left five people dead. Read full story
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EU plans to start spending huge recovery fund in months

BRUSSELS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) plans to start raising and allocating in the next few months the main part of the 750-billion-euro (906-billion-U.S.-dollar) recovery fund, designed to bail out the bloc's economies hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, EU Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said Monday. Read full story
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Roundup: U.S. COVID-19 cases top 24 mln two days from new administration

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. COVID-19 confirmed cases topped 24 million, with total deaths approaching 400,000 on Monday, two days ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. Read full story
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Brazil's financial market forecasts 3.45 pct economic growth in 2021

BRASILIA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian financial analysts upgraded their economic growth forecast for 2021, from 3.41 percent to 3.45 percent of expansion in gross domestic product (GDP), and maintained the projection at 2.5 percent for 2022, the Central Bank of Brazil announced Monday. Read full story
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Parler's website is back online, but app still not in stores

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chief executive of social media platform Parler, popular with American right-wing users but which virtually vanished after the U.S. Capitol riot, posted a brief message on the company's website. Parler's app, however, remains offline. Read full story
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COVID-19 death toll surpasses 4,000 in Israel

JERUSALEM, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 death cases in Israel has reached 4,005, the state's Ministry of Health said on Sunday night. Read full story
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1st LD Writethru: "The Marksman" tops North American box office in opening weekend

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Open Road's action thriller film "The Marksman" sprinted to the top of the North American box office in its opening weekend with an estimated 3.22 million U.S. dollars from 1,975 theaters between Friday and Sunday, according to studio figures collected by measurement firm Comscore. Read full story
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Selena Gomez: Big Tech ‘cashing in from evil’

Hours after an angry mob of Trump supporters took control of the US Capitol in a violent insurrection, Selena Gomez laid much of the blame at the feet of Big Tech. Read full story
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Selfie-snapping rioters leave FBI a trail of over 140,000 images

The FBI arrested one man after a co-worker at a western Maryland restaurant reported seeing him in images of people assaulting the US Capitol. A Texas man was charged after his ex-wife recognised him in a social-media video and called authorities, noting that it was a good picture. Read full story
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Kopitiam depending on regular clients nowadays

BUTTERWORTH: These days, Lim Shin Yi depends on faithful patrons to order breakfast from her coffeeshop. Read full story
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Brazil reports more than 1,000 COVID-19 deaths for fourth consecutive day

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil had 69,198 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours, and 1,151 deaths from COVID-19, the fourth consecutive day with more than 1,000 fatalities, the Health Ministry said on Friday. Read full story
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U.S. state of Illinois confirms first case of new COVID-19 variant

CHICAGO, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Midwest state of Illinois has confirmed its first case of new COVID-19 variant called B.1.1.7, Chicago Tribune reported on Friday, quoting state and Chicago public health officials. Read full story
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End of Merkel era begins as German CDU picks new party leader

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Christian Democrats elect a new chairman on Saturday, aiming to unite their conservative party behind a new leader who they hope can succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor when she steps down after federal elections in September. Read full story
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Trump wanted ‘Person X’ Parler handle in October

US President Donald Trump considered signing onto the Twitter alternative Parler, using the pseudonym “Person X”, before the conservative social media platform was shut down, according to its chief executive officer. Read full story
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Google muscles up with Fitbit deal amid antitrust concerns

Google has completed its US$2.1bil (RM8.47bil) acquisition of fitness-gadget maker Fitbit, a deal that could help the Internet company grow even stronger while US government regulators pursue an antitrust case aimed at undermining its power. Read full story
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FBI tracking ‘extensive’ online chatter about armed protests

The FBI is tracking an “extensive amount of concerning online chatter”, including calls for armed protests leading up to next week’s presidential inauguration, Director Chris Wray said on Jan 14. Read full story
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SolarWinds hack followed years of warnings of weak cybersecurity

US Congress and federal agencies have been slow or unwilling to address warnings about cybersecurity, shelving recommendations that are considered high priority while investing in programs that have fallen short. Read full story
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YouTube tries to counter Covid-19 misinformation with new videos

YouTube will partner with health organisations to create more accurate medical videos for its platform, trying to counter a scourge of online misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic. Read full story
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Can Trump be barred from future office?

(Reuters) - Some U.S. lawmakers have said President Donald Trump should be disqualified from holding political office again following his impeachment on Wednesday for inciting a mob that stormed the Capitol as lawmakers were certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Read full story
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Huawei had plane waiting to whisk CFO away after extradition judgment in May, Canada court hears

(Reuters) - Huawei Technologies had a plane waiting to take Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou back to China from Vancouver as a key verdict in her extradition case was to be handed down last May, prosecutors said in a Canadian court on Tuesday. Read full story
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U.S. San Francisco mayor announces new relief plan for small businesses

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Tuesday announced a 62 million U.S. dollars new plan to provide immediate financial relief for small businesses struggling as a result of COVID-19. Read full story
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U.S. crude oil inventories down last week: API

HOUSTON, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday reported a decrease of 5.821 million barrels of crude oil in the U.S. crude oil inventories for the week ending Jan. 8. Read full story
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Tunisia reports 3,074 new COVID-19 cases

TUNIS, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Ministry of Health reported 3,074 new infections by COVID-19 and 69 additional deaths during the past 24 hours. Read full story
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Ecuador's health system nearly stretched to limit due to COVID-19: gov't

QUITO, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's public health system is nearly stretched to the limit by the sustained rise in novel coronavirus infections, Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos said on Monday, as the country surpassed 221,500 cases and 9,600 deaths from the disease. Read full story
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Fiat-Chrysler gets credit upgrade from S&P ahead of merger

ROME, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The near-term outlook for Italian-American carmaker Fiat-Chrysler is improving as it moves toward its merger with French rival Peugeot, with an improved credit rating and positive sales news from the company's biggest foreign markets. Read full story
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Cuba reports record number of daily cases of COVID-19

HAVANA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cuba reported three more deaths and a record 388 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) reported on Sunday. Read full story
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At least 23 dead in clash between gangs and police in Venezuelan capital

CARACAS (Reuters) - At least 23 people died over the weekend in a clash between police and gangs in Venezuela's capital Caracas, according to news reports and human rights activists, as the government faces international scrutiny for killings by security forces. Read full story
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Bolivia sees new outbreak of COVID-19 with spikes in new daily cases

LA PAZ, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia is experiencing a new outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), with 172,798 total cases reported to date, as the country faces an uncertain economic future and concerns about the effects of a new confinement. Read full story
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Cuba reports record number of daily COVID-19 cases

HAVANA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cuba reported 365 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the highest daily number since the disease first appeared in the country in March, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Read full story
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Roundup: U.S. equities post weekly gains in kicking off 2021

NEW YORK, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street's major averages advanced in the first trading week of the new year as investors shrugged off the turmoil in Washington and a weaker-than-expected December U.S. employment report. Read full story
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Cuba tightens COVID-19 measures as visitors fuel record contagion

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's top epidemiologist said on Saturday irresponsible partying over year-end, often with relatives from abroad, fueled a surge in coronavirus infections and he warned of a crackdown to prevent the spread of the disease. Read full story
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Ecuador sees 219,148 cases of COVID-19

QUITO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador registered 763 new cases of infection and six more deaths from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the last 24 hours, raising the caseload to 219,148 and the death toll to 9,583, the Ministry of Public Health reported on Friday. Read full story
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Number of active U.S. drilling rigs increases this week

HOUSTON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States increased by nine to 360 rigs this week, down by 421 year on year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes. Read full story
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Chile warns of "complex scenario" due to rise in COVID-19 cases

SANTIAGO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chile faces a "complex scenario" due to the increase in infections of the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Health warned on Friday after reporting 4,201 new cases in one day, the highest number since June. Read full story
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Elon Musk becomes world's richest person

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla, has become the world's richest person. Read full story
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U.S. trade deficit widens in November

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Overall U.S. trade deficit widened in November to 68.1 billion U.S. dollars as imports rose at a faster pace than exports, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Thursday. Read full story
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Explosion heard in Yemeni city of Aden - residents

ADEN (Yemen) (Reuters) - A loud explosion was heard in the Yemeni city of Aden‮ ‬on Thursday evening, residents and a security source told Reuters. Read full story
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U.S. San Francisco roadway condition scores "Good" rating

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced the city's regionally tracked roadway condition score hit its 10-year goal, demonstrating the benefits of a systematically planned and executed public infrastructure investment strategy to improve the streets of San Francisco. Read full story
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Trump supporters spread protests to statehouses across U.S.

(Reuters) - Supporters of President Donald Trump staged rallies on Wednesday at statehouses in several cities, from Atlanta to Salem, Oregon, coinciding with the storming of the U.S. Capitol by protesters demanding that his election loss be overturned, officials and local news media said. Read full story
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U.S. lawmaker says she is drawing up impeachment papers on Trump after mobs storm Capitol

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Democratic congresswoman on Wednesday said she was drawing up articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump after mobs broke into the U.S. Capitol https://ift.tt/3pYwaMW following Trump's urgings to his supporters to fight to undo his election loss. Read full story
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U.S. agricultural futures rise

CHICAGO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures rose across the board on Tuesday, led by soybean. Read full story
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Georgia election officials slap down Trump tweet about voting machines

(Reuters) - Georgia officials overseeing the state's Senate runoffs on Tuesday hit back at a tweet from President Donald Trump stoking fears about voting machines, saying that despite an early problem in one county, the elections were running smoothly. Read full story
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Oil prices jump as OPEC+ reaches deal on output

NEW YORK, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices climbed noticeably on Tuesday after major oil producers reached an agreement on output. Read full story
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U.S.-listed Chinese firms trade mostly lower

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S.-listed Chinese companies traded mostly lower on Monday with seven of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P U.S. Listed China 50 index ending the day on a downbeat note. Read full story
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Explainer - Why the winners in Georgia runoffs might not be known for days

(Reuters) - The future of Democrat President-elect Joe Biden's agenda hinges on two Senate runoff races in Georgia whose outcome might not be known for days after polls close on Tuesday. Read full story
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Roundup: Italy's coronavirus data holding steady, new rules in discussion as lockdown to end

ROME, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The main indicators tied to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy so far in 2021 remained below peaks recorded in late November and early December, as the country's national holiday lockdown drew to a close. But health experts warned it was still too early to know how effective the restrictions put in place for the holidays would prove to be. Read full story
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As end to pandemic mask-wearing nears, South Koreans scramble to arrange cosmetic surgery

SEOUL (Reuters) - When Ryu Han-na, a 20-year-old university student, got cosmetic surgery on her nose in mid-December, she had a simple reason: it might be the last chance to do so covertly before people start taking off masks this year as vaccines are distributed. Read full story
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Georgia election guardian Raffensperger faces heat as Trump contests defeat

CUTHBERT, Ga. (Reuters) - Georgia's Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, cemented his status as an unlikely hero for U.S. Democrats following a fresh clash in which he rejected President Donald Trump's claims that his election defeat was the result of widespread fraud. Read full story
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Ikea closes for cleaning and contact tracing

PETALING JAYA: Ikea Damansara will be closed until further notice after Covid-19 infections were detected among their staff members and service partners. Read full story
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At least 70 killed in suspected militant attacks in Niger - security sources

NIAMEY (Reuters) -At least 70 civilians were killed in simultaneous attacks on two villages by suspected Islamist militants in Niger, near the border zone with Mali, security sources said on Saturday. Read full story
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Al Qaeda-linked group says it was behind killing of French soldiers in Mali

PARIS (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's North Africa wing has said it was responsible for the killing of three French soldiers in Mali, jihadist monitoring organisation SITE Intel reported on Saturday. Read full story
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Screenings held up due to limited clinic capacity

GEORGE TOWN: Employers should be given more time to carry out the mandatory Covid-19 screening of foreign workers, which was enforced on New Year’s Day. Read full story
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Facebook's advertising integrity chief leaves company

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc's chief of advertising integrity, who handled the company's ad products around sensitive subjects such as politics and coronavirus misinformation, departed this week, according to an internal company post viewed by Reuters on Friday. Read full story
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U.S. COVID-19 cases surpass 20 million as deaths mount

(Reuters) - U.S. coronavirus cases crossed the 20 million mark on Friday as officials seek to speed up vaccinations and a more infectious variant surfaces in Colorado, California and Florida. Read full story
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New strain of coronavirus detected in Brazil

SAO PAULO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two cases of the new strain of COVID-19 detected in the United Kingdom have been identified in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, leading authorities on Thursday to call for stepped up measures to curb the spread. Read full story
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