Six In The Morning Monday 25 January 2021

 

Three weeks into harsh lockdown, weary Brits fear it will take much longer to beat the new variant

By Ivana Kottasová, CNN

Updated 1343 GMT (2143 HKT) January 25, 2021

People in the United Kingdom have been living under lockdown for the past three weeks, hoping their sacrifice would bring the country's latest coronavirus surge -- caused by the new, more contagious variant of the virus -- under control.

But despite the harsh restrictions, case numbers are not dropping as fast as experts have hoped. Deaths continue to rise and public health experts and government are starting to warn people that the country will be in this battle for the long run.

The new variant, known as B.1.1.7, has wreaked havoc in the UK, fueling a surge in cases towards the end of 2020 despite a national lockdown being in place. Data showing an uptick in cases in younger people suggests this was largely because schools had stayed open, enabling the variant to spread rapidly.

Indian troops brawl with Chinese counterparts on border

Clash in Sikkim happened days before talks aimed at ending tensions in Ladakh border dispute

Hannah Ellis-Petersen South Asia correspondent

Mon 25 Jan 2021 13.02 GMT

Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in another violent clash along the Himalayan border last week, as tensions between the two nuclear powers showed no signs of abating.

According to reports, Indian and Chinese troops came to physical blows on Wednesday along the high-altitude border in north Sikkim, a small Indian state, situated between India and Bhutan, which has been a flashpoint of India-China conflict for decades.

Indian officials claimed that Chinese troops had attempted to cross over into territory claimed by India in the area of Naku La in Sikkim, which led to a skirmish which injured soldiers from both sides. It is understood that no shots were fired.

Putin denies owning £1bn Black Sea palace after Navalny exposé

Navalny’s report has already racked up more than 85 million views

Oliver Carroll@olliecarroll

Vladimir Putin has denied he owns a palace, in his first comments since nemesis Alexei Navalny linked him to an opulent £1bn development on the Black Sea coast. 

Mr Putin said he had “not had the time” to view the much-discussed investigation, released on 19 January shortly after the Putin critic was jailed. Nonetheless, the president asserted extracts he had seen represented an  “attempt to brainwash” Russians using “10-year-old rumours”. 

“They decided it was a good time to put things together and brainwash our citizens,” he said. “This is just a compilation, a cut and paste job.”

Egypt is synonymous with hopelessness

Ten years ago, upheaval, hope and dreams of a better future swept through the streets of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. Today, there is nothing left but fading memories, writes Farida Layl*.

On the night former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in February 2011, I left Tahrir Square late while the celebrations continued. I took a microbus home. The driver wanted to increase the regular fare, exploiting his passengers traveling late at night.

The euphoria was palpable. The passengers urged the driver not to raise the fare. They argued for a new Egypt with no avarice and no favoritism; an Egypt where justice prevails. The driver complied, and we did not pay extra. I, too, believed hope was born that day. I daydreamed of breaking out of the cage of corruption. The Arab Spring had arrived — but didn't last long.

Moderna says vaccine effective against UK, South Africa virus variants

US biotechnology firm Moderna on Monday said lab studies showed its Covid-19 vaccine would remain protective against variants of the coronavirus first identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

But out of caution, the company will test adding a second booster of its vaccine – to make three shots in total – and has begun preclinical studies on a booster specifically for the South African variant.

"We are encouraged by these new data, which reinforce our confidence that the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine should be protective against these newly detected variants," said Stephane Bancel, Moderna's CEO.

Ugandan court orders freedom of opposition leader Bobi Wine

Court tells soldiers to cease surrounding the home of the opposition leader, whose house arrest has drawn condemnation.

A Ugandan court ordered security forces to cease surrounding the home of opposition leader Bobi Wine, who has been under house arrest since the January 14 presidential election.

Troops have blocked the 38-year-old pop star-turned-politician from leaving his house in a suburb of the capital Kampala since he voted in the January 14 election where he ran against long-serving incumbent President Yoweri Museveni.