WORLD

  Beijing, China | XINHUA |  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the leading force of the country’s space industry, has released a plan for more than 40 space launches for 2021, a new high following the already busy and fruitful 2020. The construction of China’s space station, …

  London, UK | XINHUA |  Millions of Britons woke up Tuesday to face new strict lockdown measures requiring them to stay indoors as COVID-19 infections continue to spiral upwards. Announcing the lockdown, the third of its kind since the pandemic began in the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson …

Canberra, Australia | Xinhua | Criminals are getting increasingly creative in producing crystal methamphetamine, the United Nations (UN) has warned. According to a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), seizures of crystal methamphetamine – also known as ice – across Asia indicated that producers are shifting to …

Singapore, Republic of Singapore  | THE INDEPENDENT |   Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry announced on Monday morning that based on advance estimates, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the whole of 2020 fell by 5.8 percent year on year, compared to the 0.7 percent growth in 2019. For …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT, URN & XINHUA | When the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani on Sunday approved the Oxford coronavirus vaccine and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for “restricted use”, the clapping and cheering that followed could be heard in nearly all the capital cities of Africa, including …

“This vaccine will be provided free of charge to all Chinese people,” said an official with the National Health Commission Beijing, China | Xinhua |  China has announced  that it had granted conditional marketing authorization for its first self-developed COVID-19 vaccine. The inactivated vaccine, which got the approval from the …

  Washington, US | Xinhua | Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California was reelected on Sunday as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, where her party has a narrow majority. Pelosi received support from 216 Democrats, with two of her colleagues voting for someone else and three others voting …

➡ West Bromwich Albion 0 Arsenal 4 London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | Once again, Bukayo Saka was the star of the show on Saturday as Arsenal blew West Bromwich Albion away in the snow. The teenage forward was unstoppable at times and scored a fine goal in Arsenal’s 4-0 …

Beijing, China | Xinhua |  A skilled baker with seven years of experience, Abudujilil Tuhtey can make 500 to 600 pieces of naan every day. It’s a staple food popular in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. With his outstanding skill, Tuhtey can earn more than 5,000 yuan (about 769 …

▶ FULL SPEECH ✅ GDP just over $15.38 trillion in 2020 ✅ 100th anniversary of CPC in 2021 ✅ 832 counties, 100 million rural residents out of poverty Beijing, China | THE INDEPENDENT, CGTN & PD CHINA  |  Chinese President Xi Jinping has today delivered his annual New Year Address …