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Global Maritime Analytics Market (2020 to 2027) - by Application, End-user and Geography
Dublin, Oct. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Maritime Analytics Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Application (Optimal Route Mapping, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, Pricing Insights, Vessel Safety and Security, and Others) and End User (Commercial and Military); and Geography" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to this report the global maritime analytics market was valued at US$ 894.28million in 2019 and is expected to reach US$ 1,833.50 million by 2027; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10.0% during 2020-2027.The report highlights key factors driving the market growth, and prominent players and their developments in the market. In today's digital age, the competition in various industries including maritime industry is very high and companies are continuously investing in solutions that could help them enhance operational productivity while reducing the overall costs. Hence, the demand for advanced solutions such as maritime data analytics has been growing at an impressive pace among commercial shippers and other end users. In shipping industry, big data issued to manage sensors on the ship and to perform predictive analysis to avoid any delays and to increase efficiency. Enhanced decision making owing to insights obtained by big data is actively being implemented to avoid and predict additional cost and it can be utilized across the ship's lifecycle. Hamburg Port (Germany), Port of Cartagena (Columbia), Port of Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and several ports in South East Asia are actively using big data analytics solutions for their port and terminal operations. In June 2020, Windward, a maritime analytics company announced a new partnership with BP Shipping. Under this partnership, the company will deliver behavioral analytics data and other related insights to help BP Shipping in digitizing its trade practices related to sanctions compliance. Predictive analytics solutions have the capability to transform the shipping industry by enhancing overall shipping operations, improving ship's safety, and ensuring environment protection. Additionally, the high level of customizability offered by these solutions depending on the specific needs of any port or shipping company is expected to fuel the demand during the forecast period. With rising globalization, the demand for goods transportation will grow substantially in the coming years. Hence, the demand for advanced data processing techniques and predictive analytics will also rise among maritime companies to maximize time efficiency and cost savings. These factors are driving the demand for maritime analytics globally. COVID-19 Impact on Maritime Analytics Market According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the US, Turkey, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Russia, Iran, India, and China are some of the worst affected countries due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the industries worldwide, and the global economy is anticipated to take the worst hit in 2020,which is likely to continue in 2021 as well. The outbreak has created significant disruptions in various industries, such as logistics, marine, and e-commerce. Logistics and transportation is an essential element for the smooth operations of any industry including FMCG, healthcare, retail, and automotive, among others, where shipping contributes a substantial share in the global logistics and transportation sector. The interruption in supply chains and logistics operations due to COVID-19 outbreak is affecting the growth of key shipping industry players operating globally. Reasons to Buy * Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the global maritime analytics market * Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies * The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the global maritime analytics market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies * Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets * Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it * Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distributionKey Topics Covered: 1\. Introduction 1.1 Study Scope 1.2 Report Guidance 1.3 Market Segmentation 2\. Key Takeaways 3\. Research Methodology 3.1 Coverage 3.2 Secondary Research 3.3 Primary Research 4\. Maritime Analytics Market Landscape 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.2.1 North America - PEST Analysis 4.2.2 Europe - PEST Analysis 4.2.3 APAC - PEST Analysis 4.2.4 MEA - PEST Analysis 4.2.5 SAM - PEST Analysis 4.3 Ecosystem Analysis 5\. Maritime Analytics -Market Dynamics 5.1 Market Drivers 5.1.1 Rising Trend of Digitalization in Global Shipping Industry 5.1.2 Increasing Demand for Enhanced Maritime Operations Through Data Analytics 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 Concerns Related to Cybersecurity and Lack of Skilled Workforce 5.3 Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Developing Regions to Drive Future Growth 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Advanced Technologies to Transform Maritime Industry 5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints 6\. Maritime Analytics Market - Global Analysis 6.1 Global Maritime Analytics Market Overview 6.2 Maritime Analytics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 6.3 Market Positioning - Global Market Players Ranking 7\. Maritime Analytics Market Analysis - By Application 7.1 Overview 7.2 Maritime Analytics Market Breakdown, by Application, 2019 & 2027 7.3 Optimal Route Mapping 7.3.1 Overview 7.3.2 Optimal Route Mapping: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.4 Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics 7.4.1 Overview 7.4.2 Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.5 Pricing Insights 7.5.1 Overview 7.5.2 Pricing Insights: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.6 Vessel Safety and Security 7.6.1 Overview 7.6.2 Vessel Safety and Security: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 7.7 Others 7.7.1 Overview 7.7.2 Others: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8\. Maritime Analytics Market Analysis - By End User 8.1 Overview 8.2 Maritime Analytics Market Breakdown, by End User, 2019 & 2027 8.3 Commercial 8.3.1 Overview 8.3.2 Commercial: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 8.4 Military 8.4.1 Overview 8.4.2 Military: Maritime Analytics Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million) 9\. Maritime Analytics Market - Geographic Analysis 9.1 Overview 9.2 North America: Maritime Analytics Market 9.3 Europe: Maritime Analytics Market 9.4 APAC: Maritime Analytics Market 9.5 MEA: Maritime Analytics Market 9.6 SAM: Maritime Analytics Market 10\. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic 10.1 North America 10.2 Europe 10.3 Asia-Pacific 10.4 Middle East and Africa 10.5 South America 11\. Global Maritime Analytics Market-Industry Landscape 11.1 Overview 11.2 Market Initiative 11.3 New Development 11.4 Merger and Acquisition 12\. Company Profiles 12.1 ABB Ltd. 12.1.1 Key Facts 12.1.2 Business Description 12.1.3 Products and Services 12.1.4 Financial Overview 12.1.5 SWOT Analysis 12.1.6 Key Developments 12.2 exact Earth Ltd. 12.2.1 Key Facts 12.2.2 Business Description 12.2.3 Products and Services 12.2.4 Financial Overview 12.2.5 SWOT Analysis 12.2.6 Key Developments 12.3 Itransition 12.3.1 Key Facts 12.3.2 Business Description 12.3.3 Products and Services 12.3.4 Financial Overview 12.3.5 SWOT Analysis 12.3.6 Key Developments 12.4 Planet Labs Inc. 12.4.1 Key Facts 12.4.2 Business Description 12.4.3 Products and Services 12.4.4 Financial Overview 12.4.5 SWOT Analysis 12.4.6 Key Developments 12.5 ShipNet 12.5.1 Key Facts 12.5.2 Business Description 12.5.3 Products and Services 12.5.4 Financial Overview 12.5.5 SWOT Analysis 12.5.6 Key Developments 12.6 SparkCognition 12.6.1 Key Facts 12.6.2 Business Description 12.6.3 Products and Services 12.6.4 Financial Overview 12.6.5 SWOT Analysis 12.6.6 Key Developments 12.7 Spire Global 12.7.1 Key Facts 12.7.2 Business Description 12.7.3 Products and Services 12.7.4 Financial Overview 12.7.5 SWOT Analysis 12.7.6 Key Developments 12.8 SINAY SAS 12.8.1 Key Facts 12.8.2 Business Description 12.8.3 Products and Services 12.8.4 Financial Overview 12.8.5 SWOT Analysis 12.8.6 Key Developments 12.9 Windward Ltd 12.9.1 Key Facts 12.9.2 Business Description 12.9.3 Products and Services 12.9.4 Financial Overview 12.9.5 SWOT Analysis 12.9.6 Key Developments 12.10 Prisma Electronics SA 12.10.1 Key Facts 12.10.2 Business Description 12.10.3 Products and Services 12.10.4 Financial Overview 12.10.5 SWOT Analysis 12.10.6 Key Developments 13\. Appendix 13.1 About the Publisher 13.2 Word Index For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7y10x7Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:23:00 GMT

UK car production has worst September since 1995
The drop is concerning as the end of the Brexit transition period looms, says industry body.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:54:30 GMT

Tanzania elections: Opposition leader Tundu Lissu 'won't accept poll results'
Presidential candidate Tundu Lissu says the election was "marred by irregularities at all stages".

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:42:01 GMT

The Latest: Merkel condemns Nice attack, vigil planned
Officials across the political spectrum in Germany have condemned the attack in the southern French city of Nice, with some calling for a solidarity rally outside the French embassy. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “deeply shaken by the terrible murders in a church in Nice,” adding that her thoughts were with the relatives and those injured. An attacker armed with a knife killed three people in the southern French coastal city Thursday.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:37:02 GMT

Will Russia influence the American vote?
The idea that someone recently tried to influence Americans to vote for a particular candidate by sending them threatening emails may sound outlandish – as might federal officials’ allegation that the Iranian government is behind those messages. But U.S. voters should prepare for even more strange and unexpected examples of information warfare that manipulate, distort or destroy election-related information between now and Election Day – and perhaps beyond that, depending on whether there are questions about who may have won the presidency.Since 2016, Americans have learned that foreign interests attempt to affect the outcomes of presidential elections, including with social media postings and television ads.As a scholar of Russian cyber operations, I know other nations, and Russia in particular, will go to extreme measures to influence people and destabilize democracy in the U.S. and elsewhere. Be on guardHere is what to look out for.Other measures the Russians could still take include announcements aimed at influencing the vote, such as leaked emails and documents that may not be authentic. Also, watch for claims that hackers have gained access to, or manipulated, state or local election systems. It doesn’t have to be true for people to become worried, uncertain and untrusting of election results. Be prepared to see ransomware attacks – software that seizes control of key computers and demands a ransom to unlock the system – on precincts in key battleground states, which may not aim to alter the vote, but rather stall the vote count and certification. A mid-October ransomware attack on Hall County, Georgia, government networks interrupted phone service and some computer systems, including a database used to verify voters’ signatures.Anything can happen – but Americans can be ready to skeptically and critically examine any announcements of attempted, or claims of successful, election interference. Misleading propagandaThe real goal of information warriors – no matter where they are from, even beyond Russia and Iran – is to make it hard for Americans to know what is real.In 2016, for instance, Russian disinformation operations created fake social media accounts claiming to be U.S. citizens, in hopes of spreading political division and conflict. They portrayed Hillary Clinton as weak and corrupt, which damaged her support among voters. In this election cycle, the information warfare is more sophisticated. Russian-made propaganda has portrayed Joe Biden as incompetent and corrupt – but has also claimed that U.S. democracy is failing. Examples include an episode on a Kremlin-controlled Sputnik show titled “How much money to buy the presidency? Bloomberg tries to find out” and an episode called “Iowa Caucus Chaos: People are Losing Confidence in Election Results” on its sibling Russia Today video network. These outlets are available across the U.S. on radio, cable and satellite TV systems, and online – including on conservative websites. Russian information warriors are impersonating real advocacy groups. They even created a now-defunct news website named Peace Data, which used fake names and photos for its editors, but hired unsuspecting real journalists as freelancers and ordered them to write stories critical of Biden, discussing corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations.Some of the stories were also hostile to Trump, which indicates that the main goal remains to sow division in the United States. Visible responsesFortunately, businesses, federal cybersecurity officials and intelligence leaders are signaling that they are more willing than they were in 2016 to sound the alarm about foreign interference in the U.S. presidential election.For instance, in August, the National Security Agency warned the cybsersecurity community about malicious software written by the Russian military, including details of the military unit involved, as well as advice on how system administrators can protect their networks and servers.And in September, Microsoft reported that a Russian hacking group has attempted to intrude into the digital files of at least 200 organizations tied to the 2020 U.S. election. It targeted political campaigns, advocacy groups, parties and political consultants. Affiliated with Russian military intelligence, this is the same group that hacked and leaked damaging Democratic Party emails in 2016. In late October, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Christopher Wray alleged that Russia and Iran had obtained U.S. voter registration information, at least some of which is publicly available. They also claimed – without offering evidence – that Iran is responsible for sending threatening emails to voters in as many as four states, including Florida and Alaska, that reportedly said “You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you.”Big technology platforms have also taken steps to fight disinformation. Facebook took down a network of fake accounts linked to Russian military intelligence. Facebook will not post political ads in the week week before Election Day and Google will reject all election-related ads after Election Day to prevent false claims. Twitter has also shut down accounts that it could reliably attribute to Russian-sponsored entities. And Twitter has sought to slow the spread of posts by limiting retweeting – though that has concerned Republicans, who fear this measure will stifle conservatives’ speech. Post-vote chaosThe week after Election Day could be volatile, especially if mail-in ballots are slow to be counted and results appear to change as the count continues. Russia could use social media accounts that have not yet been detected to push reports of voter suppression or ballot fraud, trying to convince the public that election results are somehow inaccurate. U.S. Cyber Command might take Russian troll servers offline, as it did during the 2018 U.S. midterm election.Meanwhile, voters can protect themselves by being skeptical of urgent or alarming claims in online media, and by remembering that they may be targets of disinformation campaigns. U.S. security agency efforts might stop Russia from altering the vote count, but sowing discord about its integrity could be enough to serve Russia’s goal of undermining democracy.[Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get expert takes on today’s news, every day.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Scott Jasper, Naval Postgraduate School.Read more: * How the Russian government used disinformation and cyber warfare in 2016 election – an ethical hacker explains * Countering Russian disinformation the Baltic nations’ wayScott Jasper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:31:51 GMT

To save threatened plants and animals, restore habitat on farms, ranches and other working lands
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big ideaRestoring native habitats to at least 20% of the world’s land currently being used by humans for farming, ranching and forestry is necessary to protect biodiversity and slow species loss, according to a newly published study conducted by a team of environmental scientists including us. Our analysis found that this can be done in ways that minimize trade-offs and could even make farms more productive by helping to control pests, enhancing crop pollination and preventing losses of nutrients and water from soil. These working landscapes can still be grazed, mowed, harvested or burned, as long as these activities sustain or restore native species diversity.So-called “zero-net-loss policies” would prevent any further destruction or conversion of wild lands on developed property. There are creative and experimental options for the most heavily cultivated regions, such as incorporating strips of prairie plants into crop fields across the U.S. Midwest or planting flower strips to restore pollinators in Switzerland.Only 38% of the 82 countries we reviewed have national laws requiring native habitat on working lands. Most were in Europe and required that just 5% be kept wild. In many countries only forest habitats are regulated, while grasslands and other highly threatened landscapes are ignored. These decisions are driven by politics, economics and cultural values, but overall they lack clear scientific guidelines. Why it mattersRestoring habitat creates homes for wildlife, but it also contributes to human well-being and supports all life on Earth. Native vegetation prevents erosion and purifies the water we drink and the air we breathe. It sequesters carbon, mitigating climate change, and acts as a buffer against flooding, landslides and storms. The wildlife species that move in may pollinate crops or control pests.For more than a century, conservationists have worked to save threatened species by protecting them within large national parks and refuges. This clearly hasn’t been enough: The Earth is losing plants and animals at more than 100 times the normal rate, in what some scientists believe is the Earth’s sixth mass extinction event. [The Conversation’s newsletter explains what’s going on with the coronavirus pandemic. Subscribe now.]Under the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, an international treaty ratified by 196 nations, countries have pledged to conserve 17% of the planet’s land area in protected zones by 2020. So far, they have failed to meet that target. Now many conservationists are proposing an expanded effort that would conserve as much as 30% of land by 2030, and as much as half by 2050. Where will all this land come from?With global land use expanding and becoming more intensive and dominated by monocultures, there is an urgent need to conserve and restore native species outside of protected areas – within landscapes managed for people. What’s nextThough the benefits are many and there are numerous successful restoration models to draw upon, wild habitats continue to be degraded, razed and eliminated. Preventing, stopping and reversing the degradation of ecosystems is also an essential strategy for meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and commitments for the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration that launches next year. Critical policy opportunities are just ahead. Europeans are now deciding how much agricultural land to devote to “landscape and habitat features.” New conservation targets will be part of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework negotiated at next spring’s 15th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Its ambitious global vision is nothing less than “living in harmony with nature” by 2050.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi, Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro; Claire Kremen, University of British Columbia; Erle C. Ellis, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Sandra Díaz, Setting aside half the Earth for ‘rewilding’: the ethical dimension* What does it mean to preserve nature in the Age of Humans?Lucas Garibaldi receives funding from Universidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), y Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCYT).Claire Kremen receives funding from Investment Agriculture Foundation (BC), World Wildlife Fund ((US), MITACS, NSERC, National Science Foundation (US) and Army Research Office (US), She is affiliated with Center for Climate-Based Solutions, Conservation International and Xerces Society. Erle C. Ellis has received funding from the National Science Foundation and is a Fellow of the Global Land Programme and a Senior Fellow of the Breakthrough Institute.Sandra Díaz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:31:12 GMT

1.15 Billion 5G Smartphones by 2025 and 35 Other Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know
The world is faced with major instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. presidential election, Brexit, global trade wars, and many other societal currents. These headwinds are forcing companies and industry sectors to accelerate their digital transformations in order to survive and compete. In its new whitepaper, The 36 Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2021, global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research has combined these two facts to identify and highlight the lesser known stats that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

1.15 Billion 5G Smartphones by 2025 and 35 Other Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know
The world is faced with major instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. presidential election, Brexit, global trade wars, and many other societal currents. These headwinds are forcing companies and industry sectors to accelerate their digital transformations in order to survive and compete. In its new whitepaper, The 36 Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2021, global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research has combined these two facts to identify and highlight the lesser known stats that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:30:00 GMT

Aptive Environmental Pest Control Caps Record-Breaking Summer with Three Awards
Provo Pest Control Company Named 13th Fastest Growing Company in Utah, Twice Among Emerging ElitePROVO, Utah, Oct. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Founded in 2015, Aptive Environmental today announced it is the recipient of three awards in its home state of Utah, capping a record-breaking summer and reaffirming it as one of the fastest growing pest control companies in the U.S. Named the 13th Fastest Growing Company by Utah Valley Business Q Magazine and among the “Emerging Elite” by MountainWest Capital Network and Utah Business Magazine, the recognition demonstrates Aptive’s commitment to its customers, employees and the strength of Utah’s economy after phenomenal growth in an unprecedented year. “There’s no denying that 2020 has presented businesses, consumers and families across the globe with challenges unlike any other, which is just one reason why these home-state awards and our success to date is so rewarding,” said Vess Pearson, CEO of Aptive Environmental. “At the onset of this pandemic, we knew we would need to take a different approach to the unique challenge in front of us, just as we’ve done with our business as a whole, and we couldn’t be more proud of the result.” Aptive has continuously invested in its employees to ensure growth and success, both professionally and individually, as well as the one-of-a-kind care of its customers. One of the toughest summers on record for an industry dependent on home visits and residential sales, Aptive prepared via an initiative now dubbed AptiveStrong. Challenging the team to everything from ice-cold river sits, to running 100 miles in 24 hours and more, the initiative instilled a confidence in employees that is over-delivering for the company. This October, the pest control company proudly reports a 17% YOY increase in sales per representative due to a motivated salesforce.“In addition to teaching valuable business, leadership and life skills, we also know that the uncertainties of this pandemic are far from over,” said David Royce, Chairman of Aptive Environmental. “With 25-30% of homeowners expected to work from home through 2021*, the proper care of our customers and their homes is crucial to ensuring what have become workplaces, classrooms, home gyms and more are pest-free through this holiday season and into a new year – and we’re proud to be more prepared and dedicated to this mission than ever.”Providing all-season treatments via its family of nearly 5,000 team members, Aptive Environmental is the seventh-largest pest control company in North America out of more than 20,000 competitors. Debuting on Inc. magazine's list of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies this year, the company takes pride in being a rising leader in environmentally responsible pest control solutions, with a service designed to make the home more enjoyable for family, friends and pets alike. Learn more at www.GoAptive.com or find the company on Facebook (@AptiveEnvironmental), Twitter (@Go_Aptive), Instagram (@Aptive.Environmental) or LinkedIn (@AptiveEnvironmental).*According to a recent study by Global Workplace Analytics. About Aptive Environmental Aptive Environmental provides environmentally responsible residential and commercial pest services to more than 3,700 cities across North America. It was the youngest company featured on Glassdoor's Top 100 U.S. workplaces for 2019 and is ranked one of Entrepreneur Magazine's Best Companies in America. Aptive is also a proud member of the EPA's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program and has partnered with the United Nations Foundation "Nothing But Nets" to help stop the spread of Malaria transmitted by mosquito bites.Media Contact: Nicole Kubitz, 415-692-3059 Nicole.Kubitz@FinnPartners.comA video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08853bb7-e02f-4cf4-a789-c3ec824b807e

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:00:00 GMT

New PBC and NASH Data to be Presented at AASLD’s The Liver Meeting Digital Experience™
Presentation of long-term efficacy and safety data of obeticholic acid (OCA) for the treatment of patients with PBCAnalysis from Phase 3 REGENERATE study examines the antifibrotic efficacy of OCA on noninvasive measures of liver fibrosis in patients with fibrosis due to NASH NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ICPT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat progressive non-viral liver diseases, today announced that multiple abstracts evaluating OCA for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and fibrosis due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) will be presented at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience™, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), which will be held virtually from November 13-16, 2020.“These 13 presentations at this year’s AASLD meeting demonstrate the continuing strong interest in the advancement of clinical research in both PBC and fibrosis due to NASH,” said Mark Pruzanski, M.D., President and CEO of Intercept. “In particular, we look forward to the presentation of the Ocaliva efficacy and safety data in patients with PBC treated for up to six years. We’re also pleased to see the presentation of new data from the interim analysis of the Phase 3 REGENERATE study highlighting the potential role of noninvasive tests in the identification of patients with advanced fibrosis due to NASH and the measurement of OCA treatment response.”Presentations at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience™ include:NASHOral presentations Sunday, November 15, 2020 – 10:30 a.m. ETEvaluation of obeticholic acid efficacy in patients with NASH who were monitored using noninvasive tests: a post hoc analysis of the REGENERATE trial (Abstract 70) Naim Alkhouri, Arun J. Sanyal, Vlad Ratziu, Mary Rinella, Rohit Loomba, Jean-Francois Dufour, Essy Mozaffari, Tanya Granston, Huafeng Zhou, Reshma Shringarpure, Leigh MacConell, Pierre Bedossa, Zachary Goodman, Zobair Younossi, Quentin M. Anstee, Natasha von Roenn, Stephen HarrisonSaturday, November 14, 2020 – 5:30 p.m. ETNoninvasive assessments to identify patients with advanced fibrosis due to NASH: screened population from the REGENERATE trial (Abstract 56) Jerome Boursier, Arun J. Sanyal, Vlad Ratziu, Mary Rinella, Rohit Loomba, Jean-Francois Dufour, Essy Mozaffari, Reshma Shringarpure, Leigh MacConell, Tanya Granston, Huafeng Zhou, Aldo Trylesinski, Stephen A. Harrison, Pierre Bedossa, Zachary Goodman, Zobair Younossi, Mazen Noureddin, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Quentin M. AnsteePoster presentations Economic burden of NASH-associated cirrhosis: US payor’s perspective (Abstract 1584) Essy Mozaffari, Amy Law, Melissa Lingohr-Smith, Amarita Randhawa, Bryan Velez de Villa, Jay LinPredicted long-term clinical outcomes of obeticholic acid (OCA) for the treatment of patients with advanced fibrosis without cirrhosis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) compared to standard of care in the USA (Abstract 1542) A. Sidney Barritt, Diana Brixner, Mazen Noureddin, Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, Raluca Pais, William Green, Pablo Anaya, Sandrine Cure, Marcie Strauss, Richard ZurIdentification of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in an electronic health record (EHR) database (Abstract 1599) Monica L. Bertoia, John D. Seeger, Erik Ness, Thomas Capozza, Bruce Wong, Lina TitievskyCharacteristics and care patterns of real-world non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients with and without liver biopsy (Abstract 1576) Diana Esposito, Lina Titievsky, Simo Du, Yuval A. Patel, Bruce Wong, Thomas Capozza, Erik Ness, Kerrin Gallagher, Aziza Jamal-Allial, Mindie H. NguyenFIB-4 and FibroScan can identify patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who are at risk of liver-related events: results of a longitudinal analysis with comparison with liver biopsy (Abstract 1589) Jerome Boursier, Hannes Hagström, Mattias Ekstedt, Clemence Moreau, Martin Bonacci, Sandrine Cure, Aldo Trylesinski, Manuel Romero-GómezIdentification of undiagnosed NASH: development and application of a real-world prediction model (Abstract 1520) Kalé Kponee-Shovein, Priyanka Bobbili, Amy Law, Bruce Wong, Lina Titievsky, Essy Mozaffari, Amarita Randhawa, Pamela Davis, François Laliberté, Maya Mahin, Iman Fakih, Mei Sheng DuhFecal microbiome signature for NASH based on analysis of a REGENERATE sub-study compared with three healthy control populations (Abstract 1510) Gary Wu, Yun Li, Hongzhe Li, Kyle Bittinger, Rotonya Carr, Lillian Chau, Elliot S. Friedman, Jung-Jin Lee, Luciano Adorini, Mary Erickson, Luna Zaru, Reshma Shringarpure, Leigh MacConellPBCPoster presentations Long-term efficacy and safety of obeticholic acid in patients with PBC from the POISE trial grouped biochemically by risk of disease progression (Abstract 1250) Christopher L. Bowlus, Michael Trauner, Alexander Liberman, Elizabeth Malecha, Leigh MacConell, Andreas E. Kremer, Frederik NevensLong-term efficacy and safety of obeticholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis: responder analysis of over 5 years of treatment in the POISE trial (Abstract 1251) Bettina Hansen, David Jones, Marco Carbone, Christopher L. Bowlus, Frederik Nevens, Andreas E. Kremer, Alexander Liberman, Leigh MacConell, Gideon HirschfieldPrimary biliary cholangitis: patient characteristics and the healthcare economic burden in the United States (Abstract 1259) Robert G. Gish, Amy Law, Melissa Lingohr-Smith, Femi Adekunle, Darren Wheeler, Bryan Velez de Villa, Chiara Bassanelli, Jay LinReal-world effectiveness of obeticholic acid in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (Abstract 1268) Robert G. Gish, Amy Law, Femi Adekunle, Darren Wheeler, Melissa Lingohr-Smith, Chiara Bassanelli, Bryan Velez de Villa, Jay LinA full list of sessions at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience™ is available at https://tlmdx.aasld.org/.About InterceptIntercept is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat progressive non-viral liver diseases, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Founded in 2002 in New York, Intercept has operations in the United States, Europe and Canada. For more information, please visit www.interceptpharma.com or connect with the company on Twitter and LinkedIn.About Liver Fibrosis due to NASHNonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a serious progressive liver disease caused by excessive fat accumulation in the liver that induces chronic inflammation, resulting in progressive fibrosis (scarring) that can lead to cirrhosis, eventual liver failure, cancer and death. Advanced fibrosis is associated with a substantially higher risk of liver-related morbidity and mortality in patients with NASH. In the United States, NASH is currently the second leading cause for liver transplantation overall, and in females, the leading cause. NASH is anticipated to become the leading indication for liver transplantation in Europe within the next decade. There are currently no medications approved for the treatment of NASH.About the REGENERATE StudyREGENERATE is a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the safety and efficacy of obeticholic acid (OCA) on clinical outcomes in patients with liver fibrosis due to NASH. A pre-specified 18-month analysis was conducted to assess the effect of OCA on liver histology comparing month 18 biopsies with baseline. REGENERATE has completed target enrollment for the clinical outcomes cohort, with 2,480 adult NASH patients randomized over 300 qualified centers worldwide, and is expected to continue through clinical outcomes for verification and description of clinical benefit. The end-of-study analysis is designed to evaluate the effect of OCA on all-cause mortality and liver-related clinical outcomes, as well as long-term safety.About Primary Biliary CholangitisPrimary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic, progressive liver disorder that mostly affects women, afflicting approximately one in 1,000 women over the age of 40. If left untreated, survival of PBC patients is significantly worse than the general population.About Ocaliva® (obeticholic acid) Ocaliva is indicated in the United States for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA, or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA.This indication is approved under the accelerated approval pathway based on a reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as a surrogate endpoint which is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, including an improvement in liver transplant free-survival. An improvement in survival or disease-related symptoms has not been established. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. We are conducting a Phase 4 clinical outcomes trial, which we refer to as our COBALT trial, of OCA in patients with PBC with the goal of confirming clinical benefit on a post-marketing basis.In December 2016, Ocaliva received conditional marketing authorization in Europe for the treatment of PBC in combination with UDCA in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA, conditioned upon us providing further data post-approval to confirm benefit. For detailed safety information for Ocaliva 5 mg and 10 mg tablets including posology and method of administration, special warnings, drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, please see the European Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on www.ema.europa.eu.U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR OCALIVA IN PBCWARNING: HEPATIC DECOMPENSATION AND FAILURE IN INCORRECTLY DOSED PBC PATIENTS WITH CHILD-PUGH CLASS B OR C OR DECOMPENSATED CIRRHOSIS * In postmarketing reports, hepatic decompensation and failure, in some cases fatal, have been reported in patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) with decompensated cirrhosis or Child-Pugh Class B or C hepatic impairment when OCALIVA was dosed more frequently than recommended. * The recommended starting dosage of OCALIVA is 5 mg once weekly for patients with Child-Pugh Class B or C hepatic impairment or a prior decompensation event.ContraindicationsOCALIVA is contraindicated in PBC patients with complete biliary obstruction.Warnings and PrecautionsHepatic Decompensation and Failure in Incorrectly-Dosed PBC Patients with Child-Pugh Class B or C or Decompensated CirrhosisIn postmarketing reports, hepatic decompensation and failure, in some cases fatal, have been reported in PBC patients with decompensated cirrhosis or Child-Pugh B or C hepatic impairment when OCALIVA was dosed more frequently than the recommended starting dosage of 5 mg once weekly. Reported cases typically occurred within 2 to 5 weeks after starting OCALIVA and were characterized by an acute increase in total bilirubin and/or ALP concentrations in association with clinical signs and symptoms of hepatic decompensation (e.g., ascites, jaundice, gastrointestinal bleeding, worsening of hepatic encephalopathy).Routinely monitor patients for progression of PBC disease, including liver-related complications, with laboratory and clinical assessments. Dosage adjustment, interruption or discontinuation may be required. Close monitoring is recommended for patients at an increased risk of hepatic decompensation. Severe intercurrent illnesses that may worsen renal function or cause dehydration (e.g., gastroenteritis), may exacerbate the risk of hepatic decompensation. Interrupt treatment with OCALIVA in patients with laboratory or clinical evidence of worsening liver function indicating risk of decompensation, and monitor the patient’s liver function. Consider discontinuing OCALIVA in patients who have experienced clinically significant liver-related adverse reactions. Discontinue OCALIVA in patients who develop complete biliary obstruction.Liver-Related Adverse ReactionsDose-related, liver-related adverse reactions including jaundice, worsening ascites and primary biliary cholangitis flare have been observed in clinical trials, as early as one month after starting treatment with OCALIVA 10 mg once daily up to 50 mg once daily (up to 5-times the highest recommended dosage). Monitor PBC patients during treatment with OCALIVA for elevations in liver biochemical tests and for the development of liver-related adverse reactions.Severe PruritusSevere pruritus was reported in 23% of PBC patients in the OCALIVA 10 mg arm, 19% of PBC patients in the OCALIVA titration arm, and 7% of PBC patients in the placebo arm in a 12-month double-blind randomized controlled trial of 216 PBC patients. Severe pruritus was defined as intense or widespread itching, interfering with activities of daily living, or causing severe sleep disturbance, or intolerable discomfort, and typically requiring medical interventions. Consider clinical evaluation of PBC patients with new onset or worsening severe pruritus. Management strategies include the addition of bile acid resins or antihistamines, OCALIVA dosage reduction, and/or temporary interruption of OCALIVA dosing.Reduction in HDL-CPatients with PBC generally exhibit hyperlipidemia characterized by a significant elevation in total cholesterol primarily due to increased levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Dose-dependent reductions from baseline in mean HDL-C levels were observed at 2 weeks in OCALIVA-treated PBC patients, 20% and 9% in the 10 mg and titration arms, respectively, compared to 2% in the placebo arm. Monitor PBC patients for changes in serum lipid levels during treatment. For PBC patients who do not respond to OCALIVA after 1 year at the highest recommended dosage that can be tolerated (maximum of 10 mg once daily), and who experience a reduction in HDL-C, weigh the potential risks against the benefits of continuing treatment.Adverse ReactionsThe most common adverse reactions from subjects taking OCALIVA for PBC were pruritus, fatigue, abdominal pain and discomfort, rash, oropharyngeal pain, dizziness, constipation, arthralgia, thyroid function abnormality, and eczema. Drug InteractionsBile Acid Binding ResinsBile acid binding resins such as cholestyramine, colestipol, or colesevelam adsorb and reduce bile acid absorption and may reduce the absorption, systemic exposure, and efficacy of OCALIVA. If taking a bile acid binding resin, take OCALIVA at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after taking the bile acid binding resin, or at as great an interval as possible.WarfarinThe International Normalized Ratio (INR) decreased following coadministration of warfarin and OCALIVA. Monitor INR and adjust the dose of warfarin, as needed, to maintain the target INR range when coadministering OCALIVA and warfarin.CYP1A2 Substrates with Narrow Therapeutic IndexObeticholic acid, the active ingredient in OCALIVA, may increase the exposure to concomitant drugs that are CYP1A2 substrates. Therapeutic monitoring of CYP1A2 substrates with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g. theophylline and tizanidine) is recommended when coadministered with OCALIVA.Inhibitors of Bile Salt Efflux PumpAvoid concomitant use of inhibitors of the bile salt efflux pump (BSEP) such as cyclosporine. Concomitant medications that inhibit canalicular membrane bile acid transporters such as the BSEP may exacerbate accumulation of conjugated bile salts including taurine conjugate of obeticholic acid in the liver and result in clinical symptoms. If concomitant use is deemed necessary, monitor serum transaminases and bilirubin.Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING and Medication Guide for OCALIVA.To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-844-782-ICPT or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the progress, timing and results of our clinical trials, including our clinical trials for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (“NASH”), the safety and efficacy of our approved product, Ocaliva (obeticholic acid or “OCA”) for primary biliary cholangitis (“PBC”), and our product candidates, including OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, the timing and acceptance of our regulatory filings and the potential approval of OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, the review of our New Drug Application for OCA for the treatment of liver fibrosis due to NASH by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), our intent to work with the FDA to address the issues raised in the complete response letter (CRL), the potential commercial success of OCA, as well as our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected costs, financial guidance, prospects, plans and objectives.These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “possible,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by our management that, although believed to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks. The following represent some, but not necessarily all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated or predicted by our forward-looking statements: our ability to successfully commercialize Ocaliva for PBC; our ability to maintain our regulatory approval of Ocaliva for PBC in the United States, Europe, Canada, Israel, Australia and other jurisdictions in which we have or may receive marketing authorization; our ability to timely and cost-effectively file for and obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates on an accelerated basis or at all, including OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH following the issuance of the CRL by the FDA; any advisory committee recommendation or dispute resolution determination that our product candidates, including OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, should not be approved or approved only under certain conditions; any future determination that the regulatory applications and subsequent information we submit for our product candidates, including OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, do not contain adequate clinical or other data or meet applicable regulatory requirements for approval; conditions that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on our marketing approvals for our products and product candidates, including OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, such as the need for clinical outcomes data (and not just results based on achievement of a surrogate endpoint), any risk mitigation programs such as a REMS, and any related restrictions, limitations and/or warnings contained in the label of any of our products or product candidates; any potential side effects associated with Ocaliva for PBC, OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH or our other product candidates that could delay or prevent approval, require that an approved product be taken off the market, require the inclusion of safety warnings or precautions, or otherwise limit the sale of such product or product candidate; the initiation, timing, cost, conduct, progress and results of our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, including any issues, delays or failures in identifying patients, enrolling patients, treating patients, retaining patients, meeting specific endpoints in the jurisdictions in which we intend to seek approval or completing and timely reporting the results of our NASH or PBC clinical trials; our ability to establish and maintain relationships with, and the performance of, third-party manufacturers, contract research organizations and other vendors upon whom we are substantially dependent for, among other things, the manufacture and supply of our products, including Ocaliva for PBC and, if approved, OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, and our clinical trial activities; our ability to identify, develop and successfully commercialize our products and product candidates, including our ability to successfully launch OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, if approved; our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our products and product candidates, including our ability to cost-effectively file, prosecute, defend and enforce any patent claims or other intellectual property rights; the size and growth of the markets for our products and product candidates and our ability to serve those markets; the degree of market acceptance of Ocaliva for PBC and, if approved, OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH or our other product candidates among physicians, patients and healthcare payors; the availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement from governmental and private healthcare payors for our products, including Ocaliva for PBC and, if approved, OCA for liver fibrosis due to NASH, and our ability to obtain adequate pricing for such products; our ability to establish and maintain effective sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, either directly or through collaborations with third parties; competition from existing drugs or new drugs that become available; our ability to prevent system failures, data breaches or violations of data protection laws; costs and outcomes relating to any disputes, governmental inquiries or investigations, regulatory proceedings, legal proceedings or litigation, including any securities, intellectual property, employment, product liability or other litigation; our collaborators’ election to pursue research, development and commercialization activities; our ability to establish and maintain relationships with collaborators with development, regulatory and commercialization expertise; our need for and ability to generate or obtain additional financing; our estimates regarding future expenses, revenues and capital requirements and the accuracy thereof; our use of cash and short-term investments; our ability to acquire, license and invest in businesses, technologies, product candidates and products; our ability to attract and retain key personnel to manage our business effectively; our ability to manage the growth of our operations, infrastructure, personnel, systems and controls; our ability to obtain and maintain adequate insurance coverage; the impact of COVID-19, including any impact on our results of operations or financial position, related quarantines and government actions, delays relating to our regulatory applications, disruptions relating to our ongoing clinical trials or involving our contract research organizations, study sites or other clinical partners, disruptions relating to our supply chain or involving our third-party manufacturers, distributors or other distribution partners, facility closures or other restrictions, and the extent and duration thereof; the impact of general U.S. and foreign economic, industry, market, regulatory or political conditions, including the potential impact of Brexit; and the other risks and uncertainties identified in our periodic filings filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.ContactFor more information about Intercept, please contact:Lisa DeFrancesco +1-646-565-4833 investors@interceptpharma.com Christopher Frates +1-646-757-2371 media@interceptpharma.com

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Angela Merkel heckled in German parliament after warning against Covid-19 'lies and disinformation'
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, was heckled by opposition MPs during a speech to parliament on Thursday, while taking aim at groups spreading “lies and disinformation” as the country continues to battle the coronavirus crisis. The speech, which took place the morning after Mrs Merkel announced a range of sweeping reforms to tackle the spread of the pandemic, warned that the German people find themselves in a “dramatic situation”. On Thursday morning, Germany recorded 16,774 new daily coronavirus infections, the highest number of new cases within a 24-hour period since the pandemic began. In a veiled criticism of the far-right Alternative for Germany – staunch opponents of the country’s lockdown measures – Mrs Merkel laid out a plea for unity. “Lies, disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate not only damage democratic debate, but also the fight against the coronavirus” Mrs Merkel said. “Soothing wishful thinking and populist trivialisation (of the coronavirus) is not only unrealistic, it is irresponsible.” The speech was frequently interrupted by jeers from AfD MPs. Such interjections are rare in German parliament, with house speaker Wolfgang Schäuble threatening the hecklers with calls to order and criticising their “dangerous” behaviour.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:59:07 GMT

UK Brexit negotiators arrive in Brussels under shadow of coronavirus lockdown
British Brexit negotiators arrived in Brussels under the threat of lockdown on Thursday for trade negotiations in one of the EU countries hardest hit by the second wave of coronavirus. Brussels is at the epicentre of rocketing infection rates in Belgium that are second only to the Czech Republic in the EU and far outstrip the UK’s. Belgium is expected to announce that it will follow France and Germany back into lockdown on Friday. UK-EU Trade talks resume on Friday in Brussels and will continue through the weekend as both sides race to agree a trade deal before mid-November and avoid a damaging no deal Brexit. Future negotiations could be held exclusively in London, although this is understood to be unlikely, or be shifted to cumbersome online video conferences, depending on how strict the Belgian lockdown is. UK-EU negotiations restarted in London last Friday after the European Commission promised Britain daily, intensified talks. They were extended until Wednesday in the hope the public health situation in Brussels would improve. Instead it got worse. Belgium reported 1424.2 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the last two weeks, and rising death and hospitalisation rates on Thursday. In Britain the rate is 424.1, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Contamination figures in Belgium are ten times worse than in Germany and significantly worse than in France, where non-essential travel was banned this week. Brussels has already closed all its bars and cafes and introduced a curfew. Masks are mandatory everywhere outside and working from home is strongly recommended. Marc Van Ranst, a virologist advising the Belgian government since the start of the pandemic, said earlier measures had failed. He tweeted, “Like in our neighbouring countries, it is time for us to hit the emergency brake: lockdown.” David Frost and Michel Barnier, the two chief negotiators, will discuss the impact of the new Belgian coronavirus restrictions, which are expected to last a month and beyond the mid-November deadline, and make a joint decision on the next steps. “If it is a full lockdown, then we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” an EU official said, “The lockdown would have to close the borders and prevent us meeting in person for it to have an impact.” The UK and EU could decide to continue talks as planned, move them online or to London. The joint principles for the talks allow for flexibility in reacting to the unpredictable virus, sources said. Both sides have committed to prioritising “their duty of care to the individuals in negotiating teams”. “Both parties will give due regard to the evolving Covid-19 situation, the practicalities of travel, and, in particular, the different levels of risk in both London and Brussels,” the joint principles read. British travellers to Belgium must quarantine for a fortnight on their return to the UK but the negotiators have special diplomatic exemptions from the requirement. The atmosphere over the past week of negotiations was described as “relatively constructive” by sources. Some progress was made over the last days, the Telegraph understands, but there was no breakthrough on the major obstacles of fishing, the level playing field guarantees or the deal’s enforcement. A joint secretariat taking in progress from 11 different negotiating streams has been set up. It oversees a consolidated master text that will form the basis of the future trade deal. The trade negotiations were forced online when the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March but both sides admitted it was hard to make real progress in the virtual talks, which made it tough to build a rapport. Lord Frost and Mr Barnier were both forced to quarantine in the first months of the pandemic. Face to face negotiations eventually resumed in both London and Brussels with strict hygiene and social distancing measures in place.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:54:20 GMT

Germany imposes partial lockdown to control COVID's spread
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged people to stay home in November so families and friends can meet again during the Christmas season.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:34:00 GMT

Old men, chocolate and Ivory Coast's bitter election
The president's U-turn over a third-term bid has opened up wounds in a country with a history of civil wars.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:13:33 GMT

Saudi man arrested after stabbing guard at French Consulate

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 10:57:51 GMT

Election 2020 Today: Wooing Florida, getting out the vote
ON THE TRAIL: President Donald Trump will be in Florida and North Carolina; Democratic challenger Joe Biden will be in Florida; Vice President Mike Pence will be in Iowa and Nevada; Biden's running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, will be campaigning virtually. WOOING FLORIDA: Trump and Biden will hold competing rallies hours apart in Tampa, Florida, a state all but essential to the Republican president's pathway to reelection.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 10:49:24 GMT

Europe, Middle East and Africa Polyurethane Chemicals and Products Market Report: 13th Edition 2020 - Volume 4 Coatings
Dublin, Oct. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Polyurethane Chemicals and Products in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) 13th Edition 2020 - Volume 4 Coatings" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The publisher introduces the updated in-depth market report on Polyurethane Chemicals and Products in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Geographical coverage of the report is as follows: Western Europe (12 countries/regions) Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Nordic Region, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom Eastern Europe (9 countries/regions) Czech Republic, CIS, Hungary, Other (Baltic States, Romania, Bulgaria), Poland, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey Middle East and Africa (9 countries/regions) Iran, Levant, North Africa, Other GCC, Other MEA, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, West Africa Volume 4 covers the coatings sector and covers: * Architectural Coatings (interior/exterior) * Auto OEM * Auto Refinish * Commercial Vehicles * Industrial Coatings * Maintenance Coatings * Marine Coatings * Plastic (non-automotive) Coatings * Roof * Tank & Deck Coatings * Textile & Leather Coatings * Wood/Furniture Coatings * OtherThis publication is presented in eight volumes, with data tables detailing the production of polyurethane products and related raw material consumption, plus summaries of key market trends and drivers.Key Topics Covered: 1\. Introduction Coatings 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Indicative Formulations 1.3 Abbreviations 1.4 End-Use Market Definitions 2\. Coatings Product Description 2.1 Product Description3\. Key Market Players 3.1 Major Producers of PU Coatings4\. Total EMEA Coatings 4.1 Coatings Trends - EMEA 4.2 Growth in Production of Coatings 4.3 PU Production by Type and Country - Western Europe 4.4 PU Production by Type & Country - Eastern Europe 4.5 PU Production by Type and Country - MEA 4.6 Coatings Raw Material Consumption 4.7 Forecast Raw Material Consumption5\. Western Europe Coatings 5.1 Coatings Trends - Western Europe 5.2 Growth in Production of Coatings 5.3 PU Production by Type and Country 5.4 Forecast PU Production by Type and Country 5.5 Coatings Raw Material Consumption 5.6 Forecast Raw Material Consumption * Austria * Benelux * France * Germany * Greece * Ireland * Italy * Nordics * Portugal * Spain * Switzerland * UK6\. Eastern Europe Coatings 6.1 Coatings Trends - Eastern Europe 6.2 Growth in Production of Coatings 6.3 PU Production by Type and Country 6.4 Forecast PU Production by Type and Country 6.5 Coatings Raw Material Consumption 6.6 Forecast Raw Material Consumption * CIS (Excl Russia) * Czech Republic * Hungary * Other Eastern Europe * Poland * Romania * Russia * Slovakia * Slovenia * Turkey7\. Middle East and Africa Coatings 7.1 Coatings Trends - Middle East and Africa 7.2 Growth in Production of Coatings 7.3 PU Production by Type and Country 7.4 Forecast PU Production by Type and Country 7.5 Coatings Raw Material Consumption 7.6 Forecast Raw Material Consumption * East Africa * Iran * Levant * North Africa * Other GCC * Saudi Arabia * South Africa * UAEFor more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kw6zgcResearch and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:58:00 GMT

Merkel warns against 'lies, disinformation' in virus fight
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday defended tough new shutdown measures her government has announced against the coronavirus, warning that propaganda and conspiracy theories undermine the fight against the pandemic.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:41:13 GMT

Meng Wanzhou's lawyer accuses Canadian police officer of lying in court about why he delayed arrest of Huawei executive

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:30:00 GMT

China, Russia seek to curb use of US dollar in Eurasian trade bloc deals to minimise risks
By creating its own monetary and financial system, an economic and trade bloc backed by Russia is looking to reduce its reliance on the US dollar and euro for internal trading and in deals with China.The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a counterpart to the European Union, has five member states - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia - and ensures the free flow of goods and economic cooperation among them, but it does not have a single currency like the 19 of the 27 EU states do.The union has also cultivated a close relationship with China, which has been expanding its influence in Eurasia via the Belt and Road Initiative.Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.Sergei Glazyev, the union's minister of integration and macroeconomics and a former adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Monday in an online forum about extending EAEU-China collaboration that the union is increasing the use of national currencies to minimise risks."Russia and China have created their own payment systems and a system of electronic information exchange between banks, but economic activity participants are still very inactive in using these infrastructure elements and still work in foreign currencies," Glazyev said.China and Russia forge stronger Eurasian economic ties behind Xi Jinping's belt and road plan"I believe that we should radically reverse the situation and create our own Eurasian monetary and financial system," he said. "It would insure us against risks and would be reliable, transparent, convenient and efficient, and would not be burdensome for economic activity participants."At the moment, about half of the payments made within the union are settled in national currencies, while the share when trading with China was even lower - at 15 per cent - according to the EAEU.Glazyev also stressed the urgent need to stabilise the exchange rates of the bloc's national currencies, to establish Eurasian exchanges and pricing mechanisms, and to offer incentives to settling in national currencies.The proposal comes as both Russia and China have been seeking to cut their dependence on the US dollar for some time.The United States has used its control over the global financial system to impose sanctions on Russia since 2014, and this year Washington sanctioned a series of Chinese Communist Party officials and companies for their roles in eroding Hong Kong's autonomy, in helping Beijing build up islands in the disputed South China Sea, and for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.How the US uses the dollar payment system to impose sanctions on a global scaleIn a deteriorating Sino-US relationship, Beijing is looking to speed up its internationalisation of the yuan in global payments to reduce the impact of conflicts with the US.In the first quarter of this year, only 46 per cent of bilateral trade between Russia and China was settled in the US dollar - the first time the share had fallen below 50 per cent - according to data from Russia's central bank and Federal Customs Service. This stood in stark contrast to 2015, when almost 90 per cent of their bilateral trade was settled in the US dollar.Meanwhile, the euro's share in those bilateral deals during the first quarter accounted for a record high of 30 per cent, while the yuan's share reached 17 per cent, and the rouble accounted for 7 per cent.Beyond trade, Moscow and Beijing have also sought to strengthen their financial collaboration to speed up the de-dollarisation process. Last year, Moscow said it planned to launch its first yuan-denominated bond, hoping it would boost interest by Chinese investors in Russian assets and help create benchmarks for the setting up of hedging options for roubles and the yuan, sidestepping use of the US dollar.This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:30:00 GMT

US charges 8 with involvement in China's 'Operation Fox Hunt', saying suspects are targeting dissidents

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:30:00 GMT

Armenians Beg Putin to Send Secret Soldiers for Their War in Nagorno-Karabakh
MOSCOW—After several weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the contested mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenians have all but stopped hoping for any help from their ally Russia.Under a mutual defense pact known as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)—the Russian equivalent to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization—Moscow has pledged to send troops to defend member states like Armenia if they are under attack. But Armenians aren’t holding their breath, even as the death toll mounts and Azerbaijan gains ground in the contested region thanks to their superior drone power.“Every Armenian all across the world feels an existential threat to our nation,” an Armenian politician, Arthur Paronyan, told The Daily Beast. “But nobody expects the CSTO to help. It is a dead organization.”Attack Drones Dominating Tanks as Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict Showcases the Future of WarRather than sending troops, Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to broker a ceasefire in Moscow in early October. But the peace agreement quickly fell apart, and Putin acknowledged in a recent speech that the war in Nagorno-Karabakh has become more deadly than either side is admitting. Putin said the fighting has killed 5,000 people on both sides. “We have a conflict in its worst form,” he said.Putin has not, though, acknowledged any Russian obligation to intervene despite the mutual defense pact with Armenia. The agreement covers risks to the territory of the Russian ally, and while most of the fighting is in the Nagorno-Karabakh region—which is internationally recognized as belonging to Azerbaijan—some artillery strikes have in fact hit mainland Armenia. Russia’s cautious stance signals that the credibility of the Russian defense pact is becoming another casualty of the war.Paronyan said Russia might still intervene secretly, as it has in Ukraine with soldiers out of uniform, known as “green men,” though this would not formally meet the treaty obligations. “There are hopes that Russia has other ways of helping, like sending green men,” he said. “We are not picky.” So far, Russia has not deployed soldiers to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh but there are Russian boots in Armenia. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan said earlier this week that there are Russian border guards on the Armenian border with Nagorno-Karabakh.If 5,000 people have indeed been killed in a month of fighting, the war would clearly be the most deadly now in the former Soviet Union, an area where Russia has presented itself as a protector of stability. This casualty figure is about a third of the deaths reported by the United Nations over six years of fighting in eastern Ukraine. This week, the countries kept fighting through another ceasefire, this one negotiated and announced by the Trump administration. Azerbaijan said Armenia had fired rockets at a civilian target, while Armenia’s defense ministry said rockets hit a city in Nagorno-Karabakh.The countries have been clashing over the territory in the mountains, the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, for three decades since a brutal war in the ’90s that killed 30,000 and displaced one million—but the escalation that began in September is the worst since a previous ceasefire in 1994. Armenia is a member of the CSTO, the military alliance of seven out of 15 former Soviet republics, where Russia plays the key role. Azerbaijan quit its membership in 1999.Fuad Akhundov, head of the Public and Political Affairs department at Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration, told The Daily Beast the CSTO treaty should not apply to the current conflict. “This is a war on the territory of Azerbaijan—we are pushing Armenian military away from Azerbaijan’s territory,” he said. “Nobody has attacked CSTO; on the contrary, as a member of this organization, Armenia is breaking a United Nations resolution which is recognized by CSTO,” Akhundov said, referring to a 2008 U.N. resolution that declared Nagorno-Karabakh to be Azerbaijan’s territory and demanded “the withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories.”Russia’s position—it has sold weapons to both sides, even as it attempts to mediate the conflict—risks alienating not only Armenians close to home, but also members of the large Armenian diaspora, who are watching the conflict closely. “Together, we continue to pray during this difficult time for the many men, women and children who have been impacted by the war. We are one global Armenian nation,” Kim Kardashian, who is Armenian American, wrote in one of her recent social media posts.The war in the South Caucasus is not the only hotspot for the Kremlin among CSTO member states. Political and security crises have erupted in one after another this year. Russia’s key ally, Belarus, has been gripped by civil unrest after an election widely seen as rigged. In its capital, Minsk, police fired rubber bullets and threw stun grenades at protesters on Sunday. “We are disarmed! We are disarmed!” peaceful protesters yelled to riot police during the “People’s Ultimatum” march, which demanded the resignation of the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko. Hundreds of thousands have been joining rallies all across Belarus since early August. Human rights organizations report that police are beating and torturing hundreds of Belarusian opposition activists.The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov also dryly noted what he called “a mess and chaos” in Kyrgyzstan, a post-Soviet country in Central Asia, and also a member of the CSTO, which is undergoing its third revolution since the fall of USSR.“The entire system of security that Putin has been trying to build for the last two decades is crumbling, cracking and demonstrating failures,” Vladimir Ryzhkov, professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, told The Daily Beast. “The Putin dream to rebuild authority and loyalty of post-Soviet countries would work only if Russia could afford to be constantly paying, donating aid to its partners. But clearly, even money cannot buy Russia’s authority back.”Earlier this year, residents of Russia’s neighboring countries criticized the Russian president for his clumsy calls to reintegrate Soviet states for their own benefit. On a show called “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” which was broadcast on Russia’s Channel One, Putin— speaking in his manner of a teacher lecturing students—urged the post-Soviet countries to “overcome some phobias of the past, overcome fears about the revival of the Soviet Union and the Soviet empire.” He added: “Joining efforts is for the benefit of all, [and] makes this way inevitable.”But Putin’s comments about the “advantages” of reuniting former Soviet states wasn’t welcomed by all. After the broadcast, a Baku-based analytical center, the Institute for Strategic Analysis, reminded the Russian president of the Soviet Union’s “decades of shameless colonial robbery, repression, including against national intelligentsia, mass deportations, ‘hunger genocide,’ redrawing the borders.”Moscow’s newest alternative for uniting former Soviet countries, the Eurasian Economic Union, emerged a few years ago. Russia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan signed a treaty with Russia in 2014-15, at the beginning of the regional economic crises, shortly before the Kremlin annexed Crimea and faced economic sanctions both from the European Union and the United States. But even Russian public opinion about the new alliance seems confused: 28 percent of Russians believe that this is a new version of the USSR, while 39 percent of people would like to see a completely new union, different from the original Soviet model.With Kyrgyzstan in “chaos,” Belarus in constant political unrest, and Armenia at war, the Eurasian Economic Union represents a rather unstable entity. According to a Moscow based analyst, Yuriy Krupnov, that is entirely the fault of Russia’s unwillingness to commit real economic resources to the project. “There is only one solution for solving the crucial issues in our allied states: to create one strong union state, not some mere form of a civilized divorce, otherwise the cost for consequences will be more dramatic than many imagine today,” Krupnov said.For now, the former Soviet states may be on their own when it comes to war and peace. Tom Dewaal, author of Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, says that it is up to Baku and Yerevan to prevent a bigger and even a bloodier war without end. “I don’t think Russia wants to intervene and go to war with Azerbaijan. Inaction is the lesser of two evils for them,” Dewaal told The Daily Beast on Tuesday. “They help discreetly.” Dewaal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, believes that if Russia ends up at war with Azerbaijan, it would be bad on many levels, including for Dagestan, Russia’s troubled region on Azerbaijan’s border.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:14:31 GMT

France goes on maximum alert after attack at church kills 3
PARIS — An attacker armed with a knife killed three people at a church Thursday in the Mediterranean city of Nice, French authorities said, prompting the prime minister to announce that France was raising its security alert status to the highest level. It was the third attack in two months in France amid a growing furor in the Muslim world over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that were re-published by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Thursday’s assailant in Nice was wounded by police and hospitalized after the killings at the Notre Dame Basilica, less than a kilometer (half-mile) from the site in 2016 where another attacker plowed a truck into a Bastille Day crowd, killing dozens of people.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:12:03 GMT

Mali Radisson Blu attack: Two Islamists sentenced to death
Two Islamists are convicted of carrying out two attacks targeting foreigners, in which 25 people died.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 08:19:30 GMT

Short of medics as virus surges, central Europe sounds alarm
Soldiers in Poland are giving coronavirus tests. American National Guard troops with medical training are headed to the Czech Republic to work alongside doctors there. With cases surging in many central European countries, firefighters, students and retired doctors are being asked to help shore up buckling health care systems.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 07:30:06 GMT

Analysis: Iran frets over US vote it insists doesn't matter
Top officials in Iran say the upcoming U.S. election doesn't matter, but nearly everyone else there seems to be holding their breath. The race for the White House could mean another four years of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign. Or it could bring Joe Biden, who has raised the possibility of the U.S. returning to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 06:08:06 GMT

Zeta barrels across Southeast after battering weary coast
Zeta sped across the Southeast on Thursday, leaving a trail of damage and more than 2 million homes and businesses in the dark in Atlanta and beyond after pounding New Orleans with winds and water that splintered homes and were blamed for at least two deaths. A Category 2 hurricane when it hit the southeastern Louisiana coast Wednesday, the storm was still a tropical storm Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Asheville, North Carolina — unusual even in a region accustomed to hurricanes and their aftermath. Hundreds of schools canceled classes or planned to open late across from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 05:43:47 GMT

Trump let a far-right British gadfly speak longer at his Arizona rally than embattled GOP Sen. Martha McSally
President Trump briefly shared the spotlight with Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) during a rally in Goodyear, Arizona, on Wednesday, telling her she had "one minute" to talk to the crowd, adding, "They don't want to hear this."McSally is trailing her Democratic opponent, Mark Kelly, in the polls, but at the rally, Trump gave more speaking time to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and controversial British politician and key Brexit leader Nigel Farage, who flew all the way to the desert to call Trump "the most resilient and brave person" he has ever met.When it was time for McSally to address the crowd, Trump said, "Martha, come up fast. Fast. Fast. Come on. Quick. You got one minute! One minute, Martha! They don't want to hear this, Martha. Come on. Let's go. Quick, quick, quick. Come on." It was, Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts wrote, "how you might call your dog."Watching the scene unfold was "painful," Roberts said, as "the president who dodged the draft" was treating "the nation's first female combat pilot with such disrespect."This wasn't the first uncomfortable moment between Trump and McSally at a rally; earlier this month, Trump was in Tucson, where he heaped praised upon Kelli Ward, chair of the Arizona Republican Party. Ward, he said, was "a warrior" and "a fighter" who is "a friend that's so loyal, and strong and a good person." In 2018, Ward lost to McSally in a three-way GOP Senate primary, and Trump lamented that "she would have been, oh, if she didn't have three or four people running at the same time, she would have been your senator. Hate to say it, she would have been your senator." McSally was in attendance at the rally but never got a chance to speak, Roberts said, adding, "It's baffling that Trump would treat McSally almost as an annoyance in her own state, at a time when she is fighting for every vote." > pic.twitter.com/0SGhUZeSdY> > -- Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) October 28, 2020More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 05:30:18 GMT

Philly shooting brings policing, racism back into campaign
The fatal shooting of another Black man on America's streets by police — with subsequent unrest — has brought the fraught issues of policing and racism in the nation back to the fore of the presidential election in its closing days. Philadelphia police say Walter Wallace Jr., 27, was shot earlier this week in the throes of a mental health crisis after he ignored officers' repeated orders to drop a knife. The encounter, caught on video, spurred violent unrest in Philadelphia, and now has both President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden calibrating how to address some of the same questions that roiled American cities — and the presidential campaign — earlier this year as they negotiate the end game for a race in which Pennsylvania is a critical battleground.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 05:07:35 GMT

Trump, Biden to appeal to last-minute voters in Florida
President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden are set to chase votes in Florida, a state all but essential to the Republican's pathway to another term as both nominees turn their focus to encouraging voters to turn out on Election Day. More than 73 million Americans have already voted, absentee or by mail, and Trump and Biden are trying to energize the millions more who will vote in person on Tuesday. While the Election Day vote traditionally favors Republicans and early votes tend toward Democrats, the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 227,000 people in the United States, has injected new uncertainty about the makeup of the electorate.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:46:16 GMT

Taking a stand has new meaning in heavily litigated election
In the most litigious presidential election in memory, court fights are even happening over where poll watchers may stand as the votes are tallied. Lawsuits by the hundreds already have been filed — with the prospect of many more before and after Tuesday's voting — as both Democrats and Republicans try to settle in court a process that is usually determined by citizens simply casting ballots. The legal action runs along a broad spectrum, from a dispute over whether guns are allowed near polling places to more complicated matters that already have reached the Supreme Court.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:44:18 GMT

Letters, texts, caravans, parades: Advocates mobilize voters
Gehman, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of 182,000 people who have participated in Vote Forward, a 50-state letter-writing campaign to more than 17.5 million homes. As early voting has surged dramatically, with more than 73 million people estimated to have cast ballots, advocates have been mobilizing in myriad ways, from neighborhood groups to national movements, from block associations to college marching bands to lone violinists. Voters have been ushered to the polls by fleets of minivans, with bicycle parades and on horseback in Indian Country.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:41:59 GMT

US focused on disrupting finances for Somalia's al-Shabab
The United States strongly backed efforts to disrupt the illegal financing methods used by Somalia’s al-Shabab extremist group, which according to U.N. experts raised more than the million it spent last year on fighters, weapons and intelligence. U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft told the Security Council on Wednesday the Trump administration is committed to partnering with other countries and using U.N. sanctions to counter al-Shabab's “financing of terrorism” and the threat from homemade bombs the group is making.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:39:54 GMT

Trump paints apocalyptic portrait of life in US under Biden
The suburbs wouldn't be the suburbs anymore, the economy would sink into its worst depression ever and police departments would cease to exist. This is the apocalyptic version of American life that President Donald Trump argues would be the dire consequence of turning over the White House to Democrat Joe Biden. "He’ll bury you in regulations, dismantle your police departments, dissolve our borders, confiscate your guns, terminate religious liberty, destroy your suburbs,” Trump said in one of many over-the-top pronouncements about Biden in the campaign's final weeks.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:34:54 GMT

Road trip: In Mississippi, love in the time of coronavirus
Bonnie Bishop had been in the hospital since early July. “You are coming home,” Mike Bishop, 63, said firmly. It’s a story about coronavirus, the people it strikes down, and a big quiet house outside of Jackson, Mississippi.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:06:46 GMT

India's coronavirus cases cross 8 million, behind US
India’s confirmed coronavirus caseload surpassed 8 million on Thursday with daily infections dipping to the lowest level this week, as concerns grew over a major Hindu festival season and winter setting in. India’s trajectory is moving toward the worst-hit country, the United States, which has over 8.8 million cases. The Health Ministry reported another 49,881 infections and 517 fatalities in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 120,527.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:03:27 GMT

US official says UN has 'lack of curiosity' on Xinjiang
The United Nations is not doing enough to investigate reported abuses in China’s Xinjiang region against members of Muslim minority groups, the U.S. envoy for women’s issues said Thursday. Citing reports of forced birth control, home visits and sexual violence in detention centers, Ambassador-at-Large on Women’s Issues Kelley Currie said such practices show a “pervasive pattern of targeting women.” “It’s really remarkable to me as someone who used to work at the U.N. the complete lack of curiosity or concern we see from the U.N. on what are really grave allegations and very widespread and quite disturbing human rights abuses,” said Currie, who also serves as the U.S. representative at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 03:21:50 GMT

Typhoon, landslides leave 35 dead, dozens missing in Vietnam
A typhoon that officials said was the most powerful to hit Vietnam in 20 years blew away from the country on Thursday after setting off landslides, sinking boats and knocking out power to at least 1.7 million people. The immediate focus for rescuers was on three villages in the country's central region where landslides killed at least 19 people and are suspected of burying more than 40 others in thick mud and debris. Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung traveled to the site of one landslide where soldiers were working to clear debris with bulldozers and he ordered officers to urgently send more troops to help with the efforts.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 03:02:55 GMT

Report: DNI John Ratcliffe went rogue when he said emails from Iran were designed to hurt Trump
During a press conference last week, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe strayed from his approved remarks when he claimed Iran was sending emails to American voters as a way to "damage President Trump," two senior administration officials with knowledge of the matter told Politico. This allegation was not in his prepared statement, which was shown to and signed off by FBI Director Christopher Wray and Chris Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, Politico reports. The press conference was held so the officials could explain to voters ways foreign actors were trying to influence the U.S. election.Democrats in several states reported receiving emails that claimed to be from the far-right Proud Boys group, threatening them and saying if they didn't vote for Trump, "we will come after you." Ratcliffe said those emails were sent by Iran, and then asserted that they were "designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President Trump." The officials told Politico that while the Proud Boys were named several times in his prepared remarks, Ratcliffe omitted those references.Ratcliffe made the decision to hold the briefing on his own, officials told Politico, and it was quickly put together and timed so it would not air on television at the same time as a Trump rally. Before becoming DNI, Ratcliffe was one of Trump's most vocal supporters.When asked for comment, Amanda Schoch, the assistant DNI for strategic communications, told Politico that "literally no one is disputing the 100 percent factual accuracy of the DNI's remarks. The rest of this is just pointless process noise, most of which is inaccurate or taken out of context."More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 03:02:00 GMT

Nigel Farage delivers surprise speech at Donald Trump rally in Arizona
Nigel Farage, the Brexit Party leader, has delivered a surprise speech at a Donald Trump rally where he called the US president the “most resilient and bravest person I have ever met in my life”. Standing next to Mr Trump in the blazing sun at Goodyear, Arizona, Mr Farage said that a vote for the president this election would be a vote for “decency”, “plain speaking” and a cut in taxes. The thousands of Trump supporters present responded with cheers and Mr Trump thanked Mr Farage for his speech afterwards, saying he was "glad" he called on the British politician. However critics will question Mr Farage’s decision to intervene so explicitly in the US election, less than a week away, given the convention of foreign politicians not getting involved in campaigns. The three-minute address follows a similar speech Mr Farage, the former UK Independence Party leader, gave during Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. He had given that address shortly after Britain voted to leave the European Union. It helped cement a newly forged friendship, with Mr Trump dubbing him “Mr Brexit”.

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:45:20 GMT

REFILE-UK rejects 'Britain First' trade policy, taking swipes at US and EU

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:01:00 GMT

Trump praises Brexit leader Farage as 'king of Europe'
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday greeted Britain's Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage at one of his final reelection rallies, bestowing on him the title "king of Europe."

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 23:20:12 GMT

Editorial Roundup: US

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 23:15:26 GMT

Justice Department ramps up inquiry into NY care home deaths
The U.S. Justice Department vastly expanded an inquiry Wednesday that could determine whether New York is undercounting coronavirus deaths among nursing home residents, demanding detailed data from hundreds of private facilities. The demand ratchets up pressure on Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo after months of bipartisan criticism that the state’s official tally of 6,722 dead at long-term care facilities is probably off by thousands. Cuomo's administration has repeatedly refused to release such nursing home data to lawmakers and the media, including a public-records request from The Associated Press dating back to May.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:36:00 GMT

Justices deny fast, new look at Pennsylvania ballot deadline
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would not grant a quick, pre-election review to a new Republican appeal to exclude absentee ballots received after Election Day in the presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania, although it remained unclear whether those ballots will ultimately be counted. The court's order left open the possibility that the justices could take up and decide after the election whether a three-day extension to receive and count absentee ballots ordered by Pennsylvania's high court was proper. The issue would take on enormous importance if Pennsylvania turns out to be the crucial state in next week's election and the votes received between Nov. 3 and Nov. 6 are potentially decisive.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:34:17 GMT

Lawsuit says census takers were pressured to falsify data
The U.S. Census Bureau was able to claim it had reached 99.9% of households when the 2020 census ended two weeks ago because census takers were pressured to falsify data as the statistical agency cut corners and slashed standards, according to an amended lawsuit from advocacy groups and local governments. In Baltimore, Southern California and the states of Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas, some households were marked as completed after only one attempt to reach residents living there, according to the revised lawsuit filed by the National Urban League; the city of San Jose, California; and others. Elsewhere, census takers were pressured by supervisors to close cases as quickly as possible, and they did this by guessing the number of people living in a household, claiming an address was too dangerous to visit or falsely saying residents of a household had refused to answer questions during door-knocking, said the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Jose.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:15:04 GMT

France announces new national coronavirus lockdown
France is returning to a nationwide lockdown amid rising coronavirus infections, President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday.The restrictions, which are set to kick in at midnight Thursday and will last until mid-December with period reviews before then, are similar to the country's previous lockdown this spring — people will only be able to leave their home for work purposes if remote work is not feasible, buy essential goods, seek medical attention, and exercise for one hour a day. Unlike the earlier iteration, however, schools and nurseries will remain open for the most part. Funerals and visits to care homes will be allowed, as well.Several European countries are experiencing a second wave of rising, often record-breaking coronavirus infections along with France, including Germany, whose Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday also announced new restrictions aimed at curbing the virus' spread. For at least the next four weeks, restaurants, bars, and other leisure and cultural facilities will be ordered to close, and contacts are to be reduced to a maximum of two households and no more than 10 people. Like France, schools and nurseries will remain open, as will the majority of businesses and work places, The Guardian reports. Read more at The Guardian.More stories from theweek.com How to make an election crisis 64 things President Trump has said about women Republicans are on the verge of a spectacular upside-down achievement

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 20:42:00 GMT

Germany and France announce new lockdowns as coronavirus cases spike in Europe
"We must act, and now, to avoid an acute national health emergency," Chancellor Angela Merkel said while announcing Germany's four-week shutdown.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:47:00 GMT

Germany and France announce new lockdowns as coronavirus cases spike in Europe
Both Germany and France announced new nationwide lockdowns on Wednesday as Europe enters a deadly new phase of the coronavirus pandemic. Chancellor Angela Merkel says German officials have agreed to a four-week shutdown of restaurants, bars, cinemas, theaters and other leisure facilities in a bid to curb a sharp rise in coronavirus infections. Merkel and the country's 16 state governors, who are responsible for imposing and easing restrictions, agreed on the partial lockdown in a videoconference Wednesday.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:47:00 GMT

In Florida's Old South, a new political battleground emerges
The farther north you go in Florida, the saying goes, the deeper South you'll get. For generations, the Old South flourished in Duval County, a sprawling metropolis on the state's northern Atlantic coast that is home to Jacksonville and was once a reliable bastion of Republican power. The race between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden will test that Democratic progress.

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:42:38 GMT