Month: December 2020

U.S. stocks in 2020: A year for the history books, in charts

FILE PHOTO: Raindrops hang on a sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., October 26, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters): The year 2020 was a wild one for Wall Street, bookended by the end of the longest bull market in history with the battering of equities by the COVID-19 shutdowns, and a bungee-cord rebound on hopes for economic recovery that resulted in the shortest bear market on record. After closing at a… Continue reading U.S. stocks in 2020: A year for the history books, in charts

Nashville bombing spotlights vulnerable voice, data networks

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2020 file photo, debris remains on the sidewalk in front of buildings damaged in a Christmas Day explosion in Nashville, Tenn. The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville led to communications outages over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S., raising concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. networks. Widespread service outages followed the explosion, which damaged a major AT&T network hub, extended hundreds of miles to at least four neighboring states, disrupting 911 call centers, hospitals and flights out of the Nashville airport. Photo Courtesy: AP

PHOENIX (AP): The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville led to phone and data service outages and disruptions over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S., raising new concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. communications. The blast seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, an important hub that provides local wireless, internet and video service… Continue reading Nashville bombing spotlights vulnerable voice, data networks

2020 finally ending, but New Year’s revelries muted by virus

Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year celebrations begin in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. One million people would usually crowd the Sydney Harbor to watch the annual fireworks that center on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. But this year authorities advised revelers to watch the fireworks on television as the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria battle to curb new COVID-19 outbreaks. Photo Courtesy: AP

CANBERRA, Australia (AP): This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget. Australia was among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. It was a grim end to… Continue reading 2020 finally ending, but New Year’s revelries muted by virus

China OKs 1st homegrown vaccine as COVID-19 surges globally

File Photo In this Dec. 25, 2020 file photo, released by Xinhua News Agency, a staff member inspects syringes of COVID-19 inactivated vaccine products at a packaging plant of the Beijing Biological Products Institute Co., Ltd, a unit of state-owned Sinopharm in Beijing. (Zhang Yuwei/Xinhua via AP, File)

BEIJING (AP): China authorized its first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine for general use Thursday, adding another shot that could see wide use in poorer countries as the virus surges back around the globe. The Sinopharm vaccine had already been given to groups such as health care professionals and essential workers under emergency-use guidelines as part of… Continue reading China OKs 1st homegrown vaccine as COVID-19 surges globally

People should be responsible in current situation: former President Yadav

Kathmandu: Former President Ram Baran Yadav has said that a solution to the current problem would be possible if all were united. At a function organized by the Tej-Tirtha Trust established in 2015 in Kathmandu today, former President Yadav stressed on the need for all to fulfill their duties. He said that the country would… Continue reading People should be responsible in current situation: former President Yadav

One and a half billion savings from Motihari-Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline

Kathmandu: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has saved Rs 1.5 billion from the Motihari-Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline, which has been in operation since last year. According to the annual financial report of the last fiscal year 2019/2020 made public by the corporation, Rs. 1.47 billion has been saved for transportation in the 10 months from August 2019… Continue reading One and a half billion savings from Motihari-Amalekhgunj Petroleum Pipeline

Aviation industry lost Rs 17 bn due to covid-19 pandemic

Kathmandu: Nepal’s aviation industry has lost more than Rs 17 billion in revenue due to the covid-19 pandemic. According to the data made public by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the biggest impact of the Covid 19 has been on the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines. The Nepal Airlines Corporation has lost about… Continue reading Aviation industry lost Rs 17 bn due to covid-19 pandemic

U.S. gasoline prices reach 9-month high as refiners cut more output

FILE PHOTO: A Chevron gas station is seen in Cardiff, California January 25, 2016. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters): U.S. gasoline prices hit a nine-month peak as drivers took to the roads on holiday travel, crude oil prices kept climbing and refiners further cut fuel production due to weak margins. Prices at the pump topped $2.25 a gallon this week, according to the American Automobile Association, the highest since March when… Continue reading U.S. gasoline prices reach 9-month high as refiners cut more output

Yemeni officials: Blast at Aden airport kills 22, wounds 50

People run following an explosion at the airport in Aden, Yemen, shortly after a plane carrying the newly formed Cabinet landed on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. No one on board the government plane was hurt but initial reports said several people at the airport were killed. Photo Courtesy: AP

SANAA, Yemen (AP): A large explosion struck the airport in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Wednesday, shortly after a plane carrying the newly formed Cabinet landed there, security officials said. At least 22 people were killed and 50 were wounded in the blast. The source of the explosion was not immediately clear and… Continue reading Yemeni officials: Blast at Aden airport kills 22, wounds 50

China clamps down in hidden hunt for coronavirus origins

Huanan market vendor Jiang Dafa tends to his pigeons at home in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Oct. 22, 2020. China's search for the COVID-19 virus started in the Huanan Seafood market in Wuhan, a sprawling, low-slung complex where many of the first human coronavirus cases were detected. Scientists initially suspected the virus came from wild animals sold in the market. Photo Courtesy: AP

MOJIANG, China (AP): Deep in the lush mountain valleys of southern China lies the entrance to a mine shaft that once harbored bats with the closest known relative of the COVID-19 virus. The area is of intense scientific interest because it may hold clues to the origins of the coronavirus that has killed more than… Continue reading China clamps down in hidden hunt for coronavirus origins