President-elect? GOP may wait for January to say Biden won

In this Dec. 1, 2020, photo, President-elect Joe Biden speaks as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris listens at left, during an event to introduce their nominees and appointees to economic policy posts at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. Up soon for Biden: naming his top health care officials as the coronavirus pandemic rages. It’s hard to imagine more consequential picks. Biden is expected to announce his choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services next week. Photo Courtesy: AP

WASHINGTON (AP): Americans waiting for Republicans in Congress to acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect may have to keep waiting until January as GOP leaders stick with President Donald Trump’s litany of legal challenges and unproven claims of fraud. Tuesday’s deadline for states to certify their elections — once viewed as a pivot point for… Continue reading President-elect? GOP may wait for January to say Biden won

Cabinet approves to purchase fertilizer directly from Bangladesh through G2G

Kathmandu: The cabinet meeting has decided to give approval to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to purchase 50,000 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer from Bangladesh through government to government process. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, it will be easier to purchase 50,000 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer through G2G… Continue reading Cabinet approves to purchase fertilizer directly from Bangladesh through G2G

Government decides to borrow Rs 14.15 billion from World Bank and ADB

Photo: Reuters

Kathmandu: Nepal Government has decided to take concessional loan of around Rs 14 billion from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. According to government spokesperson and Information and Communication Technology Minister Parbat Gurung, the cabinet meeting on November 28 decided to take a concessional loan of $40 million from the Asian Development Bank for… Continue reading Government decides to borrow Rs 14.15 billion from World Bank and ADB

Nepal waiting for India’s permission to fly to Delhi

Kathmandu: In line with the air bubble concept proposed by India, the government has decided to operate one flight daily from both India and Nepal. Despite the decision of the Government of Nepal on November 25, the flight has not started yet. Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has been assigned to fly to India from Nepal.… Continue reading Nepal waiting for India’s permission to fly to Delhi

Swiss nightclub, shuttered by COVID-19, reborn as blood donation centre

People give blood on the stage of the closed MAD (Moulin a Danse) night club during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lausanne, Switzerland, December 7, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

LAUSANNE (Reuters): A Swiss nightclub shuttered by COVID-19 restrictions has been converted into a temporary blood donation centre, bringing new life to an empty multi-floor warehouse that previously heaved with revellers. Chandeliers that used to illumine the dance floor for thousands of party-goers at the MAD nightclub in the student town of Lausanne now light… Continue reading Swiss nightclub, shuttered by COVID-19, reborn as blood donation centre

Study calls for streamlining of global data protection rules

FILE PHOTO: Skyscrapers in the City of London financial district are seen on a foggy morning, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, December 7, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

LONDON (Reuters): Personal data can be properly protected without forcing banks to build storage servers in every country they serve, which bumps up costs for customers and dents growth, a financial think tank said in a study on Tuesday. The London-based International Regulatory Strategy Group (IRSG) said data can be sufficiently protected without “localisation” –… Continue reading Study calls for streamlining of global data protection rules

Chuck Yeager, 1st to break sound barrier, dies at 97

FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, file photo, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles Yeager talks to members of the media following a re-enactment flight commemorating his breaking of the sound barrier 65 years earlier, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, at age 97. Photo courtesy: AP

(AP): Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager, the World War II fighter pilot ace and quintessential test pilot who showed he had the “right stuff” when in 1947 he became the first person to fly faster than sound, has died. He was 97. Yeager died Monday, his wife, Victoria Yeager, said on his… Continue reading Chuck Yeager, 1st to break sound barrier, dies at 97

Uber, hard-hit by pandemic, sells its robot-vehicle division

File-This March 20, 2020, file photo shows a parking lot full of Uber self-driving Volvos in Pittsburgh. Uber is selling off its autonomous vehicles development arm to Aurora as the ride-hailing company slims down after its revenues were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic. Aurora will acquire the employees and technology behind Uber's Advanced Technologies Group in an equity transaction, the companies said Monday. Photo Courtesy: AP

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP): Uber is selling off its autonomous vehicles development arm as the ride-hailing company slims down after its revenues were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic. Self-driving vehicle technology company Aurora will acquire the employees and technology behind Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group in an stock transaction, the companies said Monday. Uber will also… Continue reading Uber, hard-hit by pandemic, sells its robot-vehicle division

Rita Ora apologizes for second breach of Covid lockdown restrictions

(BBC): Pop star Rita Ora has apologised for a second breach of the UK’s Covid-19 restrictions, after failing to self-isolate following a trip to Egypt. The 30-year-old flew to Egypt for a private performance on 21 November. On her return the following day, she should have isolated for two weeks. Instead, she threw a birthday… Continue reading Rita Ora apologizes for second breach of Covid lockdown restrictions

Doug Scott: Everest summit mountaineer dies aged 79

Doug Scott and his wife Trish opening a school in Nepal. Photo Courtesy: BBC

(BBC): A mountaineer who was part of the first UK team to summit Everest via the south-west face has died aged 79. Doug Scott was part of the famous team to complete the challenge in 1975. He also founded the charity Community Action Nepal (CAN) in 1994 to help people in the Himalayas, and had… Continue reading Doug Scott: Everest summit mountaineer dies aged 79