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| - Duty Editor: Huw Griffith Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Europe readies to OK AstraZeneca jab + US economy logs worst performance since 1946 + India cuts power and water to farmer protest + Tennis stars leave quarantine in Australia + Botticelli sells for $92 million Health-virus,WRAP AMSTERDAM European regulators are expected to announce if they have approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus shot for the hard-hit continent, as concerns grow around the world over the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants. 650 words 0600 GMT by AFP Bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic. Videographics US-economy-growth-unemployment,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States saw its sharpest contraction in growth since 1946 as the coronavirus pandemic hammered the economy last year, but while the country may be set for a recovery, it hasn't arrived yet. 750 words moved by Chris Stein. Graphic India-agriculture-politics-demo NEW DELHI Indian authorities cut power and water to a farmers protest camp and step up police pressure after a violent rally in the capital but hundreds of farmers on tractors arrive to reinforce the campaign against government agriculture reforms. 500 words 0630 GMT by Jalees Andrabi. Picture+video Tennis-AUS-Open-WTA-AFP-health-virus,lead ADELAIDE, Australia A relieved Serena Williams takes her daughter to the zoo Friday and Novak Djokovic is happy to simply walk barefoot in a park as the stars of tennis emerge from a fortnight of quarantine before the Australia Open. 600 words 0700 GMT. Picture US-art-auction,WRAP NEW YORK A portrait by Italian renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli sells for $92 million at an online Sotheby's auction, smashing the record price for the artist. 600 words moved by Peter Hutchison. Picture. Video -- SPOTLIGHT -- Health-virus-HongKong,FOCUS HONG KONG Quarantining on arrival is becoming increasingly common as the world grapples with a mushrooming pandemic. But in crowded and expensive Hong Kong how do you survive three weeks in a 20-square-metre hotel room? 650 words 0600 by Yan Zhao. Picture. Video Britain-books-children-MrMen,FOCUS LONDON It's an occasion that might make even Mr. Grumpy crack a smile. The colourful Mr. Men children's books are celebrating their 50th birthday. 750 words moved by Charlotte Durand. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-China,lead WUHAN, China Experts from the World Health Organization meet Chinese officials ahead of their first site visits in Wuhan for a coronavirus origins probe that will take in a food market presumed to be "ground zero" of the pandemic. 500 words 0800 GMT. Picture. Video. Health-virus-novavax-vaccine,3rdlead WASHINGTON US biotech firm Novavax says its two-shot Covid-19 vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 89.3 percent in a major Phase 3 clinical trial in Britain, and remained highly effective against a variant first identified there. 650 words moved by Issam Ahmed Health-virus-Mexico-crime,FOCUS MEXICO CITY Fake vaccines, dubious coronavirus tests, non-existent oxygen tanks -- scammers are preying on desperate Mexican coronavirus patients and their relatives as the pandemic stretches the country's health system to the limit. 550 words 0530 GMT by Jennifer Gonzalez Covarrubias Health-virus-Canada-magician,FOCUS MONTREAL Faced with the shutdown of his touring shows due to pandemic restrictions, Canadian illusionist Luc Langevin reached far up his sleeve and developed a new trick -- interactive virtual performances. 600 words moved by Eric Thomas. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- Health-US-politics-abortion,2ndlead WASHINGTON President Joe Biden rescinds a ban on US aid money going to abortion counseling overseas, risking political blowback on a highly divisive issue just days into his administration. 650 words moved by Paul Handley US-internet-retail-games-Reddit-GameStop SAN FRANCISCO For some Reddit users, GameStop's dizzying rocket ride on Wall Street is a case of the masses rebelling against one-percenters hoarding the world's wealth. 750 words moved by Glenn Chapman Venezuela-health-economy-children,FOCUS CARACAS In crisis-hit Venezuela, maternity wards have become death traps. Hospitals are creaking skeletons of their former selves and according to the latest official figures available, infant mortality and maternal mortality are soaring. 700 words moved by Andrea Tosta. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- Pakistan-UK-US-crime-Pearl,WRAP WASHINGTON The White House says it is "outraged" after Pakistan's top court upheld the acquittal and ordered the release of the militant convicted of masterminding the 2002 beheading of US journalist Daniel Pearl. 800 words moved. Picture. Video Britain-HongKong-China-politics-immigration LONDON Britain's government vows to stand by the people of its former colony Hong Kong against a Chinese crackdown as it prepares to launch a new visa scheme potentially benefiting millions. 450 words moved -- EUROPE -- Russia-politics-opposition-Navalny-Perm,FOCUS PERM, Russia When Ivan Rudnev saw thousands of people join an opposition protest in his gritty hometown Perm despite temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius last weekend, he realised that something had changed. 700 words moved by Thibaut Marchand. Picture. Video Already moved: Russia-politics-opposition-Navalny-demonstration,WRAP Bulgaria-health-virus,INTERVIEW DUPNITSA, Bulgaria Infectious disease specialist Dr Maria Bogoeva was ready to hang up her scrubs and retire from her post in a small provincial hospital in western Bulgaria when the coronavirus pandemic struck. 600 words 0600 GMT by Vessela Sergueva. Picture -- MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA -- Lebanon-unrest-health-virus,SCENE TRIPOLI Angry crowds gather outside the Tripoli homes of some of Lebanon's top politicians, torching rubbish and smashing surveillance cameras as rage grows over the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 580 words moved by Dylan Collins. Picture. Video -- AFRICA -- DRCongo-politics KINSHASA DR Congo's prime minister indicates he will quit, as an overwhelming majority emerges in parliament for President Felix Tshisekedi, who has been embroiled in a struggle for power with supporters of his predecessor. 400 words moved -- ENVIRONMENT -- Netherlands-Nigeria-oil-court-Shell THE HAGUE A Dutch court is to hand down its verdict in a long-running case pitting oil giant Shell against four Nigerian farmers who accuse it of causing widespread pollution. 500 words moved by Sara Magniette -- SPORT -- eSports-gaming-coaches,FOCUS SHANGHAI Not long ago it was "weird" for an eSports team to have a coach, but that is changing fast in a highly competitive environment where milliseconds matter and rewards are in the millions of dollars, insiders say. 600 words moved by Peter Stebbings. File picture Albania-Box-Oly gender,FOCUS SHKODER, Albania At age 15, Elsidita Selaj decided she wanted to box. Through sheer stubbornness she has succeeded, breaking down her family's resistance and sexist attitudes to become Albania's first -- and only -- competitive female boxer. 600 words moved by Briseida Mema. Picture. Video afp
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