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| - Duty Editor: Abhik Chanda Contact: engdeskers@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + Europe awaits AstroZeneca vaccine approval + China, UK row over British Hong Kong passports + Indian farmers in fresh protest showdown + Sundance opens to virtual ovation for deaf drama Health-virus,WRAP AMSTERDAM European regulators are expected to announce if they have approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus shot, as concerns grow over the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants of the deadly pathogen. 700 words 1030 GMT by Jan Hennop with AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic. Videographic China-Britain-HongKong-politics,WRAP BEIJING China says it will "no longer recognise" the British National (Overseas) passport for Hong Kongers as Britain prepares to offer millions of its former colonial subjects a way to escape Beijing's crackdown on dissent. 650 words 1000 GMT by Laurie Chen with Yan Zhao in Hong Kong India-agriculture-politics-demo,WRAP 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 more arrive on tractors to reinforce the campaign against rural reforms. 550 words moved by Jalees Andrabi. Picture. Video Entertainment-US-film-Sundance LOS ANGELES The prestigious Sundance Film Festival, forced online this year by the pandemic, quietly opens to a virtual standing ovation for deaf family drama "CODA" about a high school teen pursuing her musical ambitions. 550 words moved by Andrew Marszal. File picture -- 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 moved 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 visit a Wuhan hospital as the fieldwork begins in a closely watched coronavirus origins probe that will take in a food market presumed to be "ground zero" of the pandemic. 400 words moved. Picture. Video. Live 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 moved by Jennifer Gonzalez Covarrubias 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 moved by Vessela Sergueva. Picture -- EUROPE -- Portugal-euthanasia-parliament-law LISBON Portugal's parliament is expected to pass a law allowing medically assisted dying, making the Catholic-majority country the fourth in Europe to legalise euthanasia. 300 words moved Romania-hospital-fire BUCHAREST At least four people are killed after a fire breaks out in Romania's main hospital treating Covid-19 patients, officials tell AFP. 200 words moved Poland-culture-palmtree,FOCUS WARSAW Tropical is not a word that one associated with the grey Polish capital. Yet, a palm tree towering over downtown Warsaw has firmly taken root in the city's landscape and affections -- and is even a popular postcard landmark. 650 words moved by Anna Maria Jakubek. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- Myanmar-politics-army YANGON More than a dozen embassies, including the US and EU delegation, urge Myanmar to "adhere to democratic norms", joining the UN in a chorus of international concern about a possible coup. 500 words moved. Picture. Video Pakistan-UK-US-crime-media-Pearl ISLAMABAD Lawyers file a last-ditch attempt to overturn the acquittal of a British-born militant convicted of masterminding the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. 400 words moved -- 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. Picture US-Russia-diplomacy,FOCUS WASHINGTON After Donald Trump's four-year flirtation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden is setting a new, colder tone -- unhesitant criticism, despite openness on arms control. 700 words moved by Shaun Tandon. File picture US-politics-Biden,FOCUS WASHINGTON Normal is the new extraordinary under President Joe Biden. His most dramatic achievement in 10 days has simply been to remind Americans of a White House where nothing unexpected happens. 700 words moved by Sebastian Smith. Picture. File picture -- MIDDLE EAST -- Lebanon-politics-unrest,Q&A BEIRUT What is behind escalating street violence in Lebanon's Tripoli, and is the country heading towards mass social unrest as anger mounts over government mismanagement of many crises? 700 words 1200 GMT by Bachir El-Khoury. File Picture. File Video Morocco-prisoners-internet,FOCUS RABAT Moroccan former prisoners have moved out of their jail cells into the social media spotlight by sharing their thug life experiences on YouTube, making them minor celebrities. 750 words 1200 GMT by Kaouthar Oudrhiri. Picture. Video -- 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 -- ENTERTAINMENT -- US-entertainment-Netflix-Bridgerton NEW YORK Bridgerton has become Netflix's most popular new series, with more than 82 million households tuning in to watch the period drama, the streaming service announces. 300 words moved 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 -- 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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