The world is on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure” over the equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines, according to the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the prospects for fairly distributing the various jabs were at serious risk. "Not only does this me-first approach leave the world's poorest and most vulnerable at risk, it is also self-defeating," Dr Tedros said at the opening of the body's annual executive board meeting. "Ultimately these actions will only prolong the pandemic." It comes just days after the WHO director-general called for rich and middle-income countries to stop making bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies because, he said, it hurt the UN-led effort to ensure poorer nations also got the jabs. Such behaviour “potentially bumps up the price for everyone and means high-risk people in the poorest and most marginalised countries don’t get the vaccine,” he previously said. The UK government has made a number of these agreements and on Monday announced that it would expand inoculation to the over-70s. All top four priority groups should be vaccinated by mid-February and every adult should have been offered a jab by September, ministers said. The WHO and Gavi, the vaccine alliance, run the Covax programme which is designed to promote development and equitable distribution of jabs. During the WHO executive board meeting on Monday, Dr Tedros said 44 bilateral deals were signed in 2020 and at least 12 had already been signed this year. "This could delay COVAX deliveries and create exactly the scenario COVAX was designed to avoid, with hoarding, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response, and continued social and economic disruption," he said. Such a "me-first approach" left the world's poorest and most vulnerable at risk, he added. The global scramble for shots has intensified as more infectious Covid-19 variants circulate. Dr Tedros cited as an example of inequality that more than 39 million doses of vaccine had been administered in 49 higher-income countries whereas just 25 doses had been given in one poor country. Additional reporting by Reuters

MANILA, Philippines — A huge part of the country would still see cloudy skies and occasional rains due to the northeast monsoon and the tail end of a frontal system, state meteorologists said on Monday afternoon.Updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed that the country’s landmass is still surrounded by cloud bands, from the combined effects of the weather systems and the low pressure area (LPA) over the western part of Mindanao.The LPA was last spotted 85 kilometers south southeast of Zamboanga City. Although it is still not expected to develop into a tropical depression,

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Walt Disney's resort in the Chinese city of Shanghai said on Monday it was investigating after a

Mesut Ozil said joining Fenerbahce is a “dream come true” after landing in Istanbul late on Sunday night ahead his move to the Turkish giants. Arsenal gave permission for Ozil to travel to Turkey after a breakthrough in talks between player and the club over the weekend over the mutual termination of his contract. The 32-year-old had six months to run on his £350,000-a-week deal but he is expected to forego a proportion of the £7m he is owed in wages so he can join Fenerbahce early. Ozil said his Arsenal goodbyes on Sunday before flying to Istanbul last night. A formal announcement on his free transfer to Fenerbahce is set to be made this week once his medical and the relevant paperwork have been completed. “I am very excited because I was always a fan of Fenerbahce. My has dream come true for me,” Ozil told Fenerbahce’s club TV channel last night. “That’s why I'm very excited to wear the jersey. I hope I will be successful with my teammates. I hope everything will be fine. I wish the best. “God bless them (the fans). They always support it. We already know how big we are as a Fenerbahce community. “They showed it again. I am so happy. I hope I can thank them on the pitch. I wish the best.” Fenerbahce have been tracking Ozil for some time and the German has been regularly linked to the club he supported growing up. MLS side DC United have also had interest in Ozil’s desire to play for his boyhood club has helped Fenerbahce win the race to sign him. The move brings an end to his time at Arsenal, who he joined for £42.5million from Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013. Ozil has fallen out of favour under Mikel Arteta and he has not played for Arsenal since last March. He was also not registered by the Gunners in either their Premier League or Europa League squads this season. He and his agent, Erkut Sogut, have previously been adamant he would see out his contract at Arsenal, despite his lack of football. But he has reached an agreement with the club to end his deal early, though the terms of his agreement with Arsenal have not been disclosed. Ozil is expected to finalise his move to Fenerbahce over the coming days and the club’s sporting director, Emre Belozoglu, has said he is delighted a deal is close to completion. “I say that Mesut’s childhood dream, and the dream of all Fenerbahce people, will come true,” Belozoglu said last night. “Mesut is one of the biggest stars the football world has ever seen. We have a good, strong team. With Mesut’s arrival, I hope we will have very good days, win great trophies. We have two to three days ahead of us. Then we make the necessary announcements together.” Ozil has insisted he is fit to play for Fenerbahce straight away despite not playing a competitive match for 10 months. “I haven’t played a match in a while, but I am physically fit, I have no issues,” he said. Arsenal play Newcastle tonight and the imminent departure of Ozil means Arteta can finally move on from an issue that has dominated the agenda in recent months. Arteta is focused on what he hopes will be a bright future with young players like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, who are both expected to start this evening. Kieran Tierney has recovered from the calf issue that kept him out of last Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace and is in line to return. Read More Transfer news LIVE! Chelsea in Haaland bid; Ozil and En-Nesyri latest Fenerbahce confirm Mesut Ozil transfer talks after flight to Turkey Mesut Ozil says Arsenal goodbyes and jets off to seal Fenerbahce move Ozil’s Fenerbahce shirt number and contract details ‘revealed’

Mesut Ozil is closing in on his move to Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce, having arrived in Istanbul to finalise talks. The Arsenal attacking midfielder has been left out of both Premier League and Europa League squads this season and manager Mikel Arteta has made it clear there is no place for the former Germany international in his plans for the future. That remains the case despite the Gunners reverting to a 4-2-3-1 system of late, with Emile Smith Rowe operating in the No. 10 role which Ozil would otherwise be a candidate to fill. The former Real Madrid man has said his goodbyes to his team-mates at the Emirates Stadium, report Sky Sports, and spoke upon his arrival to Turkey as he prepares for his Fenerbahce medical. READ MORE: Premier League fixtures and table - all matches by date and kick-off time “I am very excited because I was always a fan of Fenerbahce. My dream comes true,” he said. “I am very excited to wear the Fenerbahce jersey. I hope we will be very successful with my team-mates.” Ozil further explained he hopes to repay the fans’ support with his performances on the pitch, though as it has been 10 months since he last participated in a competitive game he could potentially have to wait for a debut. Talking to Turkish outlet NTV, Ozil acknowledged he is “missing a few matches” but says he is “physically fit” and “excited” about joining the club he is a fan of. His current club Arsenal are in action on Monday night against Newcastle in the Premier League, hoping to move into the top half of the table with a victory. The Gunners won the FA Cup at the end of last season and are on a four-match unbeaten streak in the league, but have largely unimpressed this season with a lack of creativity leading to calls from some quarters to reinstate Ozil to the team. Arsenal knocked Newcastle out of the FA Cup last weekend, with Smith Rowe netting a decisive goal. Read More

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte is fighting for his political life with an address to the lower chamber of Parliament

(Bloomberg) -- The end of an embargo on Qatar has come at a handy time for the Gulf’s biggest equity-focused

Medics battled exhaustion and the risk of Covid-19 as they raced Monday to treat scores of people injured by a

The Golden Generation have become, in football terms, the geriatric generation. Wayne Rooney’s retirement from playing and move into management at Derby County invokes many memories and quite a few questions, the most perplexing of which is why England failed to live up to expectations in the optimistic days of the early 2000s. Why does finding an answer matter? It might have an impact on Rooney’s career in the dugout. Management is about finding the right blend for a team. England had a prodigious amount of talent available in the early years of the millennium but underperformed. The problems were not at the back. The midfield and attack was invariably less than the sum of their parts. A team containing Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Paul Scholes should have achieved more. Ego played a part in this. Gerrard and Lampard functioned best in a side that was built to serve their needs. Beckham thought he should be given the central role when his strength was working the right side of the pitch. And Sven-Goran Eriksson was not the only manager who was unable to work out how best to deploy Scholes – Sir Alex Ferguson also wrestled with the problem. Too many in the England squad were unwilling to subvert their own game for the greater good of the team. READ MORE: Sir Alex warns new Derby coach Rooney of ‘results industry’ Rooney became more generous on the pitch as he grew older, but Eriksson’s period in charge was characterised by competition not for places but to be the main man. A better manager would have built around Rooney and dispensed with those who did not fall into line. Those who followed Eriksson – Steve McClaren, who is working with the 35-year-old at Derby, and Fabio Capello – made similar mistakes. The early years of the 21st century were a strange time for the game. A new kind of celebrity enveloped the players and those around them. The nadir came at Baden-Baden when WAGs ran wild during the 2006 World Cup. Eriksson was even more enthralled by the glamorous lifestyle than his players. The Swede had superb credentials but lost his way during his tenure as England manager. He prefered stardust to substance. Rooney’s experience of playing in a gifted, undisciplined team may be more valuable going forward than the years under Ferguson’s tutelage. Manchester United’s most successful manager had no qualms about putting a rein on superstars or even dispensing with their services. Beckham was bombed out and Rooney was made to play second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo. It is credit to the Scouser that he recognised that the Portuguese was on a different level and was prepared to assume a different role to his favoured position. If someone as good as Rooney is able to do that, lesser players can hardly baulk if he asks them to do something they don’t fancy for the benefit of the team at Derby. Rooney is much brighter and more self-aware than his public image has sometimes suggested. He is grounded and thinks hard about the game. The job at Derby is a difficult one – as this weekend’s 1-0 home defeat by Rotherham United illustrated – and it will be hard to judge his credentials. He is following in Lampard’s footsteps at Pride Park. The Chelsea manager spent just a season in the East Midlands and is struggling to meet expectations at Stamford Bridge. Lampard’s unwillingness or inability to adapt his game for England was a bad sign for an afterlife in management. The 42-year-old has been quick to publicly blame his players for Chelsea’s underperformance. Rooney can learn from his predecessor’s travails. Gerrard also liked to do his own thing as a player and was even more of a talisman at Anfield than Lampard was in west London. The Liverpool legend was awkward to manage on occasion and his relationship with Rafa Benitez verged on passive-aggressive at times. Life at Rangers has caused the 40-year-old to rethink some of his views. Gerrard has developed more empathy for his former manager and although the pressure is intense in Glasgow, Ibrox has proved to be a good place to learn his trade. He appears to be heading in the right direction. At Rangers, Gerrard has the status to attract better players. Rooney will have the same luxury at Derby. Lampard does not have that advantage at Chelsea. The Premier League club are shopping in a different market for established stars who are less likely to be impressed by a rookie manager. The three glittering jewels of England’s most disappointing era are now becoming elder statesmen. They have the experience of glorious club careers behind them. Rooney was the most adaptable and unselfish on the pitch and that should stand him in good stead. If he – and his former teammates – can learn from the failings of their own Golden Generation it will make them better managers. Read More

MANILA, Philippines — “Restrictive” economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution should be revised since foreign corporations have been skirting the prohibition on foreign ownership of lands and businesses by resorting to dummying, a lawmaker said Monday.Cavite 4th District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. cited as an example some media companies, which, he said, are “just using dummies, in direct violation of our laws,” and are still able to operate in the country."Kaya ako since 2007, I was already in favor of Charter change," he said in an interview over Politiko TV.The 1987 Constitution limits foreign ownership of land and businesses to only 40 percent and sets aside th

Kyiv city has recorded 301 new coronavirus cases in the past day, bringing the total number to 122,997, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

The Scottish fishing industry is protesting Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal in Whitehall today. Footage this morning showed a number of large trucks driving through central London adorned with slogans showing their displeasure after exports to the EU have been stuck in transit. One truck was emblazoned with “Brexit Carnage”, while another said “Incompetent Government Destroying Shellfish Industry.” Others had their business logos proudly displayed outside Whitehall amid claims the fishing sector could collapse. Exports of fresh fish and seafood have been severely disrupted by delays since the UK's transition period ended on December 31. Some Scottish fishermen have been landing their catch in Denmark to avoid the "bureaucratic system" that exports to Europe now involve, according to Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing. After Brexit Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab claimed that issues fishermen were experiencing were just “teething problems”. More to follow…

By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held steady on Monday as a better than expected quarterly rebound for

A Milan court is weighing whether to extradite an Italian woman to the Vatican to face embezzlement-related charges in a case that could test whether Italy considers the Vatican a country where someone can get a fair trial

Michael Palin has shared a hilarious blunder made by his friend David Attenborough. The Monty Python star was a guest on Gaby Roslin’s podcast where he discussed his friendship with the broadcaster. Palin then told a story about Attenborough, whom he said is “so easy to get on with”. “I’ll tell you a little story that sums up David,” he said. “He’s very loyal – if someone asks him to go somewhere, he will try and make it.” Palin continued: “I went to an event at Canada House and he was going to be given a medal. People were getting together and having their drinks and, suddenly, David appears. He doesn’t have an entourage. He just came in, said hello to everybody. "I said to him, ‘David, you are brilliant, you turn up to all of these things’ and he said, ‘Well, I turned up last night [but] it was the wrong night.” Roslin can be heard erupting into laughter, stating: “That is wonderful.” Listen to the full episode here. Attenborough’s most recent nature documentary is the BBC series A Perfect Planet, which is available to watch on iPlayer now. Read More

As the UK’s test-before-travel scheme took effect, passengers have been turned away from a transatlantic flight because the airline did not regard their negative Covid tests as sufficiently high standard. Hannah Holland, a 23-year-old British woman from Sheffield, was booked to travel on American Airlines (AA) from Philadelphia via Chicago’s O’Hare airport to London Heathrow. It was the first departure of flight AA86 for which passengers were required to present proof of a negative coronavirus test before being allowed on board. New rules for arrivals to the UK took effect at 4am; the flight from Chicago was due to arrive at Heathrow airport at 8.40am. Ms Holland, who has been in the US caring for her grandfather, had taken an antigen Covid test – one of the options approved by the UK government – within 72 hours of departure. She told The Independent: "I was boarding in Philadelphia where they checked my Covid test papers. They said: ‘That’s absolutely fine, no problem, go through to your flight.’ "It was the easiest thing in the world until I got to Chicago. “It was only then that one attendant looked at my paper and said: ‘That’s not sufficient, you're not getting on his flight.’ “She kind of threw this list of Chicago testing centres to me and was like, ‘Yeah, have a look at that, goodbye’.” The UK government says an “an antigen test, such as a test from a lateral flow device” is acceptable – though it stipulates the traveller must “ensure the test meets the minimum standards for sensitivity, specificity and viral load details”. American’s partner carrier, British Airways, simply asks for “evidence of a negative Lamp, PCR or antigen Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of their departure”. Ms Holland said other passengers were also denied boarding flight AA86. The Boeing 787 departed late, though it is not known if that was connected with turning travellers away and unloading their baggage. Ms Holland was eventually flown back to Philadelphia. Her father has asked her MP to intervene. American Airlines has been asked for a response. The Independent is also receiving reports that British travellers from Cuba whose flight to Madrid was late missed their connection from the Spanish capital on Sunday and have now been denied boarding a service to London. On Friday the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, revealed that only one in 1,000 of the coronavirus cases in England in December were brought in from abroad. Read More

The 7.17-kilometer Urdaneta Bypass Road in Pangasinan was opened Monday. The bypass road crosses two major road intersections of Urdaneta-Dagupan Road and Urdaneta-Manaoag Provincial Road. Public Work and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, who led the ceremonial inauguration, said the project is seen to address traffic bottlenecks during peak hours along Manila North Road in Urdaneta City and establish an improved national road system in the province of Pangasinan. It is expected to reduce travel time between Villasis town proper to Binalonan to just 30 minutes and will benefit about 38,000 daily motorists. A total of P1.885 billion was spent to implement the project. According to DPWH Region 1 Director Ronnel Tan, the Urdaneta Bypass Road Project involves construction of six lanes portland concrete cement pavement including sidewalk, drainage and slope protection, and installation of solar street lights. It also covered the construction of four permanent bridges along the bypass road. These bridges are the 90.90 meters Macalong Bridge, 70.90 meters Mitura Bridge 1, 36.76 meters Mitura Bridge 2, and 60.90 meters Camantiles Bridge. Villar, on the other hand, said that the construction of a bike lane as an off-carriageway improvement will be done as part of future developments of the bypass road in line with the department’s social responsibility and environmental preservation program of promoting zero carbon footprint by encouraging more cyclists.

Russian authorities have taken an unprecedented step of putting their most outspoken critic Alexei Navalny on trial in a police station – with the opposition politician’s lawyers handed documents one minute before start of proceedings. Mr Navalny was arrested in Moscow Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday evening, after returning home for the first time since surviving a nerve agent attack in August. He was led away by border officials, and was denied access to lawyers right up until his improvised trial. In a video released by his press officer, the Putin critic said he had no idea why the court hearing was taking place in a police station. “We’ve seen justice been mocked in all kinds of ways before … but this is the highest degree of lawlessness,” he said. "Grandad sitting in his bunker is so afraid that he has demonstratively thrown all legal process on the tip." Monday’s developments continued the Kremlin’s unconventional handling of their most prominent enemy. On Sunday, after preparing the scheduled landing airport for war — complete with riot police and guard dogs — authorities at last minute rerouted his plane to another airport.

Jack Wilshere has rejoined Bournemouth, signing a six-month contract with the Championship club. The 29-year-old has been training with the club while a free agent, and will now stay on as a player until the end of the season. Wilshere enjoyed a loan spell at Bournemouth in 2016-17 as he sought to rebuild his injury-hit Arsenal career, making 27 Premier League appearances on the south coast. Two years at West Ham followed where injuries again hampered his progress, and he was released by the club in the summer despite his claims that he was fit and ready to play. More to follow…

(Bloomberg) -- Gold steadied, recovering from an almost seven-week low, amid caution in markets as investors assessed the outlook for

With year-round sunshine and just a few days of annual rainfall, it’s no wonder Dubai is such a hit with British holidaymakers – 1.2 million Britons visited in 2019. After ending lockdown in 2020, Dubai reopened its borders to visitors with tourist visas being issued again as of July last year. In November the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became one of the few destinations on the UK government’s travel corridors list, meaning British visitors would not need to self-isolate on their return. But quarantine-free status was lost from 4am on 12 January, in response to what British government sources called "a significant acceleration" in infections being imported to the UK from Dubai. Arrivals to all four nations of the UK from all the UAE emirates must self-isolate – though people living in England can take a Covid test after five days and, if it is negative, end quarantine.. Here’s what you need to know. Am I allowed to travel to Dubai from the UK? Dubai, and the rest of the UAE, is currently on the Foreign Office’s (FCDO) no-go list. The governmen warns against “all but essential travel to the UAE, based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks”. Anyone going there with a standard travel insurance policy will find it is invalidated. In addition, travel restrictions in place in your area do not permit holidays at home or abroad. England entered a national lockdown on 5 January, which is expected to last until at least March. An end date has not been confirmed yet, but will be reviewed on 19 February and will be partly based on how well the vaccine roll out has progressed. During this time, international travel should only be for essential reasons such as work. Scotland also entered lockdown on 5 January with restrictions, applicable to areas that were previously in level 4, expected to last until the end of January. International travel is illegal unless for an essential reason. Wales has been in lockdown with level 4 restrictions in place since 20 December 2020. This is currently scheduled to end on 31 January 2021. Travel of any kind, including abroad, should only be for essential reasons. Northern Ireland entered lockdown on Boxing Day. It’s expected to last until 6 February although there will be a review on 21 January. Travel, international or otherwise, should only be for essential reasons during this time. How can I get there? British Airways and Emirates are currently the only airlines operating direct flights from the UK to Dubai. BA serves Heathrow airport. This is the main gateway for Emirates, which also serves Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow from Dubai. The Independent found direct return flights from the UK with Emirates from £349 in February. However, you can find cheaper options by adding a stop over. Will they let me in when I arrive? Different emirates in the UAE have different entry requirements so make sure you double check if you’re flying into another emirate to reach Dubai. Dubai’s borders are open. Visitors will be required to complete a Health Declaration Form and a Quarantine Form, which must be printed, completed and handed to Dubai Health Authority staff upon arrival. Visitors will also have to download and register their details on the Covid-19 DXB App according to the FCDO. In addition, visitors must have international health insurance before travelling. Your passport should also be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into the UAE. Do I need to take a PCR swab test for Covid? Yes. Visitors have two options – they can take a PCR swab test for Covid within 96 hours of departure or on arrival in Dubai. It must be a PCR swab test and other tests, including antibody test, are not accepted. Those taking a test before they travel are required to show printed negative results on their arrival. Those taking a test on arrival will need to quarantine until their results come back negative, which typically takes 12 hours but can be longer. Additional testing may be required at Dubai airport and those who test positive in Dubai will be required to self-isolate in a government-mandated facility on their own expense. All visitors to Dubai must adhere to public health measures issued by the Dubai authorities, including any requirements to quarantine. Further details of the restrictions can be found here. Other emirates have different rules and restrictions, so make sure you double check if you’re planning to go elsewhere. Will I have to quarantine when I arrive? If you test positive for Covid-19, yes. Guidance from the Dubai government states that it is mandatory for tourists who test positive to register their details on the Covid-19 DXB app and isolate themselves “at an institutional facility provided by the government for 14 days at their own expense”. Dubai’s national carriers, Emirates and FlyDubai, both include coronavirus cover as part of the ticket prices. In this case, your quarantine expenses will be covered by the airline. Otherwise no. Will I have to quarantine when I come home? Yes. The UAE lost its status on the UK’s travel corridors list at the beginning of January. Around a week later, all travel corridors were scrapped. You will need to self-isolate after returning from Dubai to any of the UK nations. In addition, Scotland has introduced retrospective quarantine. Any Scottish residents who have been in Dubai since 3 January are also being asked to isolate for 10 days from the date they arrived back in the country. What about the rest of the UAE? There are additional restrictions in place. Abu Dhabi, for example, is requiring all visitors to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. They also need to show a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival if travelling by road. Tourist visas on arrival are currently not being issued at the Abu Dhabi airport. If you’re leaving Abu Dhabi for the UK or the EU, you also need to take a PCR test within 96 hours before your departure. Sharjah is requiring those wishing to enter the emirate to provide negative results of a Covid-19 test taken within 96 hours of arrival. They must then take another test once in Sharjah and self-isolate until their tests come back negative. All visitors must have adequate health insurance to cover adequate tests and if they test positive on arrival, they will need to quarantine for 14 days at their own expense. Are hotels open? Yes, hotels opened in Dubai in May 2020 with social distancing regulations in place, such as socially distanced sunbeds. Are restaurants, shops and attractions open? Most shops, restaurants and attractions have now reopened. Major shopping malls, such as the Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and the Dubai Outlet Mall reopened in April 2020. Public and private hotel beaches, major parks, cinemas, museums and top attractions such as Atlantis Aquaventure and The Green Planet are all open. If you’re travelling for an event, the FCDO has advised that you should check with the organisers whether it’s still happening – some events have restarted, however. What rules are in place? Face masks are mandatory everywhere outside your hotel room, even on the beach. You can however take off your mask for eating, drinking, swimming and exercising. Failure to wear a face mask carries a AED3,000 (£650) fine, with the same amount applicable for anyone not adhering to social distancing guidelines of two metres. There may also be temperature checks in place at restaurants and other indoor venues. Read More

GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization said on Monday that the world was on the brink

With the change of leadership in the United States set to take the center stage this week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has nothing but kind words to President-elect Joseph “Joe” Biden whom he described as the “most caring US president.” “He’ll be known as genuinely the most caring US president. Though he is tough when called for but never petulant. No exposés of personal nastiness,” Locsin said in a tweet on Monday. Locsin continued that America has long needed the likes of Biden to look after the welfare of its “disadvantaged and discriminated.” It was earlier reported that the 78-year-old incoming US president is likely to sign executive orders reversing those implemented by outgoing President Donald J. Trump, including those concerning immigration that has affected thousands of migrants in the United States, including undocumented Filipinos. “America has long needed his kind to finally care for its disadvantaged & discriminated. He took the train to Washington all his life,” the DFA secretary added in his tweet. A former senator and vice president, Biden earned the moniker “Amtrak Joe” for his penchant of riding the train going to his workplace in Washington, D.C., and back to his home in Delaware for 36 years up to the present. A staunch advocate for rail travel, it was reported that Biden has accumulated more than 2 million miles taking an Amtrak. In 2011, the Wilmington Amtrak Station was renamed for then Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station in honor of his advocacy for passenger rail. Biden is set to be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at 12 noon on January 20, 2021 at the Western front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore on Monday urged workers at its national airline to help make it the world's first carrier

Two train passengers were seen performing sexual acts on the Hong Kong mass transit railway (MTR) in videos that went viral on Twitter.In one of the clips, clothes can be seen on the seats of the Tung Chung line while two men have sex in an empty carriage, the South China Morning Post reported on Saturday, Jan. 16. Another clip showed one of the men taking a selfie while the train had passengers on the far end.The videos censored the men’s faces with emoji and the Twitter account shut down after the clips went viral.A spokesperson of the MTR Corporation said it is unaware of the source of the video or the date it was filmed. There were also no reports from stations and