Biden signs executive orders on Day 1

U.S. President Joe Biden signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington D.C. after his inauguration as the 46th president of the United States on January 20. Hours after being sworn in as the U.S. president, Biden signed a series of executive actions that reversed some of his predecessor Donald Trump’s signature policies. Xinhua

Mexican president tests positive for COVID-19

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced on Sunday on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

The president tweeted that at the moment, he is experiencing “mild symptoms” and currently undergoing treatment.

“As always, I am optimistic. We will all move forward,” wrote the president. Lopez Obrador, 67, said that Interior Minister Olga Sanchez Cordero will represent him at his daily morning press conferences. Hours before his test results were confirmed, the president was on a tour to the state of San Luis Potosi, where he opened new facilities for the National Guard. On January 10, Mexican Presidential Spokesman Jesus Ramirez Cuevas tested positive for the virus.

Austin’s role as secretary of defense confirmed

The U.S. Senate on Friday approved retired Army General Lloyd Austin, President Joe Biden’s nominee, to serve as the nation’s first African American secretary of defense.

The Senate confirmed Austin, aged 67, in a 93-2 vote. The only no votes came from two Republican senators. “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as our country’s 28th Secretary of Defense, and I’m especially proud to be the first African American to hold the position,” Austin tweeted after he was confirmed. Austin will be tasked with implementing the Biden administration’s military and defense priorities, while playing a role in executing the logistics associated with COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Hundreds arrested in pro-Navalny protests

Thousands took to the streets of cities across Russia on Saturday as part of demonstrations organized by supporters of jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny. About 600 protesters were arrested, and some of the police were injured, according to Russia’s Interior Ministry.

In Moscow, thousands of demonstrators gathered in and around Pushkin Square in the city center, where clashes with police broke out. A total of 39 officers in the city had been injured, none seriously, according to RIA Novosti.

Police eventually pushed demonstrators out of the square. Many of them throwing snowballs at the police.

EU targets 70% adult

vaccination

The European Commission has called on the European Union (EU) member states to speed up the vaccination against COVID-19, with a target to inoculate 70 percent of the adult population by summer.

At least 80 percent of the health and social workers as well as 80 percent of senior citizens over 80 years old should be vaccinated before the end of March, it said.

“By summer this year, member states should have vaccinated a minimum of 70 percent of the adult population,” said European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas.

Thai woman gets 43 yrs for royal criticism

The onetime civil servant’s crime was to share audio clips on social media that were deemed critical of Thailand’s monarchy. The sentence, handed down on January 19 by a criminal court in Bangkok, was more than 43 years in prison.

It was the longest sentence yet for violating Thailand’s notoriously tough lèse-majesté law, according to the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. The former civil servant, Anchan Preelert, was sentenced to 87 years, but her prison term was cut in half because she agreed to plead guilty.(SD-Agencies)