COVID-19 Alert - 18 January 2021

18 January 2021

This alert was created automatically by our award-winning intelligence product Silobreaker Online. Story selection is determined by an algorithm and based on queries initially set by a Silobreaker user. Contact us here for more information.

Actions by Governments

23 Died After Getting Covid Shot in Norway. Here’s the Rest of the Story (TheStreet.com)
Amid COVID-19 surge, South Africa delays reopening schools (San Diego Union Tribune)
As India battles Covid-19, staying indoors is the new normal for student (MSN News Singapore)
Australia unlikely to fully reopen border in 2021, says top official (BBC News – Asia)
Austria extends lockdown to Feb. 7, toughens some measures (Dayton Daily News)
Beijing Hopes Germany Will Continue China-friendly Approach After Armin Laschet Wins Christian Democrat Union Leadership Race (TheStreet.com)
Brazil to begin mass Covid-19 vaccination this week (IANS Live)
Germany to hold people who refuse to quarantine in detention centres (Mail Online UK)
Indonesia news outlets start 2021 with layoffs, as Covid-19 pandemic saps ad spending (The Straits Times All News)
Italy’s prime minister facing two confidence votes that could sink government (Telegraph)
New COVID-19 variants: Do the UK and South Africa virus strains pose a danger to Singapore? (Channel NewsAsia)
No. of hospitalized coronavirus patients at record high in Japan (News On Japan)
S Korea leader urges businesses thriving in pandemic to share profits (FT.com – World)
State plans Covid-19 testing for lorry drivers on ferries to France (Irish Times)
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (NationalPost.com)
The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Monday, Jan. 18, 2021 (NationalPost.com)
UK – Labour opens up 4-point lead over Tories as approval of Boris Johnson’s Covid response plunges (The Independent)
UK – Rishi Sunak ‘in Cabinet row over extra Universal Credit cash’ (Mail Online UK)
UK – Rishi Sunak is warned not to hit Tory shires with a new property levy (Mail Online UK)
UK – Scottish Government planning introduction of ‘quarantine hotels’ to prevent spread of coronavirus from overseas (The Scotsman)
UK – UK government to pilot 24-hour vaccinations in London (FT.com – UK News)
US – A worrying coronavirus mutation is discovered in Washington state — but hasn’t spread (star-telegram.com)
US – Another new coronavirus variant found across California (star-telegram.com)
US – COVID-19 variant detected in Massachusetts woman who traveled to UK, according to state (Boston Globe)
US – California on brink of 3 million infections, despite coronavirus surge heading to plateau (Fresno Bee)
US – Data scientist who accused Florida of manipulating coronavirus data to turn herself in on warrant (The Hill)
US – Editorial: Connecticut is barely holding its own in the battle against COVID-19; we could be winning (Hartford Courant)
US – Incoming CDC director expects 500,000 coronavirus deaths by mid-February (The Hill)
US – Lasagna Love has an army of Connecticut volunteers delivering free lasagnas to people struggling during coronavirus pandemic (Hartford Courant)
US – North Dakota sees a massive 80% drop in COVID-19 cases (Mail Online UK)
US – Texas family who lost sense of smell due to COVID-19 escapes fire thanks to teen (New York Post)
US – The Florida data scientist who claimed she was fired “after refusing to falsify data” for the state’s Covid-19 dash… https://t.co/MpTvhRf309 (WSJ – Twitter)
US – Vaccinated, California congressman tests positive for virus (Los Angeles Times)
US and Europe demand the release of Alexei Navalny (Mail Online UK)
WHO’s latest situation report (WHO)
Wines from Piedmont region of Italy (Global News Canada)

Actions by Companies

Apple planning to launch a podcast subscription service: Report (Business Standard India)
AstraZeneca and Sinovac COVID-19 shots get emergency nod in Brazil (Seeking Alpha)
Brazil approves emergency use of vaccines from AstraZeneca and China’s Sinovac (South China Morning Post – News)
Brazil’s health regulator authorises use of AstraZeneca, Sinovac vaccines against COVID-19 (Businessworld India)
Carlsberg Malaysia brings cheer to underprivileged (The Sun Daily)
China’s V-shaped recovery from pandemic is complete, says JPMorgan (CNBC)
China’s Sinovac Steps Up Defense of Vaccine After Confusing Data (Bloomberg)
DNO net output at 95,100 boepd (Gulf Industry Online)
Despite Pandemic, IHG Avid Brand Continues Growth With “Just Right” Value Focus (Forbes.com)
Dr. Anthony Fauci says federal approval of Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca vaccines is ‘weeks away’ (Boston Herald)
Emirates NBD Launches Marketing Campaign (BEDigest)
Eskom Extends South Africa Power Cuts Due to Lack of Capacity (Bloomberg)
Eskom extends loadshedding, says Covid-19 cases hampering operations (Sunday World South Africa)
Eskom implements stage 2 load shedding (Southlands Sun)
Fauci: Approval of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines likely ‘weeks away’ (The Hill)
HDFC Bank, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Wipro in spotlight (Business Standard India)
His absence leaves Samsung rudderless for the second time in four years as the company struggles to emerge from the… https://t.co/jzAXmx0I7V (WSJ – Twitter)
Hong Kong Experts Back Pfizer Shots, Clearing Way for Approval (Bloomberg)
How Shiseido and Unilever are changing lives with makeup and hygiene products (Asiaone)
Infographic: COVID-19 & 737 Max Woes Were Bad News For Boeing In 2020 (International Business Times)
Intel: ‘With remote realities, we need to be up to date on how we respond in that environment’ (Indian Express)
Israel trades Pfizer doses for medical data in vaccine blitz (Mainichi JP)
Kitchen maker Nobia says Q4 sales, profit to exceed forecasts (Nasdaq)
MTN debunks 5G link to COVID-19 (IT Web)
Norway raises concern over Pfizer jabs for elderly as Australia seeks information (South China Morning Post)
Pakistan approves AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use (Business Insider)
Pfizer and BioNTech to Supply Lebanon with their BNT162b2 mRNA-based vaccine candidate to Combat COVID-19 (Zawya.com)
QBE expands COVID-19 provision after losing UK insurance case (WA Today)
QBE takes final hit in FCA test case (Financial Standard)
Refuting own officials, Palace says Sinovac purchase already a ‘done deal’ (Philippine Star)
Renault to move up with revival plan (CHINAdaily.com.cn)
StanChart employees volunteer to make a difference to the community (Business Times Singapore)
Starbucks shuts down Manhattan shops for the day ahead of potential inauguration protests (New York Daily News)
Toyota and Honda resume production in Malaysia (Nikkei Asian Review)
Volkswagen Group Delivered 9.3 Million Vehicles Worldwide In 2020 (NDTV)

Drugs, Treatments & Vaccines

Brazil approves AstraZeneca and Chinese coronavirus vaccines (FT.com – World, Americas)
Coronavirus news – live: Vaccinations to begin for over 70s and UK travel corridors close as borders tighten (The Independent)
New COVID-19 strains shows possible ‘resistance’ to antibody, but not vaccines (FOXNews.com)
North Dakota sees a massive 80% drop in COVID-19 cases (Mail Online UK)
Ohio adds 5,247 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, vaccinates 21,155 residents (star-telegram.com)
Therapeutic efficacy of pulmonary live tuberculosis vaccines against established asthma by subverting local immune environment (Lancet)
UK coronavirus: Outbreaks must be controlled during vaccine roll-out to avoid mutations (Mail Online UK)
UK government to pilot 24-hour vaccinations in London (FT.com – UK News)
Up to one fifth of staff in some care home groups refusing vaccine (The Independent)
Vaccine rollout a glimmer of hope as COVID-19 cases surge in L.A. County (CBS News)
the race between vaccines and new variants (FT.com – World)

Societal & Economic Impact

China reports its economy grew 2.3% percent in 2020 as its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic acceleratedSTLtoday.com{.{.featured_button_text}} BEIJING (AP) — . 0 comments

China’s economy grows in fourth quarter, bucking global trendBBC News – BusinessChina's economy grew at 2.3% for the year, making it the only major economy to see growth last year.

Chinese Economy Rebounds from Early Coronavirus Pandemic Pallshanghaisun.comChina says it's economy grew 2.3% in 2020, recovering from the novel coronavirus pandemic that brought the global economy to a screeching halt. The world's second-largest economy was boosted

Chinese economy expands at faster rate than before coronavirusChina Economic ReviewThe Chinese economy grew at a faster rate than before the coronavirus pandemic in the fourth quarter of 2020, official data showed, as industrial production continued to drive the country’s recovery, reported the Financial Times . Gross domestic…

Covid-19’s Blow to Business Travel Is Expected to Last for YearsWSJ.com US Business

Japan’s Diet starts regular session with focus on COVID-19 pandemicXinhua News AgencyTOKYO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Japan's Diet started a 150-day regular session on Monday, during which the government plans to submit bills including revision of the special law on COVID-19 pandemic to better combat the outbreak as well as legislation on…

Riots, fires, assaults: Inmates revolt over virus lockdownTownsvilleBulletin.com.auPolice have charged nine prisoners over riots and other incidents at Arthur Gorrie jail during the COVID-19 lockdown.Inmates began damaging their cells – including flooding them and lighting fires – after they were locked in their cells for prolonged…

Suicides in Victoria dip despite fears pandemic would drive increaseTheAge.com NationalThere was an almost 3 per cent drop in the number of people who killed themselves in Victoria in 2020, despite concerns the COVID-19 pandemic would cause a spike in suicides.

Thousands protest in Amsterdam against Dutch coronavirus lockdownThe IndependentAmsterdam police tweeted “Go home and keep 1.5 meters away”. Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile Thousands of people have staged an unauthorised protest in Amsterdam against a national lockdown imposed to slow the…

What should major Australian companies earning record profits do with the government pandemic subsidies they’ve received?ABC OnlineWhat should major Australian companies earning record profits do with the government subsidies they've received, including JobKeeper, over the pandemic? One major retailer's decided to give some of the money back to Treasury. But there's still a long…

Geopolitical Impact

China Slams U.S. Covid Lab Claims as ‘Conspiracy Theories’BloombergChina accused the U.S. of spreading “lies” and “conspiracy theories” after the Trump administration said it had new information suggesting the coronavirus might have emerged from a Chinese laboratory. A U.S. State Department factsheet on the virus…

China gas sales rise in heat of coal trade warHeraldSun.com.au Top NewsChina’s war on Australian coal did not stop its power stations lifting imports of Australian gas, according to the latest figures from consultancy EnergyQuest, as Australia lifted export volumes to record levels despite the pandemic hitting prices.

China strips license of lawyer for Hong Kong activistAsahi.comTAIPEI–A Chinese lawyer who represented a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist was stripped of his license amid efforts by Beijing to crush opposition to its tighter control over the territory. Lu Siwei, who represented one of 12 Hong Kong activists who…

China year-on-year growth in December quarter the fastest in two years amid Australia trade warMail Online UKChina's year-on-year growth pace in the December quarter fastest in two years Australia's biggest trading partner is set to avoid a recession despite Covid China is growing at a faster pace than it did before the Covid pandemic despite a new series of…

Dollar pokes higher as U.S. soft data sours mood; China GDP in focusToday OnlineSINGAPORE – The dollar held late-week gains on Monday as softening U.S. economic data and rising coronavirus cases turned investors cautious.

Export recovery: Rivals Vietnam, China far outpace IndiaFinancial ExpressTrend exposes structural factors blunting India's competitiveness As India’s merchandise exports limp back to normalcy, two of its key rivals in global markets have surged ahead with greater vigour, beating the Covid-19 blues. While China has pipped…

London finance jobs resilient despite COVID-19, Brexit and US election ‘triple threat’Yahoo! Finance UK and IrelandFinancial services in the capital weathered a tough 2020, which saw City jobs remain resilient despite a “triple threat” from COVID-19, Brexit and the presidential election in the United States, which were expected to deliver a blow to the sector. Acc…

The verdict’s in on Trump’s trade war with ChinaWA TodayLast Friday was the first anniversary of the signing of the “Phase One” trade deal with Beijing that paused the Trump administration’s trade war with China. Twelve months on, it is obvious that, contrary to Donald Trump’s conviction, trade wars are…

Virus, black prop and geopoliticsPhilippines Daily TribuneChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to the Philippines has again emphasized our country’s strategic importance to China’s political and economic future on its way to becoming a global superpower. Wang was here until Saturday on a short week’s…

Cybersecurity Impact

Cybersecurity experts say Covid Tracer app’s benefits outweigh risksstuff.co.nzThe benefits of the Government’s Covid Tracer app outweigh any privacy risks, two independent cybersecurity experts say. Their comments come amid news that use of the app has plummeted since it was introduced in May . This week, scans hit just a fifth…

DarkReading – While cybersecurity has been spared the widespread layoffs and unemployment many others have experienced during COV… https://t.co/wcWHZKd36dDarkReading – TwitterWhile cybersecurity has been spared the widespread layoffs and unemployment many others have experienced during COVID-19, the pandemic has affected infosec jobs.
@JoanGoodchild talked to some people tasked with filling them. Here's what they had to…

EMA said that hackers manipulated stolen documents before leaking themSecurity AffairsThe European Medicines Agency (EMA) revealed Friday that COVID-19 vaccine documents stolen from its servers have been manipulated before the leak. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) declared that …

InfoSecHotSpot – Bolstering Risk And Cybersecurity Strategy Safeguards The Remote Workforce As the pandemic drove a dramatic increas… https://t.co/clXTjka18bInfoSecHotSpot – TwitterBolstering Risk And Cybersecurity Strategy Safeguards The Remote Workforce As the pandemic drove a dramatic increase in the number of people WFH, there was also a significant rise in phishing attacks. https://binged.it/3bJXTgk…

Although Silobreaker has relied on what it regards as reliable sources while compiling the content herein, Silobreaker cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, integrity or quality of such content and no responsibility is accepted by Silobreaker in respect of such content. Readers must determine for themselves what reliance they should place on the compiled content herein.

18 January 2021

See Silobreaker in action.

Product

Download the App

Use-Cases

Contact

Partners

Company