NEW DELHI (CNA) – India’s competition watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc’s Google following allegations from news publishers, saying its initial view was that the tech giant had broken some anti-trust laws.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) said Google dominates certain online search services in the country and may have imposed unfair conditions on news publishers.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The complainant, Digital News Publishers Association, which comprises the digital arms of some of India’s biggest media companies, said Google denied fair advertising revenue to its members. “In a well-functioning democracy, the critical role played by news media cannot be undermined,” the CCI order said.
“It appears that Google is using its dominant position in the relevant markets to enter/protect its position in the market for news aggregation service.”
Employees riding bicycles outside Google headquarters in Mountain View. PHOTO: AP
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (AP) – Two Haitian journalists were killed by gang members while reporting in a conflictive area south of Port-au-Prince, police said on Friday, as a surge in violence continues to shake the Caribbean nation.
One of the journalist’s employers and some media reports said the men had been shot then burned alive, but police did not confirm this. A police statement said only that the bodies had “large-caliber bullet wounds”.
Radio Ecoute FM said journalist John Wesley Amady was killed by “armed bandits” on Thursday in Laboule while he was reporting on security issues in the gang-plagued area.
“We condemn with the utmost rigor this criminal and barbaric act, which constitutes a serious attack on the rights to life in general, and those of journalists in particular to exercise their profession freely in the country,” said the station’s general manager, Francky Attis.
Police released a statement confirming the deaths of Amady, 30, and Wilguens Louissaint, 22.
Police patrol after recovering the bodies of slain journalists in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. PHOTO: AP
Initial reports were that three journalists went to the scene and two were killed, while the third escaped.
“The Almighty Gangs struck again in Haiti at the start of 2022,” said Godson Lebrun, President of the Haitian Online Media Association. “I bow to the remains of these fellow journalists who were killed just because they wanted to inform! I demand an investigation and may justice be granted!”
In New York, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “This is just one more example of what journalists the world over face and sadly, we may expect the impunity with which they are murdered for just trying to tell the truth.”
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry condemned the killings.
“On behalf of the government, I offer my condolences to the family and friends of the victims, as well as to the press in general,” he said.
Henry has vowed to crack down on gangs that authorities blame for a spike in kidnappings and for blockages at gas distribution terminals that caused a severe fuel shortage in recent months.
WASHINGTON (AFP) – With United States (US) inflation high and the Federal Reserve expected to hike interest rates within months, US President Joe Biden said on Friday he had faith in the central bank’s ability to manage price increases while ensuring that businesses keep hiring.
“I want to be clear: I’m confident the Federal Reserve will act to achieve their dual goals of full employment and stable prices and make sure the price increases do not become entrenched over a long term, with the independence that they need,” the president said at the White House.
He spoke following the release of the Labor Department’s December employment report, which showed a disappointing 199,000 jobs added in the final month of the year, but the unemployment rate dipping to 3.9 per cent, not far from where it was before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Fed is undoubtedly paying close attention to the report, as policymakers led by Chair Jerome Powell juggle how to fight the inflation surge that’s pushed consumer prices to multi-decade highs without stifling the labour market’s recovery from its collapse in 2020.
At its policy meeting last month, Fed officials signalled as many as three rate hikes in 2022, and minutes from the conference released this week showed them ready to move even more aggressively against inflation, if necessary.
Officials also believed the economy was nearing full employment, if it was not there already, although they also were wary of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, which has caused new cases to soar in recent weeks, the minutes said.
While overall hiring was under analysts’ forecast last month, the Labor Department data showed the economy added 6.4 million jobs in 2021, with the unemployment rate ending the year near its 3.5 per cent level of before the pandemic.
In November, Biden, a Democrat, nominated Powell for a second term in office, despite wishes from some of the president’s allies to pass the Republican chair over for a more progressive candidate.
BERLIN (AP) – Germany’s leaders agreed on Friday to toughen requirements for entry to restaurants and bars, and decided to shorten quarantine and self-isolation periods as the Omicron variant spreads fast through the country.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the 16 state governors built on restrictions introduced just after Christmas that limited private gatherings to 10 people and effectively shut nightclubs.
People have already been required for some time to show proof of full vaccination or recovery to enter establishments — as well as many non-essential shops, theatres and cinemas.
Friday’s decision calls for the requirements to be ratcheted up for restaurants.
Customers will have to show either that they have received a booster shot or provide a negative test result on top of proof that they have been vaccinated or recovered.
People with mandatory face masks line up in Cologne, Germany. PHOTO: AP
“Half the population will be boosted… in a few days” and will be able to go to restaurants without a test, Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey told reporters. “This is an extra incentive to get boosters.”
Still, the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt said it wouldn’t introduce the new rule for now because its cases mostly still involve the Delta variant, and Bavaria said it was sceptical.
Scholz and the governors also agreed to shorten quarantine or self-isolation periods that are currently as long as 14 days, something that many other countries already have done.
People who have received boosters will no longer have to go into quarantine after having contact with coronavirus cases, and neither will people who have been fully vaccinated or recovered in the past three months.
All others can end their quarantine or self-isolation period after 10 days if they don’t have – or no longer have – symptoms; that can be cut to seven days with a negative test.
“These are strict rules, but they are pragmatic and mean an easing of the current rules,” Scholz said.
Friday’s decision by federal and state governments stated that the use of protective FFP2 masks in shops and on public transport is “urgently recommended”.
The COVID-19 situation in Germany has been foggy for the past two weeks because of very patchy testing and slow reporting over the holiday period.
Official figures, which authorities have acknowledged don’t yet show the full picture, have shown a steady increase in the infection rate over the past week.
JAKARTA (BERNAMA) – Indonesia’s international reserves amounted to USD144.9 billion as of December 31, down slightly from USD145.9 billion at the end of November.
The decline was due to, among others, the need to pay the government’s foreign debt, according to Bank Indonesia (BI).
In a statement on Friday, the central bank said reserves position suffices to finance eight months of imports and servicing the government’s external debt.
“The official reserve assets remain adequate, supported by the stability and solid domestic economic outlook, in line with the policy responses to stimulate economic recovery,” BI said.
The decline was due to, among others, the need to pay the government’s foreign debt, according to Bank Indonesia. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
SYDNEY (AFP) – Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov stunned defending champions Russia yesterday in a decisive doubles rubber to send Canada storming into an ATP Cup final against Spain.
Their Sydney showdown went to the wire after Shapovalov neutralised Roman Safiullin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in the opening singles match.
But world number two Daniil Medvedev then thrashed 11th-ranked Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-0 to level it up with a flawless performance in an ominous warning ahead of the Australian Open later this month.
It forced the match into a doubles shoot-out which looked to be going Russia’s way only for Canada to find an extra gear and grind out a 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 win to make their first-ever final in the team event.
“Felix did an amazing job. I had a little bit of a slow start, had trouble returning, but we did a good job to fight,” said Shapovalov, who missed Canada’s first singles match at the tournament while he recovered from COVID-19.
Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in action against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and Roman Safiullin during their semi-final match at the ATP Cup tennis tournament in Sydney. PHOTO: AP
“We have great team chemistry, team spirit, so it helped us a lot.”
Auger-Aliassime admitted he was down on confidence after crashing so heavily in the singles against Medvedev, but said his long-time friend Shapovalov helped him re-focus.
“I had to try and stay positive. Of course, it was tough, especially (because) that second set went the way it went in singles,” he said.
“Denis helped me and the team to push myself. We had a tough start in the doubles, so to be able to come back in this way, it’s really a team effort.
“That’s what the ATP Cup is about. You can still win after being 1-all and losing a tough singles.”
Their reward is a clash with 2020 runners-up face Spain today and they have a big task ahead against the unflappable Roberto Bautista Agut and his solid teammate Pablo Carreno Busta.
Both players are both in red-hot form, each winning all four of their singles encounters so far.
Medvedev led Auger-Aliassime 2-0 in their singles head-to-heads going into yesterday’s match, with his most recent triumph coming in a massive clash in last year’s US Open semi-finals, a tournament he went on to win.
But Auger-Aliassime nevertheless had confidence heading into the match after defeating world number three Alexander Zverev on Thursday.
The Russian master, however, never let him settle and cruised to victory in 69 minutes.
The Canadian started well and used his serve to control points, but when he was broken at 4-4 in the first set his game unravelled.
“He was serving just aces, playing good, so I knew I just had to stay in the match, try to do what I can, what’s possible against his big game,” said Medvedev, who will be the top seed at the Australian Open should Novak Djokovic not play.
“He definitely started to play a little bit worse and I managed to use it, and that was the key today.”
Shapovalov earlier had to work hard to put away the gritty Safiullin, with his serve and baseline game ultimately proving too much in the crucial moments.
“Definitely super tough. Obviously Roman is playing with a lot of confidence,” said Shapovalov.
“He’s a great player and surely he’s going to have an amazing season, so I’m very happy to get the win. It was definitely very tough.”
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (AP) – Iran displayed three ballistic missiles at an outdoor prayer esplanade in central Tehran on Friday as talks in Vienna aimed at reviving Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers flounder.
The missiles – known as Dezful, Qiam and Zolfaghar – have official ranges of up to 1,000 kilometres and are already-known models, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said.
Diplomats from countries that remain in the 2015 nuclear deal – Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China – are working with Tehran to revive the accord, which had sought to limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for lifting of economic sanctions.
American diplomats are present at the nuclear talks in Vienna but they are not in direct talks with Iranians. The accord collapsed in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States (US) from the deal and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.
A report by Iranian state television said the missiles on display were the same types as those used to strike US bases in Iraq.
The display came on the second anniversary of a ballistic missile attack on bases housing American troops in Iraq in retaliation for the US drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020.
The Iranian military mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with two surface-to-air missiles after the attacks, killing all 176 people on board. After days of denial, the Guard publicly apologised, blaming an air defence operator who authorities said mistook the Boeing 737-800 for an American cruise missile.
An Iranian military court in November held a hearing for 10 people suspected of having role in downing the Ukrainian airliner.
State TV said a commemoration ceremony for the victims was held in Tehran’s main cemetery with the presence of their families as well as officials.
A cleric walks past Zolfaghar and Dezful missiles displayed in a missile capabilities exhibition by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Tehran. PHOTO: AP
The increase in the number of local cases over the past few days is a cause of concern, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said at the press conference yesterday.
The Sultanate recorded 20 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, 15 of which were local and five imported.
The new cases include a residential cluster of seven people, the minister said, adding that it is crucial to note that the recent clusters emerged from gatherings such as New Year’s events or weddings.
“It is important for individuals who attended events where positive cases have been identified to first screen themselves – with an antigen rapid test (ART) kit – to ensure they are not infected,” he said.
He reminded the public that even after completing the COVID-19 vaccination, there is still a possibility of getting infected, and while it may not present symptoms in some, they may become the cause of a spread in other places.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar speaks at the press conference. PHOTO: JAMES KON
“If you have attended ceremonies that have reported positive cases, carry out an ART screening.
“Sometimes, these positive cases may not be able to recollect who attended the event and the contact-tracing team can only rely on information given to them,” the minister said.
The minister said individuals feeling unwell should avoid attending events, while the host must ensure anyone with a fever is not permitted entry, or to carry out screening on location, or have attendees present their ART certificates.
“There are many ways for people to get together and it is hoped that these people will assume responsibility in ensuring the pandemic is well in control,” Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said.
The 20 new COVID-19 infections bring the national tally of confirmed cases to 15,597.
The number of new cases is the result of 1,583 laboratory tests conducted over the past 24 hours, bringing the rate of positive case to 1.3 per cent.
“At the National Isolation Centre (NIC), one Category 4 case is under close monitoring and receiving oxygen assistance. The Sultanate also recorded five recoveries today, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 15,350. There are 145 active cases and the bed occupancy rate at isolation centres nationwide stands at 3.9 per cent,” he said.
As of January 2022, 94.6 per cent of the populace have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, 93.6 per cent have received two doses, and 26.8 per cent have received the booster shot under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
In regard to certain countries viewing booster shots as a criteria to maintaining the fully vaccinated status, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said the Sultanate considers an individual who has received two shots of the vaccine, to be certified as fully vaccinated.
“The booster shot is only encouraged and not a passport to meet the full vaccination criteria,” he said, before adding that the booster shot is still encouraged to help prevent COVID-19 symptoms.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin also attended the press conference.
PARIS (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah (AFP pic below)were named on Friday as the three finalists for the FIFA Best Men’s Player award, while Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas was nominated for the women’s prize.
Poland star Lewandowski won last year’s FIFA award but had to settle for second in the 2021 Ballon d’Or voting behind Messi, winner of the accolade for a record seventh time.
The awards ceremony will be held virtually from FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich on January 17.
Putellas, Barcelona teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea’s Australian striker Sam Kerr are the finalists for the FIFA Best Women’s Player award. The trio were also the top three vote-getters for the Ballon d’Or.
The winner will succeed England’s Lucy Bronze, who took home the previous award.
The prizes for the best men’s and women’s player, coach and goalkeeper are voted for by the captains and coaches of all national teams around the world, as well as an online ballot of fans and a select number of journalists.
Voting closed on December 10.
Manuel Neuer, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Edouard Mendy are in the running for best men’s goalkeeper honours, while Roberto Mancini, Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola are the three nominees for best men’s coach.
Lluis Cortes, who led Barcelona’s women to a treble last season, is up against Chelsea coach Emma Hayes and Sarina Wiegman for top women’s coach.
AP – Stocks closed lower and Treasury yields rose on Friday with much of Wall Street anticipating that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as soon as March despite a mixed report on the United States (US) jobs market.
The downbeat finish capped the worst week for the S&P 500 technology sector since October 2020 and the biggest weekly drop for the tech-heavy Nasdaq in nearly a year.
The S&P 500 fell 0.4 per cent, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury hit its highest level since COVID-19 began pummelling markets at the start of 2020.
The benchmark index had been up 0.3 per cent in the early going and then fell as much as 0.7 per cent following the mixed reading from the US Labor Department, which is usually the most anticipated piece of economic data every month.
Employers added only about half the number of jobs last month that economists expected, a seeming negative for the economy. But average wages rose more for workers than expected.
Pedestrians passing by the New York Stock Exchange building. PHOTO: AP
On the whole, many investors saw it as evidence that the jobs market is strong enough for the Federal Reserve to continue leaning toward raising interest rates more quickly off their
record lows.
“Does this bring the Fed to the table in March or in June?” said Director of portfolio strategy at Verdence Capital Advisors Megan Horneman. “It’s a moot point, in the long run. They’re going to raise rates in 2022.”
Higher rates could help corral the high inflation sweeping the world, but they would also mark an end to the conditions that have put financial markets in “easy mode” for many investors since early 2020.
Higher rates also make shares in high-flying tech companies and other expensive growth stocks less attractive, which is why the S&P 500 tech sector bore the brunt of the sell-off this week as bond yields rose.
