Author: News Desk

Germany-based Siemens Healthineers said Sunday it will buy U.S. cancer therapy and research company Varian in a deal worth around $16.4 billion. Siemens Healthineers, in which industrial conglomerate Siemens holds a majority stake, said it will buy all shares in Varian Medical Systems, Inc. for $177.50 per share in cash. It said that the acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2021, and requires the approval of regulators and Varian shareholders. Varian’s board of directors unanimously approved the agreement, it added. Palo Alto, California-based Varian had revenues in the 2019 fiscal year of $3.2 billion, Siemens Healthineers…

US President Donald Trump insists that schools reopen so students can go back to their classrooms, but the Maryland private school where his son Barron is enrolled is among those under county orders to stay closed. Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles said his order to stay closed for in-person instruction through Oct. 1 and to conduct online classes only will be reevaluated before Oct. 1 to determine whether it should be extended, terminated or amended. Gayles noted increases in transmission rates for COVID-19 — the disease caused by the virus — in Maryland, the District of Columbia and…

Britain is considering minting a coin to commemorate India’s independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, amid growing interest in recognizing the contributions of people from the Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities. British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak asked the Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) in a letter to pursue recognition of individuals from those communities, the UK Treasury said in an emailed statement late on Saturday. “RMAC is currently considering a coin to commemorate Gandhi”, the Treasury said. Gandhi, who was born in 1869, advocated for non-violence throughout his life and played a key role in India’s struggle for independence. His…

Bahraini trucks and their drivers will be allowed to resume their trips to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway as from Sunday (August 2). “The reopening of the causeway was coordinated with the Saudi Customs Authorities”, said Exits Customs director at the Customs Affairs, Mohammed Hassan Al-Isa.

Three contract manufacturers for Apple iPhones and South Korea’s Samsung have applied for large-scale electronics manufacturing rights in India under a $6.5 billion incentive scheme announced by the government, a minister said Saturday. The scheme will extend cash incentives of 4-6% for five years on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India with 2019-2020 as the base year, Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters The international cellphone manufacturing companies that have applied under the scheme are Samsung, Rising Star and three Apple contract manufacturers — Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron and Pegatron. Prasad said the scheme is expected to increase…

The Shura Council praised the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in organising this year’s Haj season despite the challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. It commended the wise leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in this respect and the support and follow-up of Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The council congratulated the Saudi leadership on success of the Haj season, stressing that all facilities and capabilities provided by the official and non-government institutions have contributed to the achievement.…

France’s prime minister vowed on Monday to develop “railway highways” to carry food and other goods that now go by truck, part of a government push to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Jean Castex said the “fresh food train” linking the main wholesale market in Paris to the southern city of Perpignan would reopen after that line was closed last year. The line would eventually be connected to a broader European line between Antwerp (Belgium) and Barcelona (Spain), he said, and two new national North-South lines would be launched. “This is a very strong signal the government is giving and…

South Korean prosecutors arrested the elderly leader of a secretive religious sect Saturday as part of an investigation into allegations that the church hampered the government’s anti-virus response after thousands of worshippers were infected in February and March. Prosecutors in the central city of Suwaon have been questioning 88-year-old Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over charges that the church hid some members and underreported gatherings to avoid broader quarantines. The Suwon District Court early Saturday granted prosecutors’ request to arrest Lee over concerns that he could temper with evidence. Lee and his church have steadfastly denied…

US President Donald Trump said he will take action as soon as Saturday to ban TikTok, a popular Chinese-owned video app that has been a source of national security and censorship concerns. Trump’s comments came after published reports that the administration is planning to order China’s ByteDance to sell TikTok. There were also reports Friday that software giant Microsoft is in talks to buy the app. “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told reporters Friday on Air Force One as he returned from Florida. Trump said he could use emergency economic powers…

A Florida teen was identified Friday as the mastermind of a scheme earlier this month that commandeered Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls and scammed people around the globe out of more than $100,000 in Bitcoin. Two other men were also charged in the case. Graham Ivan Clark, 17, was arrested Friday in Tampa, where the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office will prosecute him as an adult. He faces 30 felony charges, according to a news release. Two men accused of benefiting from the hack — Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, U.K., and Nima Fazeli, 22, of…