News Headlines - 26 November 2020

▽EU drug regulator 'very hopeful' can endorse COVID-19 vaccine by Christmas | Reuters

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is “very hopeful” it will be able to give a positive scientific opinion on COVID-19 vaccines seeking regulatory approval before Christmas, the regulator’s new chief said on Wednesday.
“All going well we would be very hopeful that we could have a positive opinion before Christmas,” EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke told RTE radio in an interview.
British drugmaker AstraZeneca followed U.S. rivals Pfizer and Moderna on Monday in publishing successful pivotal trial data for its COVID-19 vaccine, giving the world’s fight against the pandemic a third new weapon.

▽Eton teacher Matthew Mowbray guilty of sex offences against pupils - BBC News

A former Eton College teacher has been convicted of sexual offences against pupils during "nocturnal" visits to their bedrooms.
Matthew Mowbray, 49, went into boys' rooms under the guise of discussing schoolwork, Reading Crown Court heard.
He was found guilty of eight counts of sexual activity with a child and not guilty of one against a girl.

▽France orders tech giants to pay digital tax | Reuters

The French Finance Ministry has sent out notices to big tech companies liable for its digital service tax to pay the levy as planned in December, the ministry said on Wednesday.
France suspended collection of the tax, which will hit companies like Facebook and Amazon, early this year while negotiations were underway at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on an overhaul of international tax rules.
The Finance Ministry has long said it would collect the tax in December as planned if the talks proved unfruitful by then, which is what happened when the nearly 140 countries involved agreed last month to keep negotiating until mid 2021.

▽Mysterious metal monolith found in remote part of Utah by state officials counting sheep | Sky News

A mysterious monolith has been discovered in a remote part of the United States.The object, which is estimated to be around 10-12 feet (3-3.6 metres) tall and made of some type of metal, was found planted in the ground, tucked in a red rock cove.
It was spotted in Utah by state wildlife officials who were helping to count bighorn sheep from a Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter.

▽SoftBank Hawks win 4th straight Japan Series championship

The SoftBank Hawks won their fourth straight Japan Series championship on Wednesday after sweeping the Yomiuri Giants for the second year in a row... In addition to winning their 11th Japan Series title in franchise history, the Hawks have now won 12 straight Japan Series games and 16 straight Japan Series games at home.