A50 news today

Here are some of the top news stories from around the world today:

Politics

• The US Senate has voted to acquit former President Donald Trump on charges of inciting the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol. (BBC News)
• The UK has announced plans to introduce a new points-based immigration system, which will prioritize skilled workers and reduce the number of low-skilled migrants. (The Guardian)
• The European Union has agreed to extend its sanctions against Belarus for another year, citing the country's continued human rights abuses. (Al Jazeera)

Business

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average has closed above 30,000 for the first time, driven by optimism over the US economic recovery. (CNBC)
• Tesla has announced plans to build a new electric vehicle factory in Berlin, Germany, which will create thousands of jobs. (The Verge)
• The UK's economy has contracted by 2.2% in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to official figures, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (BBC News)

Health

• The World Health Organization has announced that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 2.5 million deaths worldwide. (WHO)
• A new study has found that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalization. (The New York Times)
• The UK has approved the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65. (BBC News)

Sports

• The Super Bowl is just around the corner, with the Kansas City Chiefs set to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on February 7th. (ESPN)
• The Australian Open has been postponed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in Melbourne. (The Guardian)
• The NFL has announced that it will be introducing a new rule to reduce the number of concussions suffered by players. (The Athletic)

Entertainment

• The Oscars have announced their nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards, with "The Father" and "Mank" leading the way with 10 nominations each. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• The latest season of "The Bachelor" has come to an end, with Matt James being crowned the winner. (E! News)
• The music world is mourning the loss of legendary musician and songwriter, Little Richard, who has died at the age of 87. (Rolling Stone)

These are just a few of the top news stories from around the world today. I hope you find them interesting!