Spain’s central bank and National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) Tuesday warned investors of the “high risk” that comes with investing in cryptocurrency.

The joint statement from Spain’s leading financial supervisors came on the heels of US carmaker Tesla’s $1.5 billion investment in Bitcoin and announcement that it could soon begin accepting cryptocurrency as payment.

The news sent the value of Bitcoin and related stocks to record highs.
But the Bank of Spain and the CNMV advised investors that the price volatility, “accompanied by a significant increase of sometimes aggressive publicity,” is “highly speculative” and could lead to the “total loss of investment.”

Although regulatory talks are ongoing, cryptocurrency is not regulated in the EU, meaning it does not have the same safeguards and guarantees as other investment products.

According to the Bank of Spain and the CNMV, cryptocurrencies “lack transparency,” and their prices are vulnerable to manipulation.

The statement also said that “cryptocurrencies may find themselves lacking the necessary liquidity,” which could mean investors wanting to get out of investments could “suffer significant losses.”

The statement also emphasized that despite Tesla’s announcement, very few establishments accept payment in Bitcoin or similar cryptocurrencies, and regulators “do not predict that will change.”

Due to the global status of the more than 7,000 cryptocurrencies on the market, if investors have any issues they need to resolve in court, “it could be costly and be outside the competencies of Spanish authorities,” the statement noted.

Similarly, the Bank of Spain and the CNMV warned people that if their login or access information to a cryptocurrency account is lost or stolen, investors could “lose their cryptocurrency, without having any possibility of getting it back.”/aa

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is effective against the South African and British variants of the virus, the companies announced Monday,

They cited a study published in Natural Medicine that said the vaccine elicits antibodies that neutralized mutated versions of the virus that first appeared in the UK and South Africa.

A panel of human sera from 20 participants were tested by researchers after they were given the shot against viruses with key mutations.

“A limitation of the current study is that the engineered viruses do not include the full set of spike mutations found in the UK or S.A. variants,” the study warned.

The study was published after a separate study revealed Sunday that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is less effective against the South African variant./aa

Twenty-four Moroccans died Monday when a textile factory in Tangiers became submerged in rainwater, according to state-run Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).

“A clandestine textile unit suffered on Monday a leak of rainwater that trapped some workers of this unit and killed 24 workers,” the agency quoted a statement from Tangiers government.

“Local authorities and the security and civil defense services intervened to rescue ten people who were transferred to the regional hospital to receive the necessary health care, while the bodies of 24 others were recovered,” it said.

The statement did not disclose the causes of death but media reports said the leak led to electrical equipment damage that shocked several workers.

“An investigation was opened by the competent authorities under the supervision of the prosecution to shed light on the circumstances of this incident and determine the responsibilities.” MAP added.

Morocco has faced torrential rains and snow in recent days./aa

Turkish security forces held at least 39 suspects for allegedly propagating various terror groups on social media, sources said Monday. 

The Interior Ministry said special police and gendarmerie teams worked have worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure the security of the internet and combat cyber-terrorism.

They are particularly focused on social media accounts and websites which propagate terror groups.

More than 1,200 social media accounts used by terror groups, including the PKK, FETO and Daesh/ISIS were scrutinized during the first week of February.

Of the more than 575 user accounts investigated, 39 were held.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey also accuses FETO of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people including women, children and infants./aa

At least 27 suspects were arrested in Turkey for having links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), security sources said early Tuesday.

Turkish police carried out simultaneous anti-terror operations across 15 provinces, including Istanbul.

Prosecutors in Istanbul issued arrest warrants for 56 suspects, including one currently serving soldier along with expelled and retired former military officials.

Police continue an operation to arrest the remaining 29 suspects.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey also accuses FETO of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary./aa

The notorious leader of a group of bandits, alongside five lieutenants, who have terrorized Zamfara State in northwest Nigeria and neighboring states have repented and surrendered 20 AK47 rifles.

The group led by Auwalun Daudawa also handed over one rocket-propelled grenade and a large amount of ammunition Monday to the state government.

Daudawa is believed to be the mastermind of the abduction of 344 students from the Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State in 2020.

He and his lieutenants swore that they would never kill again, kidnap and rustle cows in the state and elsewhere.

"We have voluntarily repented and seek no single kobo [money] from any government, group or individual for that," Auwalu said at the Government House Gusau.

The bandits testified that there are no other weapons hidden apart from those surrendered and vowed they will never engage in activity aimed at sourcing dangerous weapons.

"I was convinced by the state government approaches on peace reconciliation with armed bandits. I learnt from those who repented before me that there was not a single plan by the governments through the use of security agencies to harm me and my boys, Therefore, we are now back for normal lives like other peace-loving Nigerians," said Daudawa.

State Governor Bello Matawalle said the development was part of reconciliation efforts of his administration, "The development will not only gradually paste the name of Zamfara unto the list of most peaceful places in the country, but will facilitate the return of the lost commercial enterprising to the state," he said.
He stressed his administration's commitments toward ensuring that only farming activities and cattle rearing would occupy the forests to replace dangerous camps established by bandits and kidnappers.

Zamfara, like other northwest states, has faced devastating attacks from armed bandits in the last 10 years.

The state government entered a peace agreement with gunmen in 2019.

But communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and killed./aa

US stock market indexes closed Monday at record levels with stimulus optimism amid a faster recovery in the world's largest economy. 

The Dow Jones climbed to an all-time high of 31,386 points to close one point off that mark. The blue chip index is now on a six-day winning streak -- the longest since August.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq each ended at record levels of 3,908 and 13,987, respectively.

Oil majors were the largest gainers with ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips gaining 4.3% and 5.3%, respectively, as prices rose around 2% in hopes of a recovery in the global economy and overall crude demand around the world.

Brent crude was at $60.7 per barrel, up 1.9% at 4.15 p.m. EDT (2115GMT) and American West Texas Intermediate at $58.1 with a 2.2% gain.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that the US economy could return to full employment next year if Congress passes President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion relief plan.

Without any stimulus, the pandemic-hit economy would see high levels of unemployment for many years, she told CNN.

"We have people suffering,” she said. “We have to get them to the other side and make sure that this doesn’t take a permanent toll on their lives.”

While Republicans find the almost $2 trillion price too high, Biden indicated last week he could pass it without their support but said he prefers a bipartisan bill.

Although the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from the previous month to 6.3% in January, there are still 10.1 million unemployed individuals, according to Department of Labor figures released Friday.

More than 22 million people in the US lost their jobs in March and April last year due to COVID-19./aa

At least 11 people were killed Monday when a bus flipped and bursts into flames in southern Ebonyi State. 

Police spokesperson Loveth Odah said the accident occurred along the Afikpo-Okigwe expressway.

She said a 14-seat bus lost control after one of its tires exploded, forcing it to somersault before bursting into flames.

"The fire burnt 11 of the passengers beyond recognition," she said.

She also disclosed that three survivors were recuperating at a hospital.

It was the first high fatality accident in the area in 2021./aa

Indoor dining in New York City restaurants will restart on Friday at 25% capacity after a surge in the coronavirus pandemic, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday. 

The reopening will come two days ahead of the previously scheduled date of Feb. 14, Sunday, Valentine's Day.

"The post-holiday surge is over," Cuomo told a press conference, pointing to November and December, when millions of people in the US celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.

Despite pandemic measures and limits on transportation, many Americans still gathered with their families, causing a surge in number of new cases.

"Total COVID hospitalizations are at 7,716. Of the 197,183 tests reported yesterday, 8,448 were positive (4.28% of total). Sadly, there were 114 fatalities," Cuomo wrote on Twitter.

"We are about 90% of all doses allocated used in arms and it is only Monday ... We have more distribution than we have product on the shelves," Cuomo told the news conference.

He noted that New York also has 5,000 distribution centers that are ready for additional vaccine supply.

In the US, more than 59.3 million doses were distributed and over 42.4 million doses were administered as of 6.00 a.m. EDT (1100GMT) Monday, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the number of people receiving two doses of vaccine was just over 9.5 million./aa