KEY POINTS

• The energy major said full-year 2020 net profit came in at $4.06 billion, beating expectations of $3.86 billion from analysts polled by Refinitiv.
• It compared with $11.8 billion for the 2019 fiscal year, reflecting a drop of 66% year-on-year.
• Total said it would propose a fourth-quarter dividend payout of 0.66 euros ($0.8) per share, in line with previous quarters.

LONDON(cnbc) — France’s Total on Tuesday reported a massive drop in full-year profit, following a tumultuous 12 months in which commodity prices collapsed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The energy major said full-year 2020 net profit came in at $4.06 billion, beating expectations of $3.86 billion from analysts polled by Refinitiv. It compared with $11.8 billion for the 2019 fiscal year, reflecting a drop of 66% year-on-year.

Total also posted fourth-quarter net profit of $1.3 billion, beating analyst expectations of $1.1 billion.

Shares of Total are up around 0.8% year-to-date, having tumbled more than 28% last year.

“Total faced two major crises in 2020: the Covid-19 pandemic that severely affected global energy demand, and the oil crisis that drove the Brent price below $20 per barrel in the second quarter,” Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne said in a statement.

“In this particularly difficult context, the Group implemented an immediate action plan and proved its resilience thanks to the quality of its portfolio,” he added.

Total said it would propose a fourth-quarter dividend payout of 0.66 euros ($0.8) per share, in line with previous quarters, and set the dividend for 2020 at 2.64 euros per share.

The oil and gas industry was sent into a tailspin last year, as the coronavirus pandemic coincided with a historic demand shock, falling commodity prices, evaporating profits, unprecedented write-downs and tens of thousands of job cuts.

Last week, U.K.-based oil and gas major BP reported its first full-year net loss for a decade, while U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil reported its fourth consecutive quarter of losses. The Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell also reported a sharp drop in full-year profits.

BP CEO Bernard Looney described 2020 as the “toughest” of his career, while Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods said the last 12 months “presented the most challenging market conditions Exxon Mobil has ever experienced.”

Energy majors have warned that the ongoing coronavirus crisis is likely to continue to impact their performance in the near-term while seeking to reassure investors about their future profitability.

Total reaffirmed this trend in its full-year results, saying the oil environment “remains uncertain and dependent on the recovery of global demand, still affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

International benchmark Brent crude futures traded at $61.22 a barrel on Tuesday morning, around 1.1% higher, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures stood at $58.54, up almost 1%.

Brent prices surpassed $60 a barrel on Monday for the first time since Jan. 2020.

Oil prices have steadily improved in recent weeks, supported by ongoing production cuts and the mass rollout of Covid vaccines.

Growing pressure on Big Oil

Last month, Total became the first major global energy company to quit the American Petroleum Institute following a review of the influential oil and gas lobby.

Total said it had decided not to renew its membership with API this year, citing disagreements over climate policies and the group’s support for easing drilling regulations.

The move was thought to represent a growing rift between oil and gas majors on either side of the Atlantic.

European oil and gas majors have generally been seen to be more willing to accelerate plans to cut carbon emissions in recent years, while U.S. peers such as Chevron and Exxon Mobil have resisted calls to diversify their portfolio.

It comes as the global oil and gas industry faces growing pressure from climate emergency campaigners, activist investors and policymakers around the world.

S&P Global ratings — one of the most influential rating companies — warned last month that it may cut the credit score on a number of major producers, including Total, Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil.

The rating firm said it believes “the energy transition, price volatility, and weaker profitability are increasing risks for oil and gas producers.”

A man who was unhappy with his treatment at a health care clinic in the US state of Minnesota opened fire in the facility Tuesday, wounding five people, one of whom later died, CNN reported.

The incident took place in the morning at the Allina Health Care Clinic in the city of Buffalo, according to the Buffalo Police Department.

The suspected shooter, Buffalo resident Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, was taken into custody.

Ulrich’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday morning./aa

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) submitted a complaint to the UN on Tuesday over the forced cremations of Muslims in Sri Lanka who died of COVID-19. 

The MCB in partnership with UK-based law firm Bindmans submitted the complaint to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on behalf of their families.

“No other state has carried out such unjust and discriminatory measures. We very much hope that the Sri Lankan government will change its policy in line with the World Health Organization’s advice,” Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the MCB, said in a statement, describing the government’s policy as “unprecedented.”

Tayab Ali, a partner at Bindmans who represents the MCB and the applicants, said the forced cremations are a violation of religious freedom as well as international law.

“We hope that the United Nations Human Rights Committee will take immediate action on receipt of this complaint by granting interim measures to halt these cremations,” Ali said.

In March last year, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health declared that burying coronavirus victims could spread the virus. It said the bodies of the deceased, irrespective of their religion, would therefore be cremated.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that cremation is a “matter of cultural choice.”

“It is a common myth that persons who have died of a communicable disease should be cremated, but this is not true,” it added.

NGOs and minority groups in Sri Lanka have filed petitions before the Supreme Court pleading to stop the cremation of Muslim bodies. But the court dismissed all such petitions.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sri Lanka has reported 71,211 coronavirus cases, 370 deaths and 65,053 recoveries, according to data compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University./aa

At least nine irregular migrants from Afghanistan were held in Turkey’s northwestern Kocaeli province on Tuesday, a security source said. 

The Afghan nationals were caught in a bus during a security checkpoint in Gebze district, said the source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The police also arrested the bus driver. 

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution. 

It hosts nearly 4 million refugees, including over 3.6 million Syrians, more than any other country in the world. /aa

National No Smoking Day in Turkey was acknowledged on Feb. 9 to draw attention to the dangers of tobacco. 

Tobacco use is a significant risk factor for developing cancer, which kills eight million people worldwide each year.

To mark the occasion, Anadolu Agency spoke with doctors about the dangers of smoking for people's immune systems, the comparison between COVID-19 and tobacco use in terms of what they do to a human body and how they affect the progress of each other, what can people do to overcome its possible dangers or to quit smoking.

Turkish Green Crescent Science Board Member Dr. Volkan Kara told Anadolu Agency that in Turkey, at least 26,000 people died due to smoking so far, while the annual death toll stands at 80,000.

Mentioning that 1.8 billion people are active smokers worldwide, Kara added that every one out of two people gets severely sick or dies. 

"The most crucial component released after tobacco is burned is tar, in which there are nearly 7,000 harmful substances. Two hundred fifty of them are toxic, so they poison the body. Fifty of them have cancer-causing properties. 

Dysfunctions that occur in our body systems, especially our immune system, make us sick," said Dr. Kara. 

He emphasized the importance of the immune system in protecting against COVID-19 and added that "You're more likely to be infected because of the coronavirus. If you are infected if you take the germ, you have a more severe or fatal risk of contracting the disease". 

Recalling that over 2.5 million people died due to COVID-19 with a caseload of more than 100 million, Dr. Kara said at least 8 million people lose their lives because of tobacco-related diseases.  

Children as passive smokers

He said the number of people who died from tobacco-caused diseases totals up to three times as many as those who die from coronavirus.

However, smoking does not just kill smokers, but also children who are passive smokers, said Dr. Guzin Zeren Ozturk, consultant of the Scientific Commission of the Istanbul Family Medicine Association (ISTAHED).

Around the world, the smoking rate in individuals over the age of 15 is 21.9, said Ozturk, adding that this rate in Turkey is 31.4 according to the 2019 data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). 

Noting that Turkey ranks 24th globally in terms of smoking intensity, she mentioned an increase in the number of smoker individuals over the age of 15 between 2010 and 2019. 

She said that there are three effects of smoking on health: "The primary outcome is caused by a person smoking. The secondary effect is caused by smoke inhalation of others' smoking or a burning tobacco product. 

Exposure to secondary effects is described as 'passive smoking.'

"The tertiary effect, on the other hand, is that cigarette smoke is absorbed by surfaces when smoked in a closed environment, it re-enters the air and affects individuals by exposure to certain chemical changes."

A total of 1.2 million people die from passive smoking, while at least 40% of the children across the world are exposed to it. It is also the cause of 28% of child deaths, she said. 

She also added that "Smoking is responsible for about a third of all cancers". 

Recalling that there are over 20 different cancer types, all may result from smoking: "While 90% of lung cancer occurs due to smoking, it is also known to play an active role in the formation of laryngeal cancer, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, kidney, bladder, breast and uterine mouth cancers." 

80% of smokers live in low-and middle-income countries 

According to the WHO data, 80% of all smokers worldwide live in underdeveloped or developing countries. 

Most smoking-related deaths occur in low-and middle-income countries, which are often the target of intensive tobacco industry intervention and marketing. 

Some studies indicate that tobacco users need help to quit smoking. The findings show that very few cigarette consumers understand the health risks posed by tobacco use. 

However, most smokers want to quit when they realize the dangers of tobacco, but only 4% of those who wish to quit succeed when the necessary support is not obtained. 

At the top of the list of countries that consume the most cigarettes, Kiribati attracts 47.4%.

It is followed by Montenegro (46%), Greece (43.7%), East Timor (42.2%), Russia (40.9%) and Nauru (40%).  

25% success

However, despite all these, continuous support is provided to smokers in Turkey during the fight against COVID-19 through the "Alo 171 Smoking Cessation Advisory" line and smoking cessation outpatient clinics to get rid of addiction. 

The "Alo 171 Smoking Cessation Advisory" line encourages individuals who do not want to smoke with motivational interviews. 

The advisory line provides non-stop and lives support 24/7, answering an average of 3,000 calls per day. 

Staff on the advisory line provide guidance to individuals who have decided to quit in this process and advise on behavioral changes to cope with the nicotine withdrawal symptoms that may occur. 

Information is also being passed on to health professionals and units offering smoking cessation services. 

Individuals who call the advice line are tested to determine the level of nicotine addiction. According to the defined level of addiction, a personalized smoking cessation plan is made, or health units that offer smoking cessation services are informed and directed to smoking cessation outpatient clinics. 

If the person requests, an appointment is also made to the nearest smoking cessation outpatient clinic through operators. 

People who have a smoking cessation plan are followed for a year by the advice line's return calls if they give consent and are supported to continue the smoking cessation process. 

After they are included in the system, those who plan to quit smoking are interviewed by making a return call at least seven times for one year following the established period. 

In the search, people's smoking cessation status is monitored. Their motivation is increased by encouraging them to deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms or physiological difficulties experienced in the smoking cessation process. 

In this context, it was found that 25% of people who were monitored last year had quit smoking.  /aa

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey aims to achieve first contact with the moon as part of its national space programme in 2023, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

“The first rough landing will be made on the moon with our national and authentic hybrid rocket that shall be launched into orbit in the end of 2023 through international cooperation,” Erdogan said, detailing a two-phase mission.

Erdogan did not elaborate further on the cooperation. Last month, Erdogan spoke to Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk on possible cooperation in space technologies with Turkish companies.

Speaking in an event in Ankara, Erdogan announced a programme with 10 strategic goals including sending a Turkish citizen to a scientific mission in space.

Last month, Turkey launched its Turksat 5A satellite into orbit from the United States in cooperation with SpaceX. Turksat 5B satellite is planned to be launched in second quarter of 2021.

Turkey aims to reach strategic space goals in 10 years, Erdogan also said, adding that the country will improve work on satellite technologies and establish a space port with other ally countries.

Turkey previously launched reconnaissance and communication satellites set up a satellite systems integration and test center and manufactured a domestic HD satellite called IMECE which is expected to be launched in 2022.

“Our feet will be on earth but our eyes will be in space. Our roots will be on earth, our branches will be up in the sky,” Erdogan said./

The United Nations Human Rights Council said it is to hold a special session Friday on Myanmar, on the day the UN office there voiced strong concerns over Tuesday's reported use of violence by security forces against demonstrators. 

"I call on the security forces to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," Ola Almgren, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, said in a statement.

“The use of disproportionate force against demonstrators is unacceptable”, he noted.

The military takeover on Feb. 1 followed escalating tensions between the military and the government after the November 2020 elections, won by Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD).

Politicians, journalists and activists were arbitrarily detained after the coup, including Suu Kyi, and the crackdown triggered the calling of the special HRC session.

"This session is being convened following the requests submitted late yesterday by the United Kingdom and the European Union," HRC spokesman Roland Gomez told journalists at a UN briefing in Geneva.

Gomez said the vast majority of speakers will be participating virtually and "we also expect to receive a draft resolution prior to Friday's session". 

Gomez read a message from the new president of the HRC, former Fiji ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem Khan, in which she welcomed the announcement by the United States at the Council Monday that it will rejoin the body as an observer.

"Such engagement greatly increases the council's ability to deliver its mandate of promoting and protecting all human rights aimed at improving the lives of all people around the globe," said Gomez quoting Khan.

Gomez said the next full session of the HRC would take place from Feb. 22 to March 23.

"This marks the first time the United States will participate in a plenary meeting of the Human Rights Council since they relinquished their membership in June 2018," said Gomez./aa

Another 1,052 coronavirus deaths were reported in the UK on Tuesday, the highest number in the past five days. 

According to the latest government data, 12,364 more infections were recorded in the UK, raising the overall tally to 3,972,148.

The new cases raised the seven-day count from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9 to 119,525, which is 26.6% less than the previous seven-day period.

The figures, the lowest in the past nine weeks, reveal that infections are falling sharply as vaccinations and testing continue to grow steadily.

By Monday, 12,646,486 people in the UK had received the first vaccine dose, while the number of people who have been administered two doses stood at 516,392.

With 616,718 tests carried out on Monday, the number of tests done between Feb. 2 and Feb. 8 was 4,519,426 – an increase of 1.8% from the previous seven-day period.

Hospital admissions from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 were at 16,356, marking a 22.2% decrease from the previous seven-day period from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29, latest data showed.

On Tuesday, the government unveiled new rules for people arriving in the UK, with violators facing the possibility of a 10-year jail sentence and a fine of up to £10,000 (over $13,500).

The UK is in a race against time to contain the spread of the South African variant of the coronavirus, which has been detected in multiple areas, including major cities such as Liverpool and the capital London.

The sense of urgency was further heightened after a study revealed that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is less than 10% effective against the new mutation./aa

A mysterious metal monolith that appeared in southeastern Turkey last week has been revealed to be part of the unveiling of the nation's new space program.

Speaking on Tuesday with an image of the mysterious monolith on a screen behind him, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the nation's president, quoted from the ancient Turkic words on the structure: "Look at the sky, see the moon."

"I hereby introduce Turkey's National Space Program with its 10-year vision for space," he said in the capital Ankara.

The metal pillar – 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall and one meter (3.2 feet) wide – was found last Friday, almost 20 kilometers from the Sanliurfa city center.
Many curious people visited the site to see the metal pillar and wondered about its meaning.

It attracted international media coverage before disappearing on Tuesday morning, as part of planned publicity for Turkey's new space program.
Similar structures had previously appeared in locales outside Turkey, unrelated to the space program announcement./aa

Rwanda's Health Ministry announced Tuesday it had acquired three robots to clean and disinfect COVID-19 treatment centers and hospitals as part of more comprehensive efforts to stem the spread of the virus.

Each of the disinfectant robots can disinfect up to 15 rooms over an eight-hour shift. According to the ministry, they are expected to improve infection prevention control in treatment centers and other areas due to their speed and efficiency.

The robots will help mitigate hospital-acquired infections and minimize the risk of more infections. Sabin Nsanzimana, the director-general of Rwanda Biomedical Center, told reporters in the capital Kigali.

The move comes as the latest in Rwanda's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak.

Last year, the East African country introduced robots in screening, which helped minimize infection risks at treatment centers.

As of Monday, Rwanda's COVID-19 cases reached 16,621, with 3,769 active cases and 223 deaths.

On Monday, the government allowed resumption of businesses in Kigali with essential staff, not more than 30% capacity, as the country began easing its second coronavirus lockdown in the capital.

The country's land borders also remain closed, movement between the capital and the provinces is still restricted. A night curfew also remains in place from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m./aa