National Business

BERLIN — Months of low rainfall have left Rhine short of water, forcing inland shippers on Germany's longest river to reduce their loads by half to avoid running aground.

CALGARY — Calfrac Well Services Ltd. says it is planning a $55-million capital spending program for 2021. The oilfield services company says the plan consists primarily of maintenance capital expenditures.

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — South Korea's health minister said Monday that the Seoul metropolitan area is now a “COVID-19 war zone,” as the country reported another 615 new infections and the virus appeared to be spreading faster.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Chinese vaccine company Sinovac announced Monday that it is planning to complete a new facility to double its annual vaccine production capacity to 600 million doses by the end of the year, while also securing a $500 million investme

MasterCard says it is investigating allegations claiming the popular online pornography website Pornhub allows child sexual abuse materials on its site.

BUCHAREST, Romania — Romanians voted Sunday in a legislative election that many hope will restore some stability in one of the poorest European Union nations after five years of political and social turmoil.

TORONTO — Canadians looking for profitable stocks related to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic have plenty of homegrown options, but investing in small domestic firms carries elevated risks as well as rewards. BetterLife Pharmaceuticals Inc.

LONDON — The European Union and the United Kingdom decided Saturday to press on with negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal, with all three key issues still unresolved ahead of a year-end cutoff.

GENEVA — Two weeks after beating COVID-19, Thierry Salamin huffs as his ski boots crunch through Swiss snow near the Matterhorn peak, readying for a downhill run with his mood as bright as his blue and fluorescent yellow ski getup and the sun overhea

BEIJING — China's state TV says at least 18 coal miners have been killed by high levels of carbon monoxide in the country's southwest. One miner was found alive following the disaster Friday in the Diaoshidong mine in Chongqing, the report said.