News Archives for World - 2021-03-02

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USA

Colombia current account deficit shrank to 3.3pc of GDP in 2020

The deficit in 2019 was 4.4% of GDP, equivalent to some $14.3 billion, while the 2020 figure was equivalent to $9.08 billion.
Incoming foreign direct investment fell 46.3% last year to $7.69 billion, compared to the year before.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 09:39pm

Europe

Big economies agree to boost IMF funding, Georgieva says

"We finally last Friday at the G20 meeting got a green (light) to work on a new SDR allocation," Kristalina Georgieva said during the IMF's African Fiscal Forum, broadcast online.
"500 billion - in which each and every member of the IMF would receive its own share immediately contributing to reserves," she said, without specifying the currency unit.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 09:21pm

South Asia

Vaccine exporter India says it has plenty of shots for its own people

India needs to crank up the pace of immunisation at home as it has so far inoculated more than 12 million people. It wants to vaccinate 300 million people - a fifth of its population - against the virus by August.
It makes 60% of all vaccines in the world and has gifted or sold COVID-19 shots to several countries.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 09:05pm

USA

FBI's Chris Wray accuses Capitol Hill attackers of domestic terrorism

"I was appalled that you, our country's elected leaders, were victimized right here in these very halls," Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"That siege was criminal behavior, pure and simple. It's behavior that we, the FBI, view as domestic terrorism."

Published 02 Mar, 2021 08:58pm

USA

Canada's economy posts 9.6pc annualized growth in Q4

"There are a lot of moving parts here but overall I would say this is generally better than expected," said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets.
The Canadian dollar was trading 0.1% lower after the data at 1.2661 to the greenback, or 78.98 US cents, easing back from a rally the previous day.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 08:44pm

USA

US imposes sanctions on Russia over poisoning of Navalny

The sanctions were a response to what the officials said was a Russian attempt to assassinate Navalny last year, an accusation Russia denies. Biden's predecessor, former President Donald Trump, had not levied punishment on Russia over the Navalny attack.
"The United States is neither seeking to reset our relations with Russia, nor are we seeking to escalate," one official said.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 08:24pm

Europe

EU, under pressure over vaccine rollouts, considers switch to emergency approvals

We are ready to reflect with the member states on all possible avenues to indeed accelerate the approval of the vaccines.
This procedure was used in April to initially authorise doctors to use Gilead's antiviral drug remdesivir as a treatment against COVID-19. The drug was later given conditional approval by EMA.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 07:57pm

Europe

EU to investigate German payout for RWE, LEAG coal phase-out

Our role is to safeguard competition by making sure that the compensation granted to the operators of the plants for phasing out earlier than foreseen is kept to the minimum necessary.
"The information currently at our disposal does not allow us to confirm this with certainty, and we will now investigate this further," she said.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 07:50pm

Africa

Ghana kicks off coronavirus vaccination campaign with COVAX shots

I feel so good about taking the vaccine. It will protect me from contracting the virus from patients.
COVAX aims to deliver over 1.3 billion vaccine doses to over 90 low- and middle-income countries by the end of the year, covering up to 20% of their populations.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 07:21pm

Europe

UK royal Meghan seeks 1.5mn pounds in costs after court privacy win

A judge at London's High Court ruled the tabloid had breached her privacy and infringed her copyright by publishing parts of the five-page letter she wrote to her father Thomas Markle who she fell out with on the eve of her wedding to Prince Harry.
At a hearing on Tuesday to determine costs and other unresolved issues, documents submitted to the court showed that Meghan's lawyers had asked for 1.5 million pounds in legal fees, with half the amount to be paid within 14 days.

Updated 02 Mar, 2021 07:55pm

South Asia

Malaysia approves Sinovac, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for use

Malaysia began its vaccination drive on Feb. 24 using a shot developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and German partner BioNTech, as it tries to rein in a spike in infections and help revive an economy that recorded its worst slump in more than two decades last year.
Sinovac signed a deal with Malaysia's Pharmaniaga, which will carry out a fill-and-finish process for the vaccine's distribution in Malaysia, before later manufacturing it locally.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 07:17pm

South Asia

Myanmar's neighbours press for Suu Kyi's release, restoration of democracy

Neighbours urge release of Suu Kyi.
Singapore PM says lethal force is disastrous.
Police break up protests in Yangon and Kale.
Anti-coup groups say ASEAN legitimising junta with meeting.
Six journalists among those arrested in Yangon – lawyer.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 07:05pm

Europe

Hungary must prepare for surge in COVID-19 cases

The pandemic is progressing at an enormous pace throughout Europe and in Hungary, the number of cases rises day after day as well, even as 721,000 people had already received (at least) the first dose of a vaccine.
The country aims to give the jab to about 80,000 more people by Wednesday, although several officials have warned in recent days that further restrictions may be needed to curb the pandemic.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 06:59pm

Europe

German exports to UK fell almost a third in January as Brexit hit

Brexit adds to strains on trade from pandemic.
German exports to UK in decline since 2016 Brexit vote.
Many businesses on continent reorganise supply chains.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 06:39pm

Europe

142 countries to get 237mn vaccines doses from COVAX by end May: WHO

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, told a news conference that vaccine deliveries were planned on Tuesday to Angola, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.
Ghana's president Nana Akufo-Addo said his West African country, which has begun its innoculation campaign with COVAX doses, aimed to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of 2021.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 06:32pm

USA

Brazil monthly producer price inflation 3.36pc in Jan, second highest since 2014

Factory gate prices rose 3.36% in January from the month before, almost touching the 3.4% increase registered last October, the highest since the IBGE series began in 2014.
The annual rate of producer price inflation in January was 23%, IBGE said.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 06:19pm

Europe

Erdogan pledges stronger freedoms, rights in Turkish government plan

The plan, promised in recent months as part of a series of legal and economic reforms, would also improve the judiciary system, Erdogan said at the presidential palace in Ankara.
No one can be deprived freedom because of their thoughts, said Erdogan, who has faced criticism both at home and abroad for his increasingly autocratic rule over the NATO member country.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 06:16pm

Middle East

Turkey to expand military cooperation with Pakistan, for coveted Chinese military technology

Turkey has been reportedly pushing to co-manufacture warplanes and missiles in Pakistan, which could potentially grant it access to coveted military technology from China.

Updated 02 Mar, 2021 07:02pm

Europe

Romanian politician and ex-president's daughter get jail terms for corruption

The court in Bucharest gave Ioana Basescu, a public notary, a five-year prison sentence. Elena Udrea, a former centre-right minister, lawmaker and close political ally of former president Basescu was handed an eight-year prison term.
Investigations by anti-corruption prosecutors have exposed conflict of interest, abuse of power, fraud and awarding of state contracts in exchange for bribes across political parties.

Updated 02 Mar, 2021 06:01pm

World

Press watchdog RSF files lawsuit against Saudi prince over Khashoggi

Its report details the cases of 34 other journalists who have been jailed in Saudi Arabia, including the blogger Raif Badawi, who has been imprisoned in his home country since 2012 on charges of "insulting Islam".

Published 02 Mar, 2021 03:46pm

World

Philippines to evaluate China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

Sinopharm is the sixth vaccine maker to apply for emergency use authorisation in the Southeast Asian country.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 01:35pm

World

Indonesia says identifies two cases of British COVID-19 variant

Wiku Adisasmito declined to comment further on the new variant, known as B117.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 01:30pm

World

Five guards freed after new Ecuador prison riot controlled

President Lenin Moreno denounced the "barbarity" of the riots and said the gangs were "fighting for leadership and the trafficking of drugs throughout" Ecuador.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:55am

World

More than 400 acts of violence against Covid health workers in 2020: report

"The map shows that violence and intimidation against health care was a truly global crisis in 2020, affecting 79 countries," said Insecurity Insight director Christina Wille in a statement.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:50am

World

Indonesia's erupting Sinabung volcano belches column of ash

Indonesia -- an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and islets -- has nearly 130 active volcanoes.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:47am

World

One in four people will have hearing problems by 2050: WHO

Among children, it said, hearing loss could be prevented in 60 percent of cases.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:16am

World

Novavax hopes to file for US vaccine approval in 2nd quarter of 2021

That will likely be in the second quarter of 2021, depending on the virulence of the Covid-19 epidemic in the two countries, according to the Novavax statement.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:14am

World

Immigration, Covid headline talks between Biden, Lopez Obrador

Asked ahead of the meeting if Washington would send vaccines to Mexico, Biden answered: "We're going to talk about that."

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:13am

World

Just 4% of Covid research relevant to Africa: study

"The time has come that authoritative journals need to turn to authors and ask where local representation is on papers describing health systems in regions that are not there own," they wrote.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:10am

World

US Senate to debate Biden stimulus plan 'this week': Schumer

Given the Republicans' wholesale opposition, their defection risked scuttling the entire plan.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:07am

World

Myanmar's Suu Kyi hit with two new criminal charges

Suu Kyi has reportedly been kept under house arrest in the capital of Naypyidaw, an isolated city purpose-built under Myanmar's previous junta.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 11:01am

World

Tokyo asks China to end Covid-19 anal swabs for Japanese

Officials in China have used anal swabs to test people it considers at high-risk of contracting Covid-19, including residents of neighbourhoods with confirmed cases as well as some international travellers.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:53am

World

Militants attack UN base in Nigeria, trapping 25 aid workers

On Friday, ISWAP fighters in trucks fitted with machine guns raided Dikwa, sending residents fleeing.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:48am

World

UN experts urge international probe of Navalny poisoning

They pointed out that the novel form of Novichok used in the poisoning "could only be found within and amongst state actors."

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:47am

World

Freezer firm to launch probe after Japan vaccines spoiled

But it was also scrambling to secure enough special syringes needed to extract six full doses from each vial of the Pfizer vaccine.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:41am

World

US to impose sanctions on Russia for Navalny poisoning: report

They demanded his "immediate release" from a Russian penal colony, where he was transferred last week from a Moscow prison.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:40am

World

All 279 kidnapped Nigerian students released: governor

"I am happy to announce that the girls are free," Dr. Bello Matawalle told an AFP journalist. "They have just arrived in the government house and are in good health."

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:31am

World

Colombia becomes first country in Americas to receive Covax shots

Latin American countries have also independently ordered millions of vaccine doses from manufacturers worldwide.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:23am

World

U.S. failure to sanction prince for Khashoggi killing 'dangerous': U.N. expert

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday that the United States reserves the right to sanction the crown prince in the future if necessary.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:16am

World

Mumbai power outage could have been cyber sabotage, says minister

Millions were left without power, trains were stranded and online college exams and mobile telephone services collapsed after a grid failure that affected all of Mumbai and lasted for more than 12 hours in some parts of the city.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 10:12am

World

US Senator Mitt Romney recovering after fall that led to a 'lot of stitches'

Romney told reporters he went to a hospital to get stitches.

Published 02 Mar, 2021 09:48am

Middle East

Yemen donor conference seeks $3.85bn to prevent famine

DUBAI: The United Nations on Monday urged international donors to raise $3.85 billion to prevent large-scale famine...