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Friday, March 5, 2021

Senate begins marathon debate on Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 proposal
USA

Senate begins marathon debate on Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 proposal

  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer thanked Senate staff for enduring the early-morning ordeal and added, "As for our friend from Wisconsin, I hope he enjoyed his Thursday evening."
  • Schumer was referring to Republican Senator Ron Johnson, who insisted that the text of the bill be read aloud.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:52pm
Spike in Canada exports to US leads to surprise January trade surplus
USA

Spike in Canada exports to US leads to surprise January trade surplus

  • Canada's trade surplus with the rest of the world was C$1.41 billion ($1.11 billion) in January, the largest since July 2014. Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a deficit of C$1.40 billion.
  • "In a sea of really bad news this is an island paradise. Everything is up," said Peter Hall, chief economist at Export Development Canada.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:43pm
Pope urges Iraqis to shun past violence and give peace a chance
Asia

Pope urges Iraqis to shun past violence and give peace a chance

  • “May the clash of arms be silenced ... may there be an end to acts of violence and extremism,” he said, addressing Iraqi President Barham Salih, politicians and diplomats at the presidential palace.
  • Francis arrived at Baghdad airport under tight security, after telling reporters on his plane that he felt duty-bound to make the “emblematic” trip because the country “has been martyred for so many years”.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:27pm
Swiss plan free coronavirus tests for population
Europe

Swiss plan free coronavirus tests for population

  • Under the proposals each person would be given five self-test kits per months, as soon as reliable tests are available, the government said, while all tests at pharmacies and testing centres will be free of charge.
  • To ensure more testing is carried out, the government proposed to pay for the voluntary tests. It estimated the expanded testing scheme will cost more than 1 billion francs this year.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:23pm
US job growth beats expectations in February
USA

US job growth beats expectations in February

  • Nonfarm payrolls surged 379,000 jobs last month after rising 166,000 in January, the Labor Department said on Friday. In December, payrolls fell for the first time in eight months.
  • Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Thursday offered an optimistic view of the labor market, but cautioned a return to full employment this year was "highly unlikely."
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:20pm
Abbott's test to distinguish coronavirus and flu viruses gets US authorization
USA

Abbott's test to distinguish coronavirus and flu viruses gets US authorization

  • The test, Alinity m Resp-4-Plex, can be conducted with one nasal swab sample and can differentiate the coronavirus, flu A, flu B and another respiratory virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the company said.
  • Abbott has a range of COVID-19 tests, including antigen, molecular and serology tests which have been authorized for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:09pm
Rwanda becomes first African nation to use Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
Africa

Rwanda becomes first African nation to use Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

  • Authorities began transporting Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots round the hilly nation of 12 million people after they arrived earlier this week, using helicopters to reach far-flung parts.
  • The Kagame government, which prides itself on efficiency and technological prowess but is often criticised as authoritarian, has installed special infrastructure to keep the Pfizer vaccine at the required -70 degrees.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:02pm
Oxford study indicates AstraZeneca effective against Brazil variant
USA

Oxford study indicates AstraZeneca effective against Brazil variant

  • The source did not provide the exact efficacy of the vaccine against the variant. They said the full results of the study should be released soon, possibly in March.
  • The information comes as a small-sample study suggested the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac may not work effectively against the Brazilian variant.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 09:00pm
Biden beefs up White House staff, including Big Tech critic Wu
USA

Biden beefs up White House staff, including Big Tech critic Wu

  • Wu authored "The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age" in 2018, in which he warned about the inequalities created by extreme economic concentraion.
  • "Putting this twitter feed on hold for now -- so long!" Wu, said in a post on Friday.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 08:58pm
Britain brings in new paperwork for lockdown travellers
Europe

Britain brings in new paperwork for lockdown travellers

  • Under current lockdown rules, holidays are banned and only those travelling for specific work or family reasons are allowed to go abroad. The government said the new form would help it to police those rules.
  • Britain has said that people might be able to travel again from mid-May, with more information due in mid-April.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 08:51pm
Poland's cases of British coronavirus variant rising
Europe

Poland's cases of British coronavirus variant rising

  • At the start of January, the share of the British variant was around 5% ... Now, the most recent tests show that the share has been systematically growing and for the last 21 days we have almost 25%."
  • "The virus in the British version develops so fast as it is of course much more contagious," he said, adding that the variant share was even as high as 70% in random tests.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 08:42pm
UK's 2021 growth outlook not 'strong': BoE's Haskel
Europe

UK's 2021 growth outlook not 'strong': BoE's Haskel

  • A number of people have talked about a 'strong' forecast. I find that rather misleading, because of course it is from a very low base. If you go down by 25% then you go up by 25% ... it doesn't take you back to where you started."
  • British government forecasters predicted on Wednesday a 4.0% expansion this year and 7.3% growth in 2022, after a historic 9.9% collapse in 2020.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 08:37pm
France drops negative COVID-19 test requirement for Irish hauliers
Europe

France drops negative COVID-19 test requirement for Irish hauliers

  • Irish traders are increasingly shipping goods directly to and from European ports, rather than the once-speedier route via the so-called UK landbridge, as a result of red tape and delays after Britain's exit from the European Union.
  • The Irish transport ministry said in a statement the French government had informed it of the decision.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 08:32pm
Japan to extend Tokyo area state of emergency to March 21
South Asia

Japan to extend Tokyo area state of emergency to March 21

  • Under the state of emergency, the government has requested restaurants and bars close by 8 p.m. and stop serving alcohol an hour earlier. People are also asked to stay home after 8 p.m. unless they have essential reasons to go out.
  • Suga made the announcement, echoing an earlier one made by the Economy Minister, at the start of a meeting on handling the coronavirus.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 07:32pm
Turks eye interest-free property funding amid soaring borrowing costs
Europe

Turks eye interest-free property funding amid soaring borrowing costs

  • The so-called "savings financing system" has been used in Turkey since 1991, but a lack of official scrutiny of the creditors has so far kept some borrowers away.
  • Under the cooperative system, customers agree to make payments for a number of years totalling the amount they wish to borrow plus a 7%-10% additional cost that is not strictly considered to be interest.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 06:39pm
Australia asks EU to review block of AstraZeneca vaccine
Europe

Australia asks EU to review block of AstraZeneca vaccine

  • Italy, EU blocked shipment of AstraZeneca shots to Australia.
  • Move meant to sanction AstraZeneca for delays in EU supplies.
  • Millions of EU-made vaccines exported to dozens of countries.
  • Australia sees no impact on its rollout.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 06:35pm
Cheers and hope as doctor gets Nigeria's first COVID-19 vaccine
Africa

Cheers and hope as doctor gets Nigeria's first COVID-19 vaccine

  • "I am happy to be the first and I am happy I am not the last," the doctor, 42-year-old Ngong Cyprian, told Reuters. "I want everybody to be vaccinated."
  • Two other male doctors and one female nurse were also inoculated in white tents draped in green, the colours of the national flag, while cameras rolled and officials clapped and cheered.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 06:17pm
India steps up border patrols to stop arrivals from Myanmar
South Asia

India steps up border patrols to stop arrivals from Myanmar

  • "As of now, we are not letting anybody enter," Maria Zuali, senior government official in Mizoram state's Champhai district, told Reuters by telephone.
  • "They alleged that there are human rights violations and they were asked to shoot at civilians," the official said, also requesting anonymity.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 05:59pm
Brazil industrial output rises in January, but at slowest pace in nine months
USA

Brazil industrial output rises in January, but at slowest pace in nine months

  • January's 0.4% increase in industrial output was exactly in line with the median estimate in a Reuters poll of economists, while the year-on-year rise of 2.0% was slightly below the poll forecast of 2.2% growth.
  • "Industry kept up its positive performance, but decelerated in January," said IBGE survey manager Andre Macedo.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 05:48pm
UK's Prince Philip transferred back to private hospital, Buckingham Palace says
Europe

UK's Prince Philip transferred back to private hospital, Buckingham Palace says

  • Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who has been hospitalised for more than two weeks, was moved to a London hospital with a specialist cardiac centre on Monday for treatment for a pre-existing heart issue.
  • "The Duke is expected to remain in hospital for continuing treatment for a number of days," the palace said in a statement.
Updated 05 Mar, 2021 05:50pm
Freedom House demotes India from 'free' to 'partially free'
South Asia

Freedom House demotes India from 'free' to 'partially free'

  • India has been downgraded from ‘Free’ to Partially Free’ in the annual report published by Freedom House, a Washington-based pro-democracy think tank and human rights watchdog.
  • Published this week, the latest report marks the 4th consecutive year of democratic backsliding under the Modi government, highlighting that the country appears to be inching closer to authoritarianism.
Updated 05 Mar, 2021 06:00pm
Myanmar diplomatic revolt against junta widens after violent crackdown
Asia

Myanmar diplomatic revolt against junta widens after violent crackdown

  • Myanmar’s junta lost a tug of war over leadership of its U.N. mission in New York and the United States unveiled new sanctions targeting military conglomerates after the deaths of dozens of civilians protesting against last month’s coup.
  • But in the main city of Yangon, police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse protesters who had been joined by about 100 doctors in white coats, witnesses said.
Published 05 Mar, 2021 10:09am
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