News Archives for World - 2021-04-06

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World - 2021-04-06

USA

Mexico reports 4,675 new coronavirus cases and 603 more deaths

The government says the real case numbers are likely significantly higher and separate data published recently by the health ministry suggested the actual coronavirus death toll may be at least 60pc above the confirmed figure.

Updated 07 Apr, 2021 12:22am

Europe

Turkey's daily COVID-19 cases hit all time high of nearly 50,000

The latest daily death toll was 211, the highest since early January, bringing the cumulative toll to 32,667.

Updated 07 Apr, 2021 12:22am

USA

White House says it does not anticipate any policy moves on Iran amid talks

"We've been clear that we are not taking, not anticipating any steps at this moment. We'll allow the negotiations to continue," Psaki said.

Updated 07 Apr, 2021 12:22am

Europe

France's COVID-19 hospitalisations near a five-month high

Health authorities also reported 8,045 new infections in France, at 4.84 million, a figure sharply lower than last Tuesday's 30,702.

Updated 07 Apr, 2021 12:22am

South Asia

One killed after Bangladesh police fire on Covid-19 protesters

One group hurled bricks at a police station, vandalised government offices and torched an officer's home and two government cars, police said.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:58pm

South Asia

Bangladesh ferry disaster death toll hits 34

Experts blame poor maintenance, lax safety standards at shipyards and overcrowding for many of the accidents.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:55pm

South Asia

Indonesia, East Timor flood death toll surges past 160

Search and rescue teams in Indonesia were racing to find more than 70 people still missing and using diggers to clear mountains of debris.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:52pm

Lebanon vaccine rollout neglects refugees, migrants: HRW

Only 233,934 doses have been administered as of April 5 mostly due to the limited quantity of vaccines available, HRW said.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:49pm

South Asia

New Delhi to impose pandemic night curfew

Alarm has grown since India passed more than 100,000 new cases in a single day for the first time on Monday.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:47pm

MENA

Israeli President nominates Netanyahu to try and form government

On Tuesday, Israel's President nominated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government, adding that no party leader has sufficient support to form a majority coalition.
Netanyahu holds the most support — 52 seats — in Israel's Knesset, but that is still short of a 61-seat majority.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 06:09pm

Eurozone unemployment stable, no jobs crisis for now

Youth unemployment in the eurozone, which has risen more sharply during the Covid crisis, edged lower to 17.3 percent, Eurostat said.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:38pm

Europe

NATO chief says 'serious concern' over Russia's Ukraine activities

"NATO firmly supports Ukraine's sovereignty an territorial integrity. We remain committed to our close partnership."

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:35pm

South Asia

Fresh violence as 175 million vote in Indian state polls

West Bengal in eastern India was the most important with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist BJP party attempting to win power there for the first time.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:29pm

Georgia PM tests positive as virus cases spike

In mid-March, Georgia began a national vaccination campaign by inoculating medical workers with AstraZeneca's jab.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:26pm

South Asia

Myanmar activists splash red paint to protest junta bloodshed

On Tuesday, in the commercial capital Yangon, people smeared red paint and handprints on bus stops and pavements in protest at the military's violence.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:20pm

Middle East

Israel president taps Netanyahu to try to form govt

Netanyahu secured 52 recommendations, counting 30 from his right-wing Likud party, plus support from Israel's two ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious parties and the far-right Religious Zionism alliance.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:14pm

USA

US to join talks aimed at salvaging Iran nuclear deal

Iran confirmed in January it was enriching uranium to 20 percent purity, well beyond the threshold set by the deal.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:13pm

Coronavirus toll at 1000 GMT Tuesday

At least 131,711,580 cases of coronavirus have been registered.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 05:04pm

Europe

Ukraine urges NATO to speed up membership in 'signal' to Moscow

Zelensky said it was time for NATO to move forward with Ukraine's longstanding desire for membership.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 04:44pm

Europe

Germany hails US move on corporate tax as 'great step forward'

Finance ministers of the G20 club of large economies are expected to discuss the proposal during a virtual meeting on Wednesday, hosted by Italy.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 04:42pm

Africa

Death toll from fighting in Sudan's Darfur rises to 50: medics

The West Darfur Doctors' Committee said its latest count "raised the total numbers since the start of the events to 50 dead and 132 wounded."

Published 06 Apr, 2021 04:40pm

Europe

EU chiefs make rare Turkey visit to revamp ties

Tensions cooled somewhat when Turkey withdrew the vessels and this year engaged in its first maritime talks with Greece since 2016.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 04:37pm

Africa

Fear in Nigerian town after jailbreak

A senior prison official told AFP that some of the prisoners had returned and a hunt was underway for the others.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 04:34pm

Europe

Italy Feb jobless rate edges down to 10.2pc, with employment level broadly stable

In the December-to-February period some 277,000 jobs were lost compared with the three months from September-to-November last year, ISTAT said, a fall of 1.2%.
The statistics institute said that since February 2020, when the coronavirus first started to batter Italy, some 945,000 jobs had been lost, a decline of 4.1% in the number of people in work.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 07:29pm

Europe

Global COVID-19 death toll surpasses 3 million amid new infections resurgence

According to a Reuters tally, it took more than a year for the global coronavirus death toll to reach 2 million. The next 1 million deaths were added in about three months.
India reported a record rise in COVID-19 infections on Monday, becoming the second nation after the United States to post more than 100,000 new cases in a day.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 07:29pm

Europe

Valneva's COVID-19 shot set for Phase Three trial this month

The vaccine, Valneva said, was "generally safe and well tolerated across all dose groups tested, with no safety concerns identified by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board".
"Based on the data assessed, the company has decided to advance the high dose into the phase 3 clinical trial. Other trials, including booster trials, involving antigen sparing doses will also be evaluated," Valneva said.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 07:29pm

Europe

Foreign tourism to Spain slumps 93.6pc in February amid COVID curbs

International tourism to Spain plunged 80% to 19 million visitors last year - the lowest since 1969 - as coronavirus curbs took their toll.
Spain received 284,311 foreign tourists in February, 34.6% less than in January. International tourism revenues dropped 93.3% year on year in February, putting many business in jeopardy.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 07:29pm

South Asia

Philippines reports record 382 coronavirus deaths

The health ministry said total confirmed cases have increased to 812,760, after 9,373 infections were reported on Tuesday. Deaths have reached 13,817. "There were 341 deaths prior to April 2021 that went unreported," the ministry said.

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 07:29pm

South Asia

Rescuers hunt for survivors after cyclone wreaks havoc in Indonesia

Helicopters were deployed to aid the search for survivors among 72 people reported missing so far in the East Nusa Tenggara islands, where tropical cyclone Seroja brought strong winds and heavy rains that triggered flash floods and landslides.
"Seroja is the first time we're seeing tremendous impact because it hit the land. It's not common," she told a news conference.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 12:40pm

Researchers develop 'roboplants' to detect abnormalities in crops

Scientists say the hi-tech system will prove useful as crops face increasing threats from climate change
With the use of this technology, farmers will be able to find out when a disease is in progress, even before full-blown symptoms appear on the crops

Updated 06 Apr, 2021 01:34pm

South Asia

Iran, US to hold indirect nuclear talks in Vienna

Iran has steadily overstepped the accord's limits on its nuclear programme in response to Washington's withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and its reimposition of sanctions that have crippled the Islamic Republic's economy.
What other parties to the deal do is their business. Where and how they negotiate with the United States is up to them. The Iranian delegation will not have any talks with the US delegation in Vienna at any level.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 12:09pm

Europe

Two Ukrainian soldiers killed in eastern Ukraine

Kyiv says Russia has been building up its forces near Ukraine's eastern borders in recent weeks, and reports of separatist attacks on Ukrainian government forces have increased significantly.
Moscow and Kyiv have long accused each other of failing to implement a peace deal over the region.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 12:03pm

South Asia

Australia-NZ 'travel bubble' to begin April 19 in pandemic milestone

No quarantine or COVID testing in 'travel bubble'.
Qantas, Air NZ to ramp up flight capacity.
Tourism and sports operators gear up.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 11:56am

Europe

Dutch cargo ship adrift off Norway after dramatic evacuation

"The ship lost power on the main engine during the night and is drifting towards land," Hans Petter Mortenson of the Norwegian Coastal Administration, told public broadcaster NRK.
"There is a risk it may capsize and sink," Mortenson said, adding that this could cause a spill of diesel and fuel oil from its tanks.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 11:54am

Europe

UK parliament to get vote on any vaccine certification plans

"We haven't even got to the state where we decided what we want to do on this domestically, because there are so many issues that do need careful consideration," Zahawi told Times Radio.
"We're not there yet, but... if we do get to that place, then of course we'll go to parliament for a vote."

Published 06 Apr, 2021 11:49am

Europe

Swedish Services PMI dips to 61.3 points in March

"It is the third month in a row where the index is over the 60-point level, which shows a broad rise in activity in the services sector and which has led to an increase in the need for new workers for the first time since 2019," Swedbank economist Jorgen Kennemar said in a statement.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 11:29am

South Asia

Australia job ads jump to 12-year high in March: ANZ

Tuesday's figures from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group showed total job ads grew 7.4% in March from February, when they jumped an upwardly revised 8.8%.
"We estimate that 100,000-150,000 people will lose employment, equivalent to 0.8-1.2% of the current workforce," said Birch.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 11:26am

South Asia

New Zealand-Australia travel bubble to start on April 19

"Our team's success in managing COVID-19 and keeping it out over the past 12 months now opens up the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and resume Trans-Tasman travel," Ardern said in a news conference.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 10:11am

South Asia

Indian states seek widening of vaccinations as second surge overtakes first wave

India breached the grim milestone of 100,000 daily infections for the first time on Monday, and cases are likely to stay high again when fresh figures are released later on Tuesday.
If a larger number of young and working population is vaccinated, the intensity of the cases would be much lower than the treatment that they need today.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 09:57am

South Asia

Australia short of 3mn AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses in blow to vaccination drive

We were scheduled to have received over 3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from overseas by now, which have not arrived in Australia because of the problems with shipments that we've seen happening here and in other parts of the world.
"We have been told that the delay is linked to supply chain delays rather than the ability of the pharmacy network to participate," Pharmacy Guild President Trent Twomey told Reuters.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 09:50am

South Asia

Japan backs new IMF allocation, US calls for minimum corp tax

G20 to extend debt relief for developing world –finmin.
Aso keeps China in check against its lending practise.
Welcomes Yellen's minimum corporate tax proposal.

Published 06 Apr, 2021 09:48am

India tightens screws as Covid-19 infections hit new record

NEW DELHI: India’s worst-hit state ramped up its coronavirus restrictions as nationwide the daily infections...