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Archive

World

Thursday, April 8, 2021

IMF sees uncertainty around Argentina's economic policies
USA

IMF sees uncertainty around Argentina's economic policies

  • "There's always at least two legs to any restructuring. One is how you change the terms of your debt contracts, the other one is how you change your policies to make the new debt sustainable. And I think that second leg is where we have a lot of uncertainty," said Alejandro Werner, the IMF's head for the Western Hemisphere, in an event hosted by S&P Global.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 08:56pm
Merkel tells Putin to pull back troops as Kremlin accuses Ukraine of provocations
Europe

Merkel tells Putin to pull back troops as Kremlin accuses Ukraine of provocations

  • Ukraine has raised the alarm over an increase in Russian forces near its eastern border as violence has risen along the line of contact separating its troops from Russia-backed separatists in its Donbass region.
  • "The Chancellor demanded that this build-up be unwound in order to de-escalate the situation," Germany's government said in a readout of a telephone call between Merkel and Putin.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 08:27pm
Mexico president will get AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot, says risks minimal
USA

Mexico president will get AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot, says risks minimal

  • Lopez Obrador, 67, said the benefits outweighed the risks of the low-cost shot, which is a core pillar of Mexico's vaccination strategy. Several countries have drawn attention to possible links between the vaccine and very rare cases of blood clots.
  • Mexico's health regulator said it was investigating the information, but had no current plans to limit the shot to any age group.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 08:16pm
Five Chinese cities told to rein in speculation as property prices soar
South Asia

Five Chinese cities told to rein in speculation as property prices soar

  • New home prices in China rose at their fastest pace in five months in February, official data shows, as red-hot demand for property in the world's-second largest economy largely eclipsed government efforts to cool the market.
  • The five cities have seen prices rise fast due to spillover demand from tier-1 cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen which imposed stringent regulations early in the year to rein in home prices.
Updated 08 Apr, 2021 08:06pm
Vaccinations helped push down England's COVID infection rates sharply in March: study
Europe

Vaccinations helped push down England's COVID infection rates sharply in March: study

  • The REACT study, run by scientists at Imperial College London, found that infections fell by approximately 60% from the last study in February, with an average of only one in 500 people infected.
  • Paul Elliott, director of the REACT programme, said the "gratifying fall in infections" was "really good news" and "shows we're headed in the right direction".
Published 08 Apr, 2021 07:27pm
French COVID-19 situation serious but encouraging signs after local lockdowns
Europe

French COVID-19 situation serious but encouraging signs after local lockdowns

  • "We have the first encouraging signs in the 16 departments where we had imposed restriction measures," Attal told a news conference following a meeting of French government ministers.
  • Nonetheless, Attal said the number of people in intensive care units with COVID-19 was likely to go up in the coming days.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 07:24pm
COVAX vaccines reach more than 100 countries, despite supply hits
Europe

COVAX vaccines reach more than 100 countries, despite supply hits

  • Despite being hit by reduced supply availability in March and April, and higher demand in India where much of its main jab AstraZeneca is made, it expects to deliver doses to all economies that have requested them in the first half of 2021, the GAVI vaccine alliance and World Health Organization said.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 07:19pm
Sweden registers 7,822 new COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths on Thursday
Europe

Sweden registers 7,822 new COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths on Thursday

  • The country of 10 million inhabitants registered 17 new deaths, taking the total to 13,595. The deaths registered have occurred over several days and sometimes weeks.
  • Sweden's death rate per capita is many times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours' but lower than in most European countries that opted for lockdowns.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 07:11pm
Mexico annual inflation hits 4.67pc in March, above central bank target
USA

Mexico annual inflation hits 4.67pc in March, above central bank target

  • "The jump in Mexico's headline inflation ... was driven once again by higher fuel inflation. We think this trend has a bit further to run, but the central bank is likely to look through this and keep its policy rate at 4.00% over the coming months," said Nikhil Sanghani, Latin America economist at Capital Economics.
  • Consumer prices rose 0.83% in March, according to non-seasonally adjusted figures.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:54pm
Kremlin says it has to be ready for worst-case US sanctions scenario
Europe

Kremlin says it has to be ready for worst-case US sanctions scenario

  • "The hostility and unpredictability of America's actions force us in general to be prepared for the worst scenarios," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
  • Moscow's ties with Washington nosedived last month when Russia recalled its ambassador after US President Joe Biden said he thought President Vladimir Putin was a killer.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:48pm
Britain grants asylum to Hong Kong activist after China's crackdown on dissent
Europe

Britain grants asylum to Hong Kong activist after China's crackdown on dissent

  • "After several interviews in four months, the Home Office has informed me that my asylum application is approved," Law, who arrived in Britain last July, said on Twitter late on Wednesday.
  • "The fact that I am wanted under the national security law shows that I am exposed to severe political persecution and am unlikely to return to Hong Kong without risk."
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:46pm
Tirana airport partially reopens despite air traffic control strike
Europe

Tirana airport partially reopens despite air traffic control strike

  • About 70 air traffic controllers went on strike on Wednesday after their monthly wages were halved to around $2,490 due to a 57% reduction in air traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In response to the strike, the government took over the control tower. A Reuters reporter saw armoured vehicles and police there.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:24pm
US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly rise
USA

US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly rise

  • Initial claims for state unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 744,000 for the week ended April 3 compared to 728,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
  • The labor market has regained its footing after stumbling in December, thanks to the White House's massive $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue package and an acceleration in the pace of vaccinations against COVID-19, which are allowing more services businesses to resume operations.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:21pm
Saudi $7 trillion investment goal puts spotlight on oil prices
Middle East

Saudi $7 trillion investment goal puts spotlight on oil prices

  • Saudi pursuing 27 trillion riyal spending push.
  • Under plan, some firms required to cut payouts to government.
  • More taxes, royalties will help to plug gap – analysts.
  • So Saudi will likely need higher oil prices.
  • OPEC leader may need to curb supply to prop up prices.
Published 08 Apr, 2021 06:09pm
U.S is prepared to lift sanctions from Iran, according to State Department
Middle East

U.S is prepared to lift sanctions from Iran, according to State Department

  • On Wednesday, diplomats from major powers met separately with leaders from Iran and the United States, to discuss how to bring both countries back into the fold of the nuclear deal, which was abandoned three years ago.
  • The United States is prepared to remove sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, including those that are inconsistent with the 2015 pact.
Updated 08 Apr, 2021 11:43am
US restores aid to Palestinians with $235 million funding package
World

US restores aid to Palestinians with $235 million funding package

  • Blinken says the US will relaunch policies stopped during the Trump administration, including $150 million for UN Relief and Works Agency
  • Assistance will help provide critical relief to those in great need, fosters economic development, and supports Israeli-Palestinian understanding, security coordination, and stability
Published 08 Apr, 2021 10:52am