News Archives for World - 2021-05-26

<<>>

South Asia

Philippines to authorize Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in 12-15 year olds

Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine is one of the seven brands of coronavirus shots allowed for emergency use in the Philippines.

Published 26 May, 2021 11:11pm

USA

Brazil current account deficit shrinks to 0.84pc of GDP, narrowest in 13 years

Brazil posted a $5.7 billion current account surplus in April, the central bank said, less than the $6.2 billion median forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.
That was largely thanks to a record goods trade surplus of $9.1 billion. Exports surged 50.7% from the same month last year, outstripping a 36.6% jump in imports.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:40pm

South Asia

China to gift 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Nepal

In March, China provided 800,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal, which also received a million shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine as gift from India.
Nepal began its vaccination drive in January but the campaign has been suspended because of the lack of vaccines after New Delhi said it was unable to provide additional shots due to its domestic needs.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:16pm

Europe

Dutch court orders Shell to deepen carbon cuts in landmark case

Court tells Shell to cut emissions by 45% by 2030.
Ruling says Shell's current targets 'not enough'.
Shell can appeal verdict.
FACTBOX: Big Oil's climate targets.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:15pm

Europe

Turkish economy to return to form with 6.7pc growth in Q1, 5.5pc in 2021

Forecasts from 13 economists ranged from 4.5% to 7% for the full-year, while the median estimate was up from 4.5% in a February poll. For the first quarter, forecasts from 14 economists ranged from 5% to 7.5%.
Turkey's economy grew just 1.8% last year and 0.9% in 2019, well down from an average of about 5% over the last two decades.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:13pm

Europe

Slovakia will start administering Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines

Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million people, imported 200,000 doses of Sputnik V in March, but they had since been sitting in storage pending approval.
"There are still a non-negligible number of citizens who declare that they would only be vaccinated by the Sputnik V vaccine," a report accompanying the government resolution said.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:10pm

Europe

Germany's Scholz expects ‘revolution’ in global tax rules within a few weeks

"We're on home straight. Negotiations are taking place almost every day and at all levels of the G20, G7 and the OECD," Scholz said in a joint virtual news conference with French counterpart Bruno Le Maire.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:07pm

Europe

Merkel, Egypt's Sisi agree Gaza ceasefire must be stabilised

They also agreed on the goal of supporting a resumption in political negotiations, he said.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:01pm

Europe

France imposes quarantine on UK visitors ahead of summer tourist season

"There is a new situation with the progression of the so-called Indian variant in the United Kingdom," said government spokesman Gabriel Attal. "(France) will set up compulsory isolation for people coming from the United Kingdom."
The French government's announcement will be a blow to parts of the beleaguered tourism industry, which is desperate for a return to normal business ahead of the peak summer season.

Published 26 May, 2021 07:59pm

Middle East

Assad dismisses critics as Syria votes to extend his grip on power

The United States and the European Union said Tuesday the election was "neither free nor fair," and Syria's fragmented opposition has called it a "farce".

Published 26 May, 2021 07:04pm

World

Coronavirus toll at 1000 GMT Wednesday

At least 167,754,610 cases of coronavirus have been registered.

Updated 26 May, 2021 07:03pm

Middle East

Iran's Rouhani urges greater 'competition' in presidential poll

The president also warned of the risk of low voter turnout and said the system's "continued legitimacy" was at stake.

Published 26 May, 2021 05:50pm

Middle East

Pipeline blast in south Iran kills one

Authorities are investigating the damages and cause of the incident, ISNA added.

Updated 26 May, 2021 06:56pm

Africa

S.Africa's Zuma pleads not guilty in graft trial

Zuma was impassive as he faced the court in the eastern city of Pietermaritzburg, where numerous supporters and relatives were gathered.

Published 26 May, 2021 05:41pm

Europe

EU asks for big penalties against AstraZeneca over dose delays

The deadline for the contract is set for mid-June, according to the Commission, and the EU says the company should face financial penalties if it does not meet this deadline.

Published 26 May, 2021 05:37pm

South Asia

Three dead as another cyclone batters India

Cyclones are a regular menace in the northern Indian Ocean but many scientists say they are becoming more frequent and severe as climate change warms the waters of the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

Published 26 May, 2021 05:37pm

World

Taliban warn Afghan neighbours against allowing US bases

A flurry of diplomatic calls between the US and Pakistan in recent days has fuelled speculation the Pentagon is scouting for new bases to use against the Taliban.
However, Pakistan's Foreign Office has denied the rumors saying, "no such proposal is expected."

Updated 26 May, 2021 05:32pm

World

Blinken visits Cairo as US seeks to secure Gaza ceasefire

Blinken arrived in Egypt after stops in Jerusalem and Ramallah and he is also due to visit Jordan.

Published 26 May, 2021 01:58pm

World

Pacific sees a 'Blood Moon' rising

The Inca believed a lunar eclipse occurred when a jaguar had eaten the Moon. Some Aboriginal Australian groups believed it signalled someone on a journey had been hurt or killed.

Published 26 May, 2021 01:53pm

World

Iran's President Rouhani urges greater 'competition' in election

"Dear nation of Iran, now that the election was decided to be so, I have fulfilled my duty," he tweeted on Tuesday. "I am content with God's will."

Published 26 May, 2021 01:49pm

World

Three held over deadly Italy cable car crash

In an interview with AFP on Tuesday, before the arrests, local chief prosecutor Olimpia Bossi described what happened on Sunday.

Published 26 May, 2021 01:12pm

South Asia

U.S. to complete Afghan withdrawal by mid-July ahead of Biden’s September deadline, reports NYT

The United States and their NATO allies have accelerated their withdrawal from Afghanistan, intending to be out of the war-torn country as early as mid-July, which is significantly earlier to their original September 11 deadline.
The Pentagon has yet to determine how terrorist threats like an Al Qaeda resurgence could be contained in the absence of American military presence.

Updated 26 May, 2021 12:56pm

World

US FDA may not review new COVID-19 vaccine EUA requests during pandemic

AstraZeneca and Novavax did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Published 26 May, 2021 11:26am

World

EU partly to blame for Mediterranean migrant deaths: UN

"The real tragedy is that so much of the suffering and death along the central Mediterranean route is preventable," she said.

Published 26 May, 2021 11:16am

World

Latvia bans Belarus airlines, tells others to avoid Belarus airspace

The government took the decision late on Tuesday night, she added.

Published 26 May, 2021 11:11am

World

Russia asserts presence in Arctic with northern military base

As Moscow seeks to assert its influence in the Arctic, military disputes have intensified in recent years, with both Russian and NATO forces carrying out manoeuvres to display their ambitions.

Published 26 May, 2021 10:44am

World

New York prosecutors probing Trump form grand jury: US media

Investigators believe Weisselberg knows all of the Trump family secrets and have been putting pressure on him for months to cooperate with their investigation.

Published 26 May, 2021 10:41am

World

EU and AstraZeneca battle in court over vaccine delays

AstraZeneca's French-Australian boss Pascal Soriot has argued that his company's contract with the EU binds it only to a "best reasonable efforts" clause.

Published 26 May, 2021 10:37am

World

Ex-aide set to rip into UK's Johnson at hearing

"Given the plan was AWOL/disaster + awful decisions delayed everything, lockdown1 became necessary."

Published 26 May, 2021 10:29am

World

Lukashenko defiant as UN Security Council to meet over Belarus

A 30-second video of Protasevich was broadcast by state television late Monday, in which he confirmed that he was in prison in Minsk and "confessed" to charges of organising mass unrest.

Published 26 May, 2021 10:25am

USA

Brazil's Lula seeks latest upset: win back the center

In a deeply polarized Brazil, Lula is striving to sell himself as a moderate to the alienated middle.

Published 26 May, 2021 10:01am

USA

George Floyd family urges police reform on anniversary of murder

"I got a chance to spend a lot of time with Gianna and the family," he said. "They've been wonderful."

Published 26 May, 2021 09:59am

Africa

Mediators to meet detained Malian leaders as pressure on army builds

"They spent the night in good conditions. The president saw his doctor," the source said.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:57am

World

Cyclone batters eastern India, 1.2 million seek shelter

Scientists say cyclones are becoming more frequent and severe in the northern Indian Ocean as climate change warms the sea, devastating coastal communities.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:52am

World

Syria polling stations open as Assad seeks fourth term

The 55-year-old Assad, who has been in power since 2000, is sure to keep his job after the election, every aspect of which is controlled by him and his Baath party.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:49am

World

War-ravaged Syria heads to polls with Assad set to win

The election takes place amid the lowest levels of violence since 2011 -- but with an economy in free-fall.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:48am

World

Cyclone Yaas makes landfall in eastern India: weather bureau

Very severe cyclonic storm Yaas centres around 50 km south-southeast of Balasore.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:46am

World

Italy hails capture of top mafia boss in Brazil

Before his arrest in a Montevideo hotel in September 2017, Morabito had lived for 13 years under a fake identity in the Uruguayan resort town of Punta del Este.

Published 26 May, 2021 09:41am

World

WhatsApp sues India govt, says new media rules mean end to privacy

The lawsuit escalates a growing struggle between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and tech giants including Facebook, Google parent Alphabet and Twitter in one of their key global growth markets.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:42am

World

Indian Covid-19 variant found in at least 53 territories: WHO

The WHO has received information from unofficial sources that the B.1.617 variant has been found in seven further territories, figures in the UN health agency's weekly epidemiological update showed, taking the total number to 60.

Published 26 May, 2021 08:35am

World

Japan’s PM fine-tunes spending plans

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday unveiled a plan for targeted government spending, steering ...