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It was supposed to be a "short and powerful" two-week state of emergency designed to get Japan's fourth wave of coronavirus infections under control ahead of the Olympics. But after that fortnight had lapsed with infections continuing to place extreme pressure on the medical system, it was extended for another three weeks
As Japan's population crisis continues to worsen, more households are opting for dogs, cats and even exotic pets. Loneliness and boredom during the coronavirus pandemic have helped fuel the trend, Deutsche Welle writes. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened Japan's already worrying population decline
In 2009, it was estimated that there were 210 million drug users, accounting for 4.8% of the world’s population aged 15-64, compared to 269 million ones in 2018, accounting for 5.3% of the population, Modern Diplomacy writes. Over the past two decades, drug abuse in developing countries has grown much faster than in developed countries. To some extent, this reflects the difference in overall population growth during this period – 7% in developed countries and 28% in developing countries – but it also highlights the rapid growth of the young population in developing countries
Russia’s GDP growth is forecast at 3.2% in 2021, followed by 3.2% and 2.3% in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to the …
Geopolitics and international relations have undergone several transformations throughout the 20th century. The first two decades of the 21st century marked the resurgence of other powers, with the reappearance of Russia and China: Russia recovering part of its sphere of influence in its surroundings; and China consolidating itself as a global economic power, both of which play an important role on the geopolitical board, Edgar Gandra and Charles Pennaforte, Professors at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Brazil, write for Modern Diplomacy
As the vaccination campaign is gaining steam, some European nations resort to the most uncanny of places to provide people with the anti-COVID jab. Football stadiums, cathedrals, subway stations, cinemas and even the infamous Dracula’s castle in Romania are all used to attract people into getting the vaccine
Before 2020, Russia was the leading gas exporter to Turkey with a market share around 33%. Few were those who predicted any sudden alterations to this order of things
Oil prices rose on Friday, reversing some of the previous day's sharp losses as stock markets strengthened and the U.S. dollar slipped, though gains were capped by the coronavirus situation in major oil consumer India. Brent crude oil futures were up $1.23, or 1.8%, at $68.28 a barrel by 1349 GMT and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up $1.12, or 1.8%, at $64.94. The two contracts lost about 3% on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy — the key focus of the Vision 2030 diversification strategy — has shown its first year-on-year growth since the beginning of the pandemic recession, Arab News writes
India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer behind the U.S. and China, was meant to be a major driver of oil’s demand recovery as economies reopened. But the country’s devastating health crisis has made that impossible. Everyone from oil traders to the world’s biggest producers are panicking, The Japan Times writes
The Parliament and member countries have clashing positions on coronavirus restrictions. The European Parliament is taking aim at member countries' travel policies in an effort to set rules for coronavirus “green certificates” …
Optimism in OPEC+ is growing, even that underlying economic fundamentals are in dire shape. Growing concerns about new COVID variations, as shown already in India, or renewed restrictions in major OECD countries, such as Germany, seems not to be taken into account, FXEmprire writes. As indicated already before the start of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMCC), the OPEC+ members, led by Saudi Arabia, UAE and Russia, have decided to keep to the former early April decision of a gradual export cut relaxation
Apprehension is growing in Turkey that its tourism sector, a vital hard-currency earner, might fail to recuperate in 2021 amid a new peak in the coronavirus pandemic
The media dedicate increasing attention to the issue of vaccine distribution and how it affects post-pandemic recovery. Some commentators and outlets have been focusing especially on the inequalities in the allocations of doses amongst different countries. As a matter of fact, a small number of highly developed countries have already booked an excessive number of doses. The UK, Israel and the US are likely to get enough shots to immunise their entire populaces more than once
Azerbaijan has been growing its tourism economy for the last decade, reaching a record-breaking number of international travelers in 2019. Once the pandemic hit, the country’s tourism board realized they could use this time to emerge even stronger, thanks to Azerbaijan’s offerings that are equipped for a post-Covid-19 world. In 2018, Azerbaijan officially launched its first tourism campaign, after a decade of rising international traveler rates. In 2019, 3 million travelers visited the country, setting a new record for the destination.
The island gears up for Jul 1, when vaccinated overseas visitors will no longer be required to quarantine
Strict quarantine measures in Almaty were extended until April 12. Within the restrictive measures, students of schools, colleges and universities are transferred to distance education. In addition, shopping and entertainment …
More than half of people polled in Germany, France and Spain now believe the shot is unsafe
After Olympics organisers announced a ban on spectators from abroad, those working in Japan's tourism industry are counting their losses. …
Uzbekistan is embarking on a mass coronavirus inoculation campaign with a vaccine that is still months away from completing its third stage of tests, …
