pandemic

5 Jan 2021 in 5:56

World takes in muted New Year’s Eve

In Sydney the fireworks soared into the sky above the Opera House, but the harbour below was empty. In New York, Times Square was mostly deserted. No light show illuminated Beijing from the top of the TV tower. With revelry around the world curtailed by lockdowns and curfews imposed to stem the spread of Covid-19, the lions of London’s Trafalgar Square were barricaded off, and there were no crowds in St Peter’s Square and no one diving into the Tiber in Rome. This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other as many people bid farewell to a year they would much prefer to forget – one that has seen more than 1.7 million people killed and 82 million infected by the coronavirus since January

5 Jan 2021 in 3:58

Oil slides amid Covid-19

Oil prices slipped from multi-month highs in volatile trade on Monday as U.S. stocks fell near 2% on concerns over the outcome of runoff elections in Georgia, CNBC writes in the article Oil slides as oil-producing group delays output decision. The oil market pared earlier losses after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, known as OPEC+, could not decide on Monday whether or not to increase output in February and will meet again on Tuesday. Brent futures fell 50 cents, or 1.0%, to $51.30 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled 1.85%, or 90 cents, lower at $47.62 per barrel

30 Dec 2020 in 2:16

Macron becomes Big Brother

When Emmanuel Macron was elected as French president in May 2017, French people compared him to former U.S. President Barack Obama in terms of elegance and eloquence. There are growing problems in socioeconomic reforms and migrant policies. The bad handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a nightmare for the Macron administration and the French public

29 Dec 2020 in 8:48

EU decides to fight Covid-19 as part of European solidarity

First of 300 million doses to be administered as part of EU’s unified action. Until 8 November, terminal C of Tegel airport used to be where Berliners took off for weekend breaks across the Schengen area. From 8.30am, Tegel will serve …

29 Dec 2020 in 6:43

3 Reasons why oil could see an end of year rally

Crude oil futures have been edging higher over the past few weeks, defying the usual trend of profit-taking ahead of the Christmas holidays. WTI was trading as high as $49.20 on Friday's session with Brent crude quoted at $52.40, levels they last touched in February before the oil price crash, Oil Price writes in the article 3 Reasons Why Oil Could See An End Of Year Rally

22 Dec 2020 in 5:00

Azerbaijan Reveals Vaccination Plans

Vaccination of Azerbaijan’s population against Covid-19 will start in early 2021 following the finalization of negotiations for the purchase of vaccines. Authorities in the country defined scientifically substantiated safety as the key criteria a vaccine should meet, Caspian News writes in the article Azerbaijan Reveals Vaccination Plans Amidst Negotiations With Major Vaccine Developers

21 Dec 2020 in 23:50

Europe introduces lockdown on Christmas

Italy has ordered a nationwide lockdown over much of the Christmas and New Year period in an effort to combat a rise in coronavirus cases, BBC writes in the article Covid: Italy latest European country to order Christmas lockdown. The country will be under "red-zone" restrictions over the public holidays, with non-essential shops, restaurants and bars closed, and Italians only allowed to travel for work, health and emergency reasons. Limited home visits will be allowed

15 Dec 2020 in 8:20

Russian and British scientists team up to create Covid-19 vaccine

British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca unveiled plans to collaborate with the developer of Russia's Sputnik V, the Moscow-based Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, and explore whether their two coronavirus vaccines could be successfully combined

8 Dec 2020 in 5:01

WHO looks at giving Covid-19 to healthy people to speed up vaccine trials

The World Health Organization is holding discussions on Monday about the feasibility of trials in which healthy young volunteers are deliberately infected with coronavirus to hasten vaccine development – amid questions over whether they should go ahead given the promising data from the frontrunner vaccine candidates

7 Dec 2020 in 23:50

Will the world run out of oil in 2021?

Last week the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in conjunction with some Russia-led oil producers, agreed to increase oil output by 500,000 barrels per day (BPD) in January. The oil markets rallied because there was some concern that OPEC could increase production by 2 million BPD

4 Dec 2020 in 7:24

Russia Ready to join efforts with US against COVID-19, share vaccine

Russia is open for cooperation with the United States in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and will be ready to share a vaccine against the disease, Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said at an event hosted by a Washington think tank, Sputnik News writes in the article Russia Ready to Join Efforts With US Against COVID-19, Share Vaccine - Ambassador

21 Nov 2020 in 21:11

Erdogan promises Turkish Covid-19 vaccine to be available globally

Developed countries have not coped with the tests of solidarity during the coronavirus pandemic, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today at the G20 summit. "The world and mainly developed countries have …

12 Nov 2020 in 5:29

Oil prices continue their rally amid positive vaccine news

Oil prices were rising again Tuesday, continuing the momentum from their Monday surge on positive vaccine news. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, rose 2.2% to $43.33. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 2.2% to $41.17. They had risen 7% and 8%, respectively, on Monday

29 Oct 2020 in 21:30

Europe on lockdown

Countries across the continent weighing-up strong restrictions to stem rising infections. Analysis by the British government’s advisers found the second wave of Covid-19 may cost more lives than the first, The Week writes in the article Where in Europe is heading for a second lockdown - and will the UK follow?