4.7 C
Brussels
Friday, November 8, 2024
Home Blog Page 1151

AstraZeneca declared safe by European Union regulator

By
Newsdesk
-
0
AstraZeneca declared safe by European Union regulator

After much debate, the European Union’s medicines regulator has concluded that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is safe to use after several EU countries suspended their rollouts following reports that it could be linked to blood clots, CNN reports.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s executive director Emer Cooke announced that the agency had “come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine.”

Cooke went on to explain that the group did not find that the vaccine causes clotting, adding that it could not rule out definitively a link to a rare blood clotting disorder, of which seven cases have been reported out of 20 million doses given in the UK. But she said the benefits of using the vaccine outweighed the risk.

The agency’s approval of the vaccine comes after more than a dozen European countries halted their use of the vaccine, citing reports of a handful of patients across Europe who developed clotting after being inoculated.

Most of the countries agreed to wait for the EMA’s green light before resuming rollouts, but concerns remain about the impact of the suspensions on vaccine hesitancy across the continent.

“I want to reiterate that our scientific position is this: this vaccine is a safe and effective option to protect citizens against COVID-19,” Cooke said at a press conference Thursday.

“It demonstrated that at least 60% efficacy in clinical trials and preventing coronavirus disease, and in fact the real world evidence suggests that the effectiveness could be even higher than that.”

The group said it recommended raising awareness of blood clot reports so these cases could be analyzed further. But they added that such reports were rare, and that more than 7 million people have received the vaccine in the EU.

“The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events, or blood clots,” Cooke said.

Nearly all of western Europe had temporarily stopped using the shot in recent days, even amid a third wave of coronavirus infections across the region, after a small number of reports of clots emerged.

The deaths of three individuals, a person in Austria, a woman in Denmark, and a third patient in Norway, led to the suspensions. But the decisions were criticized by many in the medical community, and other countries continued to back the use of the vaccine — including the UK, which has given out more than 11 million AstraZeneca doses so far.

In the EU, leaders now face the question of how to rebuild any trust in the AstraZeneca vaccine that has been lost over the past week. The bloc’s rollout of the jab has stumbled from one obstacle to another since it was approved for use in January, with governments scrambling to secure limited supplies of the jab while simultaneously casting doubts over its efficacy and safety.

Milan’s largest vaccine center told CNN it would resume AstraZeneca vaccinations Friday if given the green light from the EMA. It would also overbook appointments so as to make up for the shortfalls of the past few days. Ireland’s Prime Minister had earlier told CNN he hoped his country could “catch up fairly quickly” once the vaccination program resumed.

But experts say some damage has already been done when it comes to public perception of a potentially life-saving vaccine.

For example, in France, an Elabe poll showed this week that only 22% of the population now trusts the AstraZeneca vaccine. Remi Salomon, a senior French hospitals official, told BFM TV on Thursday that “people are being overly cautious” in the country and that he feared “people will not interpret” the suspensions in “the right way.”

“A scare like this has the potential to increase vaccine hesitancy,” Michael Head, senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton in Britain, told CNN earlier in the week. “These vaccines are to protect against a pandemic virus. There is an urgency to the rollout.”

R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe Reflects On Audience Reaction To ‘Losing My Religion’

By
Newsdesk
-
0
R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe Reflects On Audience Reaction To 'Losing My Religion'
R.E.M‘s Michael Stipe recalls that the audience’s response to the band’s cult hit “Losing My Religion” was the “most powerful feeling” of his life.

“You felt it before you saw it,” singer Stipe told Apple Music Hits in a recent interview. “The energy coming off of an audience, a large audience in an outdoor arena, with the first notes, those first da, da, da, da and the place would just explode with energy.”

“We got all that being onstage, being elevated, being the center of attention. It all came right towards us. It was the biggest shot in the arm, the biggest jolt of adrenaline – the most powerful feeling that I think I’ve ever felt,” he added.

“Losing My Religion” was the first single from R.E.M’s 1991 album Out of Time. The song became R.E.M.’s highest-charting hit in the U.S., reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Fellow bandmate Mike Mills added, “Honestly, I’m getting chill bumps just thinking about it now because there was so much joy. I mean, by starting that song and playing that song, you’ve made so many people so very happy that it was just a pleasure to do it. To be able to raise everyone’s energy level and enjoyment level that much, it’s still thrilling to think about.”

For comments and feedback contact: [email protected]

Entertainment News

Billions without clean water and sanitation, a ‘moral failure’

By
United Nations News
-
0
Billions without clean water and sanitation, a ‘moral failure’: UN General Assembly President

Billions without clean water and sanitation, a ‘moral failure’: UN General Assembly President

For Volkan Bozkir, the discussion was long overdue, given statistics such as three billion worldwide still lack basic handwashing facilities, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Today’s discussion on water & the #GlobalGoals is long overdue; while water is integral to sustainable development, the fact is that we are nowhere near achieving the goals we have set out. We must focus on tangible, concrete actions that deliver for the people of the world. pic.twitter.com/ptVujoxaQE

— UN GA President (@UN_PGA) March 18, 2021

“If I may be candid: it is a moral failure that we live in a world with such high levels of technical innovation and success, but we continue to allow billions of people to exist without clean drinking water or the basic tools to wash their hands,” he said. 

No excuse for action 

The meeting centred around implementation of the water-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda, the blueprint for a better, more sustainable world.  It promises to leave no one behind, with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 specifically addressing access to water and sanitation. 

Additionally, the UN General Assembly has declared 2018 to 2028, the Water Action Decade, which also addresses the increased global pressure on water resources, and exacerbated risk of droughts and floods. 

Mr. Bozkir said the fact that during the pandemic, billions have not had basic handwashing facilities, while health workers in some of the Least Developed Countries do not have running water, represents a “stark example of global inequality” that requires action. 

“While we cannot go back and change what has happened, we must acknowledge our failings and use this opportunity to root out the systemic gaps that have allowed the crisis to flourish”, he said.   

“When the next global pandemic or crisis strikes, and we know that it will, we will have no excuse for having not acted now.” 

The UN Deputy Secretary-General underscored just how far off the world is from achieving SDG 6.  Amina Mohammed told the meeting the current rate of progress would have to quadruple to meet the 2030 deadline. 

Address unequal access 

“Moreover, the planetary crisis, including the interlinked threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, will increase water scarcity”, she added.  “By 2040, one in four of the world’s children under 18 – some 600 million – will be living in areas of extremely high-water stress.” 

Ms. Mohammed highlighted three imperatives for countries, urging them to use their pandemic recovery plans to invest in the SDGs and to address the unequal access to water and sanitation. 

She also asked governments to “raise ambition on climate action”, given that 90 per cent of natural disasters are water-related, such as floods, which can contaminate water sources.   

Women and girls affected 

Her final point was a call for gender equality, including in decision-making. 

“Women and girls suffer disproportionately when water and sanitation are lacking, affecting health and often restricting work and education opportunities. But women are also the backbone of agriculture and key stewards of natural resources”, Ms. Mohammed said.   

“The COVID-19 response has highlighted the power of women’s leadership.  Let’s draw on this experience as policies are put in place to build a green economy.” 

Resources under stress 

With the legal right of all to safe drinking water universally recognized, the international community must focus on fully implementing this fundamental right for everyone on the planet, said Munir Akram, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 

He expressed concern that by 2050, more than half the global population will be at risk due to stress on the world’s water resources. 

“Desertification alone threatens the livelihoods of nearly one billion people in 100 countries. Intense water scarcity may displace as many as 700 million people by 2030”, he warned. 

With 40 per cent of the world’s population living within shared river basins, Mr. Akram emphasized the importance of effective trans-boundary water corporation, stating that without it “inclusive sustainable development is severely curtailed, and the potential for threats to peace and security are ever present.” 

At home and in the world 

Officials from more than 90 countries took part in the General Assembly meeting, including Heads of State who addressed the gathering through pre-recorded speeches. 

Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN specialized agency, encouraged them to view the global water crisis as an issue that is closer to home. 

If water supply to our own homes fails, fixing it would be a “an absolute top priority”, he said in a video message.  The same would apply to our toilets and sewerage systems.  

“We need to do on a global scale what we would do in our own homes”, said Mr. Houngbo, who also chairs UN-Water, a coalition of UN entities and international partners working on water and sanitation issues.  

“The world is getting smaller and our lives are all connected.  And the COVID crisis has shown this to be true.”

an environmental crisis in waiting

By
Shyamal Sinha
-
0
an environmental crisis in waiting

Representative Sonam Tsering Frasi, Office of Tibet, London speaking at the discussion titled ‘Tibet: an environmental crisis in waiting’ organised by the Democracy Forum.

London: Representative Mr. Sonam Tsering Frasi, Office of Tibet, London was invited by Lord Bruce, President of the Democracy Forum to give introductory remarks in a virtual panel discussion organised by the Democracy Forum. Watch here.

The discussion entitled “Tibet: an environmental crisis in waiting” was broadcast live on Tuesday, 16 March 2021, between 2-4pm UK time and 7.30-9.30 India time chaired by Humphrey Hawksley, author & former BBC Asia Correspondent and joined by panellists, Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, senior fellow/Head of Tibet Environment Desk, Tibet Policy Institute, Dharamsala, India, Dechen Palmo, Environment researcher at Tibet Policy Institute, India, John H. Knox, Henry C. Lauerman Professor of International law, Wake Forest University and former UN special rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment and Christa Meindersma, Director of Advocacy & communication, International Campaign for Tibet, Europe.

Lord Bruce, President of the Democratic Forum extended a warm welcome to the team of experts and panellists for agreeing to participate in the public event discussing a topic of such profile importance organised by the Forum. He mentioned a view of crises facing Tibet today was clearly enunciated at the Paris climate summit in 2015, highlighting a recorded message for the summit from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Lord Bruce, President of the Democratic Forum addressing the panel.

“Tibet is the roof of the world, the third pole. Once its ecology is damaged, it would take a longer time to recover”, he emphasised the impact of the plateau on the lives of billions of people in China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This is not a question of one nation or two nations. This is nothing less than the survival of humanity. Mr Bruce highlighted the importance of the preservation of Tibet’s rivers and informed data and report from the Tibet Policy Institute and UN team on China’s mismanagement of Tibet’s resources which led to the rising temperature faster than the global average causing flood in the country. Finally, he shared his anxiety about glaciers facing an awful scenario and assuming the audience will draw their own conclusion after listening to the speakers.

Representative Sonam Tsering in his introductory remarks said The Tibetan Plateau is called the Third Pole because its glaciers, ice fields and permafrost, contain the largest deposits of freshwater sources outside the two polar regions. Many of the most famous rivers of Asia flow out of Tibet, making Tibet, the water tower or the water reservoir for a very large part of the Indian subcontinent and the whole of South-East Asia. The Crisis in environmental issues in Tibet has adversely impacted the Tibetans already. The Chinese Communist State in the name to protect the headlands of rivers that feed the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong have involved the uprooting, relocation and settlement of thousands and thousands of Tibetan nomads. Regardless of any political or cultural view, the environmental impact of the Tibetan Plateau – the Third Pole – is one of the key issues of our time. To mitigate and plan for such a future, requires a sustained international response focused on the preservation of the Tibetan Plateau as well as on the question of Tibet’s sovereignty.

Professor John H. Knox during the discussion.

Professor John H. Knox, in his remarks, said that the core of the rights-based approach to environmental protection is to the protection of the rights of environmental human rights defenders. That is those who work to protect the only right is to protect the right of others. This means that China like every other country has an obligation to protect the rights of those who criticise its policies. Not to detain them or prosecute them for peaceful actions and protest. An obligation to investigate and punish actions taken to persecute them. Unfortunately, these rights are often not protected in many countries perhaps most countries in the world. Environmental defenders are often at great risk. In recent years, UN special rapporteurs said multiple communications to china raising concerns about critical allegations that Tibetans should protest against mining and other environmental issues as well as other human rights issues such as rights to teach Tibetan language in school.

Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, senior fellow/Head of Tibet Environment Desk, Tibet Policy Institute in Dharamsala in his presentation mentioned that Tibet is called the Third pole because the Tibetan plateau is home to the third-largest concentration of ice beside the north and south pole with 46000 glaciers on the plateau.

He further stressed that because of the large presence of ice on Tibet’s plateau, it also influences climate condition across Asia and as far as Europe and North America. He mentioned that there are some scientific findings that the intensity of the monsoon is influence by what’s happening in the Tibet plateau and also recent increase in heatwave across Europe is also due to the loss of glacier on the Tibet plateau. This means the importance of the Tibet plateau is not only across Asia but also for Europe and America.

Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, Head of Tibet Environment Desk, Tibet Policy Institute presents on the global significance of the Tibetan plateau.

Dechen Palmo, an Environment researcher in her presentation mentioned the increased number of dams built in China and Tibet. According to the International Commission on large dams, China has 23,841 large dams, accounting for 41% of the world total dams. China is one of the three countries in the world that voted against the convention on the law of Non-Navigational Uses of international watercourses adopted by the UN general assembly in 1997.

Mrs Palmo particularly spoke about the importance of the Mekong river in Tibet, the longest river in south-east Asia and the flow of the river dropped due to China’s construction of dams.

Christa Meindersma from ICT Europe said climate change is inextricably linked to biodiversity loss on the Tibetan plateau. The Tibetan plateau encompasses three biodiversity hotspots. We find as the earth’s most biologically rich but threatened regions. Divers of climate change such as extractive industries, pollution, infrastructure development, damming to the exclusion of Tibetan nomads as well as the effect of climate change including the certification grassland degradation and water shortage also lead to biodiversity loss. The global environmental governance report 2020 stresses that climate change and biodiversity loss are on the same side of a coin. And point to the need for a coherent approach to avoid climate action having unintended negative consequences for biodiversity.

Finally, Barry Gardiner MP and chair of The Democracy Forum in his closing remark said ‘we failed to hold the loss of biodiversity in 2010, we failed in 2020 and here we are beginning in a new decade and China is really committed to setting in place a target that doesn’t fail. Now there are two ways you can do that. You can either reduce the aspiration level of the target themselves so they are easy to meet. We do need very serious diplomatic engagement with China at an early stage in order to ensure that there is real cooperation that we bring to COP15 and they bring to COP26 in return. I think we need to be looking for areas where we can engage together because this is critical’.

  • filed by Office of Tibet, London

Dechen Palmo, an Environment researcher presents the threat of China excessive damming.

Christa Meindersma, Director of Advocacy and Communications, ICT Europe speaks on the impact of biodiversity.

Barry Gardiner MP and chair of The Democracy Forum speaks on need for diplomatic cooperation with China.

WHO European Region: COVID-19 case incidence on the rise as deaths edge towards 1 million

By
Newsdesk
-
0

Press statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe

18 March 2021

Last week marked 1 year since WHO announced that the Public Health Emergency of International Concern declared on 30 January 2020 represented the first ever pandemic caused by a coronavirus.

Since then, we’ve seen nearly 42 million cases in this region alone, and more than 120 million globally. But we’ve also seen giant scientific leaps and the introduction of effective tools that give us power over the virus, when used.

The power of the collective. The heroism of our frontline. When I look back at the past year, I see remarkable attributes we have all expressed to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Ultimately, our behaviour is saving lives.

The danger, however, is still clear and present.

The current situation is most acute in parts of the Region that were successful in controlling the disease in the first 6 months of 2020. It is in central Europe, the Balkans and the Baltic states where case incidence, hospitalizations and deaths are now among the highest in the world.

Case incidence continues its increasing trend, and is moving eastwards. We have now seen 3 consecutive weeks of growth in COVID-19 cases with over 1.2 million new cases reported last week across Europe.

Last week, deaths in the Region surpassed 900 000. Every week, more than 20 000 people across the Region lose their lives to the virus. The number of people dying from COVID-19 in Europe is higher now than it was this time last year, reflecting the widespread hold this virus has.

We are yet to see the widespread health impact and benefits of vaccines, which I can also assure you will come. But for now, we need to remain steadfast in our application of the full range of tools to respond.

Some 48 out of 53 European countries or territories have reported the B.1.1.7 variant of concern, which is gradually becoming predominant in our region. And yet, in the context of this faster spreading variant, several countries – including but not limited to Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom – have rapidly reduced transmission with public health and social measures to levels that can, and must, be kept low.

Five countries in the Region have received vaccines from the COVAX Facility – fair and equitable access to vaccines, the overarching concept of COVAX, is happening in reality. The gap in access to vaccines in our region is narrowing, yet inequity persists, with all high-income countries having rolled out vaccination, but only 60% of middle- and lower-income countries having done so.

As of today, a total of 46 countries in the Region have administered more than 107 million doses of vaccine. Three percent of the population in 45 countries have received a completed vaccination series, and data from 23 countries indicates that 51% of health workers have received at least 1 dose.

While 27 countries are currently in a partial or full nationwide lockdown, 21 are gradually easing restrictive measures. Some are doing so based on the assumption that increasing vaccination uptake in countries would immediately lead to an improved epidemiological situation. Such assumptions are too early to make.

Let there be no doubt about it, vaccination by itself – particularly given the varied uptake in countries – does not replace public health and social measures.

With vaccination coverage in the Region ranging from less than 1% to 44%, it is also far too early to demonstrate the effect of vaccines on overall COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths. Nonetheless, early data from Israel, Scotland and the UK, linked to effectiveness against severe disease by the Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines, is promising and show lives are being saved.

As vaccine uptake increases, their broader impact will become visible, and studies like these will guide policy and improve our understanding of how the different vaccines contribute to our response. We welcome these studies, stressing that the available data is limited – and that further research is urgently needed.

The WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control have developed a robust protocol to study vaccine effectiveness in community settings to allow effective comparison of the results between countries.

A number of countries in the Region have temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure, based on reports from a few countries of rare blood coagulation disorders in persons who had received the vaccine. The detection, investigation and assessment of these cases is a testimony to strong surveillance and regulatory mechanisms.

In vaccination campaigns, it is routine to signal potential adverse events. This does not necessarily mean that the events are linked to the vaccination.
Venous thromboembolism is the third most common cardiovascular disease in the world. It happens in populations regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. COVID-19 vaccination will not reduce illness or deaths from other causes.

As of now, we do not know whether some or all of the conditions have been caused by the vaccine or by other coincidental factors. WHO is assessing the latest safety data, and once completed, the findings will be made public. At this point in time, however, the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh its risks – and its use should continue, to save lives.

Vaccines work, and will eventually allow a return to a new normal. But for that to happen, we need to rely on science and have confidence in the incredible protection afforded by vaccines against all vaccine-preventable diseases, including COVID-19.

Meanwhile, we have one eye fixed on the future. This week, the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development, chaired by Professor Mario Monti, issued a call to action – to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics, to fix the fractures and address the conditions that allowed COVID-19 to happen. This is a concrete step towards making health a centrepiece of society, preparing for future health emergencies and making sure that the notion of health as peripheral is a thing of the past.

Stay safe. Thank you.

Socio-economic impact of COVID-19: European Union to support Pakistan’s civil society

By
Newsdesk
-
0

Press releases

ISLAMABAD, 16 March 2021: The European Union will support Pakistan’s Civil Society by co-financing three projects, for a total amount of 7 237 500 EUR,  to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on communities and increase the voice of youth in society.

The announcement follows the signing of three contracts by H.E. Ms. Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan and the representatives of the main implementing partners: Agha Khan Foundation, Norwegian Church Aid and Deutsche Welthungerhilfe. The three projects were selected through a call for proposals launched in April 2020 and focus on Punjab, Sindh and Gilgit Baltistan.

In Pakistan, the virus is posing a threat to people’s lives, straining communities, overwhelming health systems and endangering livelihoods. Young people in particular, who make up a majority of Pakistan’s population, have been severely affected by the pandemic in terms of unemployment, increased gender inequalities, social exclusion and a diminished voice in the decision-making processes.

The projects aim to build Civil Society Organizations capacity to mobilise and engage youth, enhance involvement in decision-making, and improve access to economic opportunities for marginalized groups.

At the signing ceremony, Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, said, “As the world continues to battle the COVID pandemic, it is important to focus our efforts on supporting the most vulnerable. Civil society organisations are important partners for the EU wherever we work, and have been crucial in Pakistan’s efforts to respond to the current crisis. The initiative leading to today’s successful proposals was one of the first concrete actions taken by the EU last year to alleviate the effects of the pandemic in the short and long term in Pakistan. The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on young people – which is reflected in the areas prioritised by these projects including youth engagement and economic empowerment.”

Dr Matt Reed, CEO of Agha Kahn Foundation (UK), said: “During this pandemic, in Pakistan and around the world, civil society has been vital: raising awareness, teaching people how to help their families and neighbours safely, protecting their communities from COVID-19. The Aga Khan Foundation is delighted to partner with the European Union in strengthening community organisations and civil society at this crucial time.”

In her speech, Anne Masterson, Country Director of the Norwegian Church Aid emphasized that, “Through this project young people will have opportunities to improve and diversify their skills, obtain training and establish livelihoods. Youth, particularly young women, will become more effective change agents by strengthening their voice within their communities and in the wider society.”

Aisha Jamshed, Country Director of Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, stated that, “Through the project, CSOs will build the skills of young men and women, provide them with income opportunities and giving them a voice by advocating for improved service delivery with Local Authorities. Welthungerhilfe values the consistent contribution of the European Union to the organization over the past ten years, along with EUs contribution to the civil society development across Pakistan.”

In Pakistan, the EU is committed to a stable, democratic and pluralistic country that respects human rights and benefits from its full economic potential by supporting sustainable and inclusive development for all its citizens. The EU provides Pakistan with about €100 million annually in grants for development and cooperation. Among other issues, the EU supports Pakistan in its efforts to tackle poverty, increase education, promote good governance, human rights, rule of law and ensure sustainable management of natural resources. EU-funded projects cover all of Pakistan with a special focus on Sindh and Balochistan.

More information on the European Union’s cooperation with Pakistan can be found here:

https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/pakistan/area/projects_en

EU braces for Astra verdict, UK spat escalates: Virus Update

By
Newsdesk
-
0
EU braces for Astra verdict, UK spat escalates: Virus Update
New York governor Andrew Cuomo is vaccinated at a church in the Harlem section of New York City amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, New York, on Wednesday. (Seth Wenig/Pool via Reuters) 
                                                                            The European Union is bracing for a decision by its health regulator on whether AstraZeneca Covid-19 shot is safe to use, as the bloc escalates a dispute with the UK over vaccine supplies.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened to withhold vaccine exports to the UK, which said it may have to slow the pace of inoculations because of a shortage of doses.

Walt Disney Co plans to reopen Disneyland on April 30, while in Japan the government recommended lifting Tokyo’s state of emergency next week.

Brazil surpassed 90,000 new cases in one day, while India topped 35,000 for the first time since early January. With immigration curbed by border closures, Australia’s population fell for the first time since World War I.

Bali may reopen in June

Foreign tourists may be able to visit the Indonesian island of Bali again as soon as June under a travel corridor programme to help revive the economy, Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said.

The arrangement will be offered to countries that are deemed successful in their vaccination programmes, are able to contain the spread of the coronavirus and could offer reciprocal benefits, Mr Uno said in a statement.

Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua are major holiday spots in Bali included in a pilot project to begin receiving foreign travelers in mid-June or July, under strict health protocols, said Mr Uno. As many as 2 million Bali residents will have to be vaccinated before the pilot can start.

German minister wants militart help

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer wants the armed forces to operate 24-hour vaccination centers to help speed the roll-out of Covid-19 shots.

“We have been preparing to provide more support for vaccinating the population since November 2020 with other members of the Bundeswehr,” Kramp-Karrenbauer told WirtschaftsWoche, adding that the armed forces has the capacity to run 28 such centres.

“If enough vaccine is available in the federal states, we can administer up to 20,000 doses per day throughout Germany,” she said.

Australia population falls

Australia recorded the first quarterly drop in its population since World War I as more people departed the nation than arrived in the three months through September.

International border restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19 resulted in the population falling by 4,200 overall, with 55,400 people departing Australia and 20,600 arriving from overseas in the three months. Australia shut its international borders last March.

Taiwan mulls travel bubble

Taiwan is studying setting up a “travel bubble” with Singapore, Taipei-based United Daily News reported, citing Health Minister Chen Shih-chung.

Chen said Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center hasn’t received an official proposal from Singapore yet.

Earlier Taiwan said it had agreed an arrangement with the Pacific archipelago nation of Palau, under which group tourists could travel between the two provided they test negative for the virus before departure and haven’t tested positive within three months.

India’s new cases rise

India’s Health Ministry reported 35,871 new cases as the nation’s infection count continues to rise. The total was the highest since the first week of January. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged an increase in testing and tracing to curb the rise in infections.

UK, EU escalate dispute over vaccine supplies

The dispute between the UK and European Union over coronavirus vaccines deepened as the government in London said it would have to slow down its inoculation program because of a cut in supplies.

The UK is preparing to prioritise giving second doses to the most-vulnerable people due to the expected four-week reduction in supply from March 29.

The UK’s National Health Service blamed the looming short-term reduction of doses on a drop in “inbound vaccines,” adding to tension with Brussels over shipments. The EU has threatened to block exports to its former member state.

EC President Ursula von der Leyen said EU leaders should consider additional measures to secure vaccine supplies when they meet next week, including the potential use of emergency legal powers that would allow them to effectively seize control of production and distribution.

Japan recommends easing Tokyo curbs

Japan’s government will recommend that the Tokyo area emergency be lifted on March 21, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said at a virus panel meeting on Thursday.

Nishimura, who is in charge of coronavirus response in Japan, said the country will strengthen the monitoring of variants of the virus and is preparing to start inspections in the Tokyo region this week.

The government will continue to call on restaurants and bars to close early and companies to further promote remote working, NHK reported.

Brazil surpasses 90,000 cases in record day

Brazil registered more than 90,000 Covid-19 cases for the first time, a second straight day of record numbers as the country fights against a health system collapse.

The occupancy rate of ICUs at public hospitals is above 80%, a threshold considered critical, in almost all states. In 19 of 27 state capitals, more than 90% of beds are occupied.

US studying oral, nasal vaccine delivery

Anthony S. Fauci told a House panel Wednesday that the National Institutes of Health is funding research to make it easier to administer vaccines that could eliminate the need for shots, allowing children and other patients who are afraid of needles to be inoculated via a nasal spray or an oral version.

Almost half of UK adults have had first dose

Almost half of all adults in the UK have had a coronavirus vaccine, the Department of Health said as the number of first doses administered crossed 25 million.

The government said it is on track to offer a first vaccine to everyone over 50 by April 15 and to all adults by the end of July. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament he would soon have the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot.

Disneyland to reopen April 30

Walt Disney plans to reopen its two California theme parks on April 30, more than a year after it shut them down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, which closed their gates on March 14 last year, are among the last of the company’s properties to welcome back customers. While Disney’s Paris resort is still shuttered, the four theme parks in Florida have been open since July.

EUR 809 million EIB Group support for COVID-19 resilience in Romania

By
Newsroom
-
0
EUR 809 million EIB Group support for COVID-19 resilience, education, water, energy efficiency and private investment in Romania

Higher education, water distribution, energy efficiency and private sector investment across Romania will benefit from more than EUR 809 million of new financing from the European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund agreed with Romanian public and private partners last year.

  • EIB and EIF working with leading Romanian banks to strengthen COVID-19 economic resilience
  • EIB streamlined university investment scheme already backing investment at Cluj Technical University and Bucharest Medical University
  • Record disbursement for Romanian projects and strong pipeline of future hospital, education, road safety and water financing

The European Investment Bank Group’s engagement also included targeted financing to ensure that Romanian companies can continue to invest and better face business challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The coronavirus pandemic made 2020 a uniquely challenging year for Romania, Europe and the whole world. The European Investment Bank Group has made a crucial contribution to helping businesses across Romania better withstand the economic challenges of COVID-19 and enabling priority higher education, health, water and energy investment to accelerate. The close cooperation between the EIB Group and Romania has transformed economic opportunities, priority infrastructure and key services in our country. The strong pipeline of future EIB and EIF engagement in Romania will build on this impressive track record.” said Alexandru Nazare, Romanian Finance Minister and Governor of the European Investment Bank.

“Ensuring that companies continue to invest and priority projects can proceed is crucial to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and build a better future. The excellent collaboration between Romanian public and private partners and colleagues from the European Investment Bank Group, including our technical and financial experts in Bucharest, have once again delivered transformational support for economic, social and climate investment in Romania. The EUR 809 million new EIB and EIF financing agreed in 2020 will benefit thousands of companies, students and households across the country in the years ahead.” said Christian Kettel Thomsen, EIB Vice President responsible for Romania.

“In 2020 the EIF provided more than EUR 387 million of new financing for small businesses across Romania. This included new guarantee and equity transactions, support for ten local microfinance schemes and backing for a first-of-its-kind synthetic securitisation transaction in Romania, to scale up leasing finance. The EIF teams in Bucharest and Luxembourg remain committed to working with our Romanian partners to continue mobilising high-impact private investment in Romania.” said Alain Godard, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund.

Details of the EIB Group’s highly important financial and technical support for long-term and priority investment were outlined earlier today by Christian Kettel Thomsen, EIB Vice President responsible for Romania, Alain Godard, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund and Debora Revoltella, EIB Chief Economist.

EIB and EIF backing for priority investment discussed with Ministers

Confirmation of the reinforced EIB Group engagement in Romania follows meetings over recent weeks with Alexandru Nazare, Romanian Finance Minister and Governor of the European Investment Bank, and Ministers responsible for Investments and European Projects, Energy and Transport.

Strengthening private sector investment and COVID-19 economic resilience

Business investment, leasing by agriculture, manufacturing and service companies and ensuring more inclusive access to finance across Romania will be enhanced by EUR 633 million of new private sector support agreed between the EIB, EIF and leading Romanian financial partners.

This includes more flexible and increased financing for business investment, provided through local banks and financial institutions, to ensure that Romanian companies can better withstand business pressures and economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

New EIB support for private sector investment in Romania also included EUR 100 million backing to expand warehouse and supply chain capacity across the country and new lending programmes to ensure that entrepreneurs and socially disadvantages communities can access finance.

The EIB and EIF also backed the first ever synthetic securitisation deal in Romania that will strengthen specialist leasing finance and enable Romanian companies to upgrade manufacturing equipment and transport fleets.

New report shows mixed impact of COVID-19 on business investment in Romania

New EIB economic research suggests that business in Romania has became more pessimistic about the short-term outlook, very similar to peers across the EU. Pessimism is greatest about the economic climate.

The European Investment Bank Investment Survey highlights that uncertainty about the future remains the most cited long-term barrier to investment (82%), followed by the limited availability of skilled staff (72%). Firms in Romania are more likely than EU peers to cite adequate transport infrastructure as a long-term barrier to investment (63% versus 40%).

The new investment survey indicated that business investment is focused on replacement of existing buildings and production equipment and tilted towards tangibles. Around a quarter (27%) of firms in Romania report abandoning or delaying investment plans as a result of COVID-19, fewer than the EU average (35%).

The same proportion of firms in Romania (27%) also report continuing with investment plans albeit on a reduced scale or scope, i.e. well above the EU average (18%). Around one in ten firms face finance constraints, and reliance on internal financing sources remains high. Access to finance is more of an issue in Romania than in other EU countries and firms lagging with investments in digitalisation and energy efficiency face greater difficulties in successfully tapping external financing. 

About Romania’s green transition potential, three-quarters of Romanian businesses (75%) say that climate change currently has an impact on their business, well above the EU average (58%) while, two-thirds of firms (66%) report already investing or planning to invest in climate related projects, in line with the EU average (67%). However, only 37% of firms managed to invest in measures to improve energy efficiency, well below the EU average (47%).

Accelerating investment to transform higher education in Romania

Last summer the EIB launched its first streamlined higher education financing scheme in Romania. This will help to improve teaching, research and innovation at institutions across the country for the period 2021-2025.

The first two loans have been agreed with the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest. These will help to accelerate strategic development, enhance research facilities and strengthen education to benefit students and researchers in the years ahead.

The EIB is in discussions with other higher education institutions across Romania to support further investment and allow university investment to benefit from long-term financing and the EIB’s unique technical experience supporting education investment across Europe.

Cutting heating costs in homes and schools

Last year the EIB continued its track record of supporting energy efficiency in Romania and agreed EUR 42 million of new financing toward the Energy Efficiency Investment Programmes of three districts in Bucharest.

In their entirety, the programmes aim to reduce energy use and cut heating bills for 900 residential buildings and 19 schools, and EIB’s fresh funding supports the implementation progress. This new support will assist implementation of Romania’s National Energy Efficiency Action Plan and the EU Resource Efficiency Initiative.​

Strong pipeline for future EIB and EIF engagement in Romania

In the coming months new EIB expects to finalise support for construction of three new hospitals, a Regional Emergency Hospital in Iasi and new regional hospitals in Craiova and Cluj.

New schemes to improve road safety across the country, long-term financing to expand and update regional water infrastructure, following support last year for water schemes in Cluj-Salaj, and new initiatives to support business financing and municipal investment are also foreseen.

Building on track record of EIB Group engagement in Romania

Since 1991 the EIB and EIF have provided more than EUR 17 billion for transformational private and public investment across Romania.

More details about EIB engagement in Romania

Full EIB Investment Survey 2020 results for Romania

Do not use weather as a basis to relax COVID-19 control measures, UN agency urges

By
officialinstitutions
-
0

Photo: UNICEF/Habibul HaqueA young girl, accompanied by her mother – both wearing masks – at a park in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

In a new report, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlighted that infections rose in warm seasons in 2020 – the first year of the pandemic – and that “there is no evidence” that this could not happen again in 2021. 

“At this stage, evidence does not support the use of meteorological and air quality factors as a basis for governments to relax their interventions aimed at reducing transmission,” Ben Zaitchik, co-chair of an interdisciplinary and international WMO Task Team that produced the report, said. 

“We saw waves of infection rise in warm seasons and warm regions in the first year of the pandemic, and there is no evidence that this couldn’t happen again in the coming year”, Mr. Zaitchik, from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, added. 

The report highlighted that COVID-19 transmission dynamics last year appear to have been controlled primarily by government interventions rather than meteorological factors. Other relevant drivers include changes in human behaviour and demographics of affected populations, and more recently, virus mutations. 

Infection seasonality ‘not yet well understood’ 

The report looked at the potential role of seasonality, as respiratory viral infections, like cold or influenza frequently show some form of seasonality, such as the autumn-winter peak for influenza in temperate climates. This led to speculation that, if it persists for many years, COVID-19 could be a strongly seasonal disease. 

“It is premature to draw conclusions for the COVID-19 virus”, WMO said. 

The underlying mechanisms that drive seasonality of respiratory viral infections are not yet well understood, according to the report. 

“A combination of direct impacts on virus survival, impacts on human resistance to infection, and indirect influence of weather and season via changes in human behaviour may be at work”, it said, noting that laboratory studies of COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 virus “yielded some evidence that the virus survives longer under cold, dry, and low ultraviolet radiation conditions”. 

“However, these studies have not yet indicated if direct meteorological influences on the virus have a meaningful influence on transmission rates under real world conditions”, the report added. 

Air quality influence ‘still inconclusive’ 

The Task Team further noted that the evidence on the influence of air quality factors is still inconclusive. 

It said that there is “some preliminary evidence” that poor air quality increases COVID-19 mortality rates, but not that pollution directly impacts airborne transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 

The report also noted that at present there is no direct, peer reviewed evidence of pollution impacts on the airborne viability of the virus.

Hearing of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament

By
European Central Bank
-
0
Hearing of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament

Introductory statement by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Hearing of the ECON Committee of the European Parliament (by videoconference)

Frankfurt am Main, 18 March 2021

Madam Chair,
Honourable members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am very happy to appear again before the Committee in our first regular hearing this year.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the extraordinary Governing Council meeting during which we decided to launch the pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP).
Standing where we are today, the economic situation looks brighter now than it did back then and we can expect it to improve over 2021. In the short term, however, the economic outlook for the euro area remains surrounded by uncertainty due to the dynamics of the pandemic and the speed of vaccination campaigns. The severe impact that the pandemic continues to have on not just the economy, but on all aspects of the lives of many Europeans, does not allow us to “celebrate” the anniversary of the PEPP. It is nevertheless important to look back and proudly acknowledge our collective efforts in shielding European citizens from even worse outcomes.
In my remarks today, I will focus on the euro area economic outlook and the ECB’s monetary policy stance in the light of the Governing Council’s decisions taken on Thursday of last week. I will conclude by discussing the policy mix required to secure a solid path to economic recovery.

The current macroeconomic outlook

The rebound in global demand and additional fiscal measures are supporting global and euro area activity. At the same time, persistently high coronavirus (COVID-19) infection rates, the spread of virus mutations, and the associated extension and tightening of containment measures continue to have a negative impact on euro area economic activity. As a result, real gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to contract again in the first quarter of the year after declining by 0.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Looking ahead, the ongoing vaccination campaigns, together with the gradual relaxation of containment measures underpin expectation of a firm rebound in economic activity in the second half of 2021. Over the medium term, we expect the recovery in demand, as containment measures are lifted, to be supported by favourable financing conditions, and an expansionary fiscal stance.
This assessment is also reflected in the March 2021 ECB staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, which foresee annual real GDP growth at 4.0 per cent in 2021, 4.1 per cent in 2022 and 2.1 per cent in 2023, broadly unchanged compared with the December 2020 Eurosystem staff macroeconomic projections.[1]

The risks surrounding the euro area growth outlook over the medium term have become more balanced owing to better prospects for the global economy and progress in vaccination campaigns. However, downside risks remain in the near term, mainly related to the spread of virus mutations and the implications of the ongoing pandemic for economic and financial conditions.

Euro area annual inflation has picked up over recent months, mainly on account of some transitory factors. Headline inflation is likely to increase in the coming months, but some volatility is expected throughout 2021 reflecting the changing dynamics of the idiosyncratic factors which are currently pushing inflation up but which can be expected to fade out early next year.
Underlying price pressures are expected to increase somewhat this year due to current supply constraints and the recovery in domestic demand. Nevertheless, we judge that these pressures will remain subdued overall, also reflecting low wage dynamics and the past appreciation of the euro. Once the impact of the pandemic fades, the unwinding of the high level of slack, supported by accommodative fiscal and monetary policies, will contribute to a gradual increase in inflation over the medium term. Survey-based measures and market-based indicators of longer-term inflation expectations remain at subdued levels.
While our latest staff projection exercise foresees a gradual increase in underlying inflation pressures, the medium-term inflation outlook – with projected annual inflation at 1.5 per cent in 2021, 1.2 per cent in 2022 and 1.4 per cent in 2023 – remains broadly unchanged from the staff projections in December 2020 and below our inflation aim.

The ECB’s monetary policy stance and effectiveness

Against this background, preserving favourable financing conditions over the pandemic period remains essential to reduce uncertainty and bolster confidence, thereby underpinning economic activity and safeguarding medium-term price stability.
Let me further elaborate on our assessment of financing conditions. This is defined by a holistic and multifaceted set of indicators.
It is holistic because we consider a broad array of indicators, spanning the entire transmission chain of monetary policy from risk-free interest rates and sovereign bond yields to corporate bond yields and bank credit conditions. It is also multifaceted, because we take a sufficiently granular view that enables us to detect movements in specific market segments in a timely manner.
Last week, as it received a new round of staff projections, the Governing Council conducted a joint assessment of these multiple set of indicators against the evolution of our inflation outlook since the last projection exercise. We concluded that the increase in risk-free market interest rates and sovereign bond yields that we have observed since the start of the year could spur a tightening in the wider set of financing conditions, as banks use them as key reference points for determining credit conditions. Therefore, if sizeable and persistent, increases in those market interest rates, when left unchecked, may become inconsistent with countering the downward impact of the pandemic on the projected path of inflation.
Based on this joint assessment, the Governing Council announced that it expects purchases under the PEPP over the next quarter to be conducted at a significantly higher pace than during the first months of this year. While records of our weekly purchases will continue to be distorted by short-term noisy factors – such as occasionally lumpy redemptions – the step-up in the run-rate of our programme will become visible when ascertained over longer time intervals.
Purchases will be implemented flexibly according to market conditions and always with a view to preventing a tightening of financing conditions that is inconsistent with countering the downward impact of the pandemic on the projected path of inflation. In addition, the flexibility of purchases over time, across asset classes and among jurisdictions will continue to support the smooth transmission of monetary policy. If favourable financing conditions can be maintained with asset purchase flows that do not exhaust the envelope over the net purchase horizon of the PEPP, the envelope need not be used in full. Equally, the envelope can be recalibrated if required to maintain favourable financing conditions to help counter the negative pandemic shock to the path of inflation.
The PEPP is not the only tool the ECB is using to support favourable financing conditions over the pandemic period for all sectors of the economy.
The third series of targeted longer-term refinancing operations (TLTRO III) remains an attractive source of funding for banks. The TLTROs’ built-in incentive structure ensures that banks have access to ample funding at very favourable conditions if they maintain their lending to the real economy. This supports bank-based financing conditions for firms and households. Likewise, the remaining monetary policy instruments in place – ranging from our key ECB interest rates to the Governing Council’s forward guidance and the Asset Purchase Programme – make a crucial contribution to the ample degree of monetary accommodation that is necessary to support economic activity and the robust convergence of inflation to our definition of price stability.
We will also continue to monitor developments in the exchange rate regarding their possible implications for the medium-term inflation outlook. We stand ready to adjust all of our instruments, as appropriate, to ensure that inflation moves towards our aim in a sustained manner, in line with our commitment to symmetry.

The path to a solid economic recovery

Looking ahead, decisive action in other policy areas to support the recovery remains essential and should build on the favourable financing conditions prevailing in the euro area.
When appearing before the European Parliament last month, I pointed out that the strength of Europe’s crisis response over the last twelve months crucially depended on the strength of national and European responses across all policy areas: monetary, fiscal, supervisory and regulatory.
We should continue to rely on the same recipe when it comes to securing a path to a solid economic recovery.
An ambitious and coordinated fiscal stance remains critical. National fiscal policies should continue to provide critical and timely support to firms and households most exposed to the pandemic and the associated containment measures. At the same time, these measures should, as much as possible, remain temporary and targeted in nature to address vulnerabilities effectively and support a swift recovery.
By brightening economic prospects for firms and households, fiscal policy would also strengthen the transmission of our monetary policy measures. Fiscal policy can also act as a catalyst to transform our economies in the recovery phase. This is why the NextGenerationEU package should become operational without delay.
In the coming weeks, Member States should ensure a timely ratification of the Own Resources Decision and should finalise their recovery and resilience plans. The European Parliament can play an important role in making sure that these plans are well-designed and that they include productivity-enhancing structural policies to address long-standing weaknesses and accelerate the green and digital transitions.
All of us, across all policy levels, should ensure that we use the thrust of the recovery to transform our economies and make them fit for the world of tomorrow, for instance by reducing and preventing climate risks. The ECB is ready to play its part in line with its mandate. This morning we published the preliminary results of our first economy-wide climate stress test to help both authorities and financial institutions assess the impact of climate risks over the next 30 years.

Conclusion

When we announced the PEPP one year ago, the Governing Council declared that it would do everything necessary within its mandate and explore all options and all contingencies to support the economy through this shock.
Looking back at the past year, I think we can affirm that we have delivered on this commitment.
But there is no room for complacency – the ECB will continue to deliver on its mandate and support the recovery with all appropriate measures.
I now stand ready to take your questions.

1...1,1501,1511,152...1,549Page 1,151 of 1,549

© FRVS+MPCP 2022. The European Times® News is registered as an EU Trademark. All rights reserved. The European Times® and the logo of The European Times® are EU trademarks registered by FRVS+MPCP.

MADRID

Members/Partners of

GNS Press - The European Times

Google News

  

About Us

Popular Category

DISCLAIMER OPINIONS: The opinions of the authors or reproduced in the articles are the ones of those stating them and it is their own responsibility. Should you find any incorrections you can always contact the newsdesk to seek a correction or right of replay.

DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: All articles in this site are published in English. The translated versions are done through an automated process known as neural translations. If in doubt, always refer to the original article. Thank you for understanding.

DISCLAIMER PHOTOS: We mostly used photos images that are readily available online, from free sources, or from the people promoting the news. If by any chance it happens that we have used one of your copyrighted photos, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will take it down without question. We do not make profits as this is a not for profit project to give voice to the voiceless while giving them a platform to be informed also of general news, and it is completely free.

Editor Picks