Asian shares push higher, dollar eases
Asian shares rose on Tuesday, shrugging off worries about an increase in regional coronavirus infections, while inflation jitters helped push gold prices to three-month highs. Equities in Europe and the United States looked set to follow. FTSE futures rose 0.76% and EuroSTOXX 50 futures traded 0.68% higher, while S&P 500 futures were up 0.33%. MSCI’s […]
U.S. military offers J&J vaccines for South Korean troops
The U.S. military has offered to provide some Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) (JNJ.N) coronavirus vaccines for South Korean troops, the defence ministry said on Monday, as South Korea struggles with a shortage of COVID-19 shots. The offer comes days before President Moon Jae-in is due to visit Washington for his first summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, […]
EU asks AstraZeneca to deliver 120 million vaccines by end of June
The European Union wants AstraZeneca to deliver at least 120 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June, a lawyer representing the EU said on Tuesday at the opening of a legal case against the company over delayed supplies. The lawyer was speaking in a Belgian court as proceedings in the second […]
South Africa warns of ‘vaccine apartheid’ if rich countries hog shots
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa receives the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination at the Khayelitsha Hospital near Cape Town, South Africa, February 17, 2021.
India’s COVID-19 cases dip from peak, calls for shutdown mount
Calls grew for India to impose a nationwide lockdown as new coronavirus cases and deaths held close to record highs on Monday, increasing pressure on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 366,161 new infections and 3,754 deaths reported by the health ministry were off a little from recent peaks, taking India’s tally to […]
EU split on vaccine waiver idea, unlikely to take clear stance
European Union leaders are divided over whether to follow Washington in supporting a waiver of patent rights to COVID-19 vaccines, as many argue this would take years and not address the immediate issue of making more shots to end the pandemic. Leaders of the 27-nation bloc will discuss the patent waiver idea at a two-day […]
How the U.S. locked up vaccine materials other nations urgently need
To fight the pandemic at home, the United States gave its own vaccine manufacturers priority access to American-made materials needed to make the shots. As a result, the U.S. government laid claim not only to vast quantities of finished COVID-19 vaccines but also to vaccine components and equipment all along the supply chain, according to […]
Thailand says foreigners to get COVID-19 vaccines amid access concern
Thailand confirmed on Thursday that it plans to include 3 million foreigners living in the country in its mass vaccination programme to protect the entire population, amid concerns over the scope of vaccine access. “Anybody living in Thailand, whether they be Thai or foreign, if they want they vaccine, they can get it,” head of […]
Russia considers supplying 1 million vaccine shots to Armenia – RIA
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Russia was considering supplying 1 million shots of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Armenia, the RIA new agency reported. Russia had already sent 15,000 doses of the vaccine to the former Soviet republic last month, Lavrov was quoted as saying at a meeting with his […]
High-tech hunt for scarce COVID-19 vaccines in India raises fear for fairness
Indian tech experts have written software code and designed websites to help people book scarce COVID-19 vaccinations online, raising concern about an unfair advantage for the tech savvy and jeopardising chances of an equitable vaccine rollout. India has faced criticism for a slow vaccine campaign as it battles a second wave of coronavirus infections that […]
