Global health campaigners denounced U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration for refusing to support a temporary suspension of patents for Covid-19 tests and treatments this year, a move that further delays the possibility of securing a World Trade Organization intellectual property waiver aimed at increasing access to lifesaving medical tools in developing nations.In a statement released on Tuesday morning, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that “over the past five months, USTR officials held robust and constructive consultations with Congress, government experts, a wide range of stakeholders, multilateral institutions, and WTO members.”Tai continued:Real questions remain on a range of issues, and the…
Author: World News Intel
Like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Obrador before him, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been infected with COVID for a second time. In the middle of this year’s fourth Omicron wave, Albanese’s reinfection should not come as a surprise. Population antibody surveys have shown roughly half of Australian adults had COVID at least once by mid-2022. With Christmas parties and much-needed holidays beckoning, how much effort should we be putting in to avoid COVID a second (or third) time? Studies suggest we should care about this, as each reinfection can increase the risk of poorer health…
While Kourtney is “for now, done with IVF,” she has trust in what is meant to occur. “I got to a place where I just felt exactly like how timing is everything with me and Travis,” she added. “So, I feel like if it’s truly meant to be it will happen.” Both Kourtney and Travis have been an open book about the fertility experience, sharing the ups and downs with the world. In fact, the couple even allowed cameras to capture parts of their IVF process on the first season of The Kardashians—something the Blink-182 drummer does not regret one bit.…
Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson’s announcement of planned legislation requiring big online platforms such as Google and Meta/Facebook to “pay a fair price” to New Zealand news media for their content was welcomed by many as much-needed support for local journalism. But there are good reasons to be cautious. Such deals can lack transparency, provide few guarantees of where revenues go, and may offer little protection of the public interest. The government’s move follows Australia’s 2021 News Media Mandatory Bargaining Code and Canada’s proposed Online News Act. Both require the online giants to reach compensation agreements with news providers or be…
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has ordered two more Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tankers, bringing the total number of aircraft on contract with Japan to six. Boeing delivered the first KC-46A tanker to Japan in October 2021, and a second in February 2022. “The unmatched versatility and multi-mission capabilities of the KC-46A tanker further support JASDF’s air mobility mission,” said James Burgess, vice president and KC-46 program manager. “The growing global KC-46A fleet increases the interoperability advantages for our customers, ensuring mission readiness as well as value for their investment.” Designed to refuel all allied and coalition military aircraft compatible…
(Getty Images) People in advanced economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Majorities across 19 countries say social media on balance has been good for democracy. But in nearly all these countries, most also say social media has led to manipulation and division within societies. In emerging economies, views on these topics are not that different. In 2018, majorities in 11 emerging and developing economies surveyed said that social media has both positive and negative sides. Results from the two surveys are similar in other ways, despite differences…
“SDG 6.2 is about ending open defecation and providing access to safe sanitation and hygiene, and it is the furthest off-track of all the SDGs, and furthest in terms of underfunding,” said Ann Thomas, Team Leader, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH Programme Division, UNICEF, at a UN Headquarters press conference on Thursday. ‘Sanitation crisis’ In a 2020 estimate, 3.6 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation services. The rate of sanitation coverage increase would need to quadruple to achieve universal access to safely managed services by 2030, Ms. Thomas said, describing the situation as “a sanitation crisis”, especially for women and children. Through the Game Plan to…
The UN partner agency has cautioned against imposing trade restrictions which would ultimately result in slower growth and lower living standards. Global merchandise trade volume is estimated to grow 3.5 per cent in 2022, or slightly better than the 3.0 per cent anticipated in April. However, volume will slow to 1 per cent next year, a sharp decline from the 3.4 per cent previously estimated. High prices and inflation Demand for imports is expected to weaken as growth slows in major economies for different reasons, WTO said. In Europe, high energy prices resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine…
“The Republic of Korea can play a vital leadership role in denying the Myanmar junta the means to continue holding 54 million people hostage while becoming a leader in providing humanitarian support to those in desperate need’’, said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, in a statement on Monday. ‘Lead by example’ He urged the Government of South Korea to build on the positive steps it has taken, including publicly denouncing the coup, imposing an arms embargo, and issuing a moratorium on forced returns of Myanmar nationals back to their country. “The ROK can lead…
Progressive criticism of President Joe Biden’s move to make South Carolina the first-in-the-nation Democratic presidential primary was given a boost Wednesday when More Perfect Union launched a petition imploring the Democratic National Committee to pick a diverse swing state instead.”If we really want to pick a diverse primary electorate, look to South Carolina’s neighbor to the north—an actual battleground state.”Biden’s proposal to raise South Carolina to the first spot on the party’s presidential primary calendar was approved by the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee last Friday but is still months away from receiving a green light from the entire panel.…