Page 100 - Coronavirus

Macron to talk Ukraine war, trade with Biden in visit to Washington

French President Emmanuel Macron is headed to Washington for the first state visit of Joe Biden's presidency - a revival of diplomatic pageantry that had been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden-Macron relationship had a choppy start. Macron briefly recalled France's ambassador to the United States last year after the White House announced a deal to sell nuclear submarines to Australia, undermining a contract for France to sell diesel-powered submarines. But the relationship has turned around with Macron emerging as one of Biden's most forward-facing European allies in the Western response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This week's visit - it will include Oval Office talks, a glitzy dinner, a news conference and more - comes at a critical moment for both leaders. The leaders have a long agenda for their Thursday meeting at the White House, including Iran's nuclear program, China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and growing concerns about security

China uses cops, social media censors, quiet Covid easing to stem protests

While the concessions to strict Covid Zero policies are minor, changes over the past few days have given hope to market watchers

Data story: India adds 215 new Covid cases, active tally declines to 4,982

India has added 2,353 cases in the past 7 days

Data story: India records 291 new Covid cases, death toll reaches 530,614

India has added 2,432 cases in the past 7 days

Foxconn offers more bonuses to win back protesting staff in iPhone city

Foxconn Technology Group is offering workers who left the Zhengzhou complex between Oct. 1 and Nov. 10 an extra 30 yuan ($4.20) an hour on top of their regular wages through December and January

UN asks China to 'guarantee right to demonstrate' amid Covid protests

The large-scale protests in China were apparently sparked by an apartment block fire in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang province, which killed at least 10 people

US Dollar holds firm as China's Covid-related worries, Fed remarks weigh

The greenback had extended gains after St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said overnight that the Fed needs to raise interest rates quite a bit further

Apple to lose 6 million iPhone Pros because of turmoil at China plant

Apple's shares fell 2.6% to $144.22 in New York on Monday, marking the biggest one-day drop in more than two weeks. They have declined 19% this year

Asia shares take comfort in China property rally, investors eye protests

Shares of Chinese property companies surged after the country's securities regulator lifted a ban on equity refinancing for listed property firms

US continues to support right of peaceful protest: White House on China

The United States continues to stand up and support the right of peaceful protests in China, the White House said Monday. The United States is closely watching the developments in China, White House's National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters at a news conference. Our message to peaceful protesters around the world is the same and consistent: People should be allowed the right to assemble and to peacefully protest policies or laws or dictates that they take issue with, Kirby said Protests have erupted across China against the Chinese government's hash Covid rules. "We're watching this closely, as you might expect we would. And again, we continue to stand up and support the right of peaceful protest. And I think we're going to watch this closely, and we'll see where things go," he said in response to a question. Kirby said the US has not offered any aid to China at this time. We are the largest supplier of COVID vaccines around the

Oil prices slide on concerns over China's demand amid Covid curbs

Brent crude futures fell 45 cents, or 0.5%, to trade at $82.74 a barrel at 0113 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped 51 cents, or 0.7%, to $76.73 a barrel

Govt can't be held liable for deaths from Covid vaccine: Centre to SC

The Centre also emphasised that there is no legal compulsion to get Covid-19 vaccine

Best of BS Opinion: Don't ignore Covid, Nepal's destiny, and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

China's Covid zero strategy: Xi holds few cards to end historic protests

Beijing says it won't set up gates to block access to Covid-hit compounds anymore

Don't ignore Covid

The vaccination programme needs to be updated and revised

Bharat Biotech gets nasal vaccine nod for use as mix-match booster

iNCOVACC first intranasal Covid shot to receive approval for primary 2-dose schedule, heterologous booster us

Mumbai reports 6 Covid-19 cases, no death; active tally 91 as 10 recover

Mumbai on Monday reported six COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the metropolis to 11,54,895, while the death toll remained unchanged at 19,743, a civic official said. It is one of the lowest additions to the tally since the pandemic began in March 2020, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official pointed out. The city had recorded 16 cases and no death on Sunday, he added. The recovery count increased by 10 to touch 11,35,061, leaving the city with an active caseload of 91, he said. As per BMC data, the recovery rate is 98.3 per cent and caseload doubling time is 60,638 days. So far, 1,85,55,767 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the city, including 1,226 in the last 24 hours, as per civic data.

Germany announces relaxation in its Schengen visa rules for Indians

The embassy made it clear that the relaxations do not apply to applications for national visa (D-visa category) such as student, employment or family reunion visas

US and global markets sink as unrest in China spreads over Covid cases

Wall Street is heading lower ahead of Monday's opening bell amid widespread protests in China calling for Xi Jinping to step down and an end to one-party rule. Futures for the Dow Jones industrials fell 0.5 per cent and the S and P slipped 0.7 per cent. Crude prices neared a low point for the year partially due to unrest in China, and have fallen for three consecutive weeks. Crude prices are now negative for 2022 and, after soaring above USD 120 in June, a barrel of benchmark US crude can now be had for less than USD 74 per barrel. The upheaval in China is the greatest show of public dissent against the ruling Communist Party in decades. Protestors are railing against policies aimed at eradicating the coronavirus by isolating every case, a policy that may have contributed to the death toll in an apartment fire in Urumqi in the northwestern Xinjiang region. For investors, when it comes to China, trying to predict with any degree the reopening certainty that has no certainty, basis,

Maharashtra reports 23 new Coronavirus infections, no death in 24 hours

Maharashtra on Monday recorded 23 fresh COVID-19 cases, 34 recoveries and zero fatality, the health department said. With new cases, the state's COVID-19 tally rose to 81,35,707 and the death toll to 1,48,406. A day before, the state had logged 64 cases. Mumbai recorded six cases, one of the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic. The tally of active cases stands at 440, the bulletin said. It said 34 patients recovered from coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative recoveries in Maharashtra to 79,86,861. The recovery rate in the state is 98.17 per cent. The health department said 3,698 tests were conducted in the state in the last 24 hours, taking the number of samples examined so far to 8,56,20,996. Fresh cases: 23; Fatality: 0; Active cases: 440; Tests: 3,698.