WORLD NEWS May 23: The pandemic is not over because there are still nearly 1 billion people who have not been vaccinated
An 8-year-old American girl in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania received booster shots on May 19 – Photo: REUTERS
* Speaking at the opening session of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva (Switzerland) on May 22, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the decline in testing. and gene sequencing, arguing that this proves the world is ignoring the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. He noted that nearly 1 billion people in low-income countries have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
He reminded that the pandemic will not end globally until every part of the world is free of cases. He stated that the number of COVID-19 cases is increasing in nearly 70 countries and territories around the world, amid a sharp drop in testing rates.
In a weekly report on the global evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic published on May 19, WHO said the number of new COVID-19 cases in the world appeared to have stabilized after several weeks of decline since the end of March. over, while the total number of weekly deaths decreased.
* A recent survey of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said: More than 50% of small businesses surveyed expressed distrust of the US economy.
According to a survey of more than 600 US small businesses, 57% of small businesses are worried that the US economy will continue to deteriorate in 2023, up from 42% in April. This result shows The number of businesses optimistic about the economic outlook is equal to the record low recorded in April 2020. Despite rising prices, the number of businesses expecting revenue to increase next year fell to 61%, lower than 79% in May 2020.
Small businesses’ concerns about the US economy are mainly due to rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and rising interest rates.
* “The so-called US Indo-Pacific Strategy is essentially a strategy to divide, incite confrontation, and undermine peace. No matter how it is packaged or fabricated, it will inevitably fail in the end,” Xinhua quoted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying.
The statement was made on May 22 in the context of Mr. Biden’s arrival in Tokyo during a two-way trip to South Korea and Japan. He is expected to join Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and leaders of the Quartet of Diamonds (QUAD), including Australia and India, to attend the second face-to-face summit.
However, Wang said that the US was aiming to “form small groups in the name of freedom and openness”, and wanted to “contain China”.
“It is especially dangerous that the US plays the ‘Taiwan card’ and the ‘South China Sea card’ causing chaos in the region,” Wang said.
US President Joe Biden arrives in Japan on May 22 – Photo: REUTERS
* May 23, The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the country recorded an additional 167,650 cases of fever and 1 death in the past 24 hours.. Out of a total of 2.81 million cases of fever, the number of deaths in this country is 68, accounting for a very low rate, at about 0.002%. Pyongyang reported its first case of COVID-19 on May 12.
* Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky announced that Moscow is ready to resume the negotiation process but must have the consent of the Ukrainian side.
“For our part, we are ready to continue the dialogue,” Medinsky told Belarusian TV channel. The Russian negotiator said that the stalled negotiations were caused by the Ukrainian side and the return was also the decision of the Kiev side. “Russia has never refused to negotiate,” Medinsky said.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Ukrinform news agency quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying that Kiev is ready to resume conflict resolution negotiations with Moscow after Russian forces return to their previous positions. February 24 – the time when Russia launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
In the statement, President Zelensky said that Russian forces need to withdraw to temporary lines or lines. Only then, the two sides “can start full negotiations”. Besides, the Ukrainian leader also stressed that “not all bridges” for peace talks with Russia have been destroyed.
Russian forces clear mines at the Azovstal steel plant in the city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on May 22 – Photo: REUTERS
World stocks are relatively stable on the first day of the week despite concerns about growth in the world’s largest economies. According to Bloomberg News, the market was mostly flat in Japan while falling in Australia and Hong Kong. The US S&P 500 index fell for the 7th consecutive week, although not yet in a decline.
The price of West Texas Intermediate oil in the US fluctuated insignificantly, down 0.1% to 110 USD/barrel. Gold price is at 1,844.55 USD/ounce.
* Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto says the country can assure Ankara that Helsinki will not host members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). – which is listed by both Turkey and the European Union (EU) as “terrorists”.
“Such guarantees can certainly be made with Turkey. Because the PKK is an organization on the terrorist list in Europe, it is important that we do our best not to allow it. any terrorist activity taking place on Finnish territory,” Haavisto told national radio Yle on May 22.
The Finnish foreign minister also believes that it will only take a few weeks for Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Earlier, Haavisto said that a breakthrough is about to be achieved in the negotiations to join NATO in the next few days, according to Sputnik news agency.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto also had an “open and frank” phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 21. Earlier, the Turkish leader questioned whether Finland and Sweden should be allowed to join the military alliance.
“I have stated that as NATO allies, Finland and Turkey will be committed to each other’s security and our relationship will grow stronger. Finland condemns communism Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Close dialogue will continue,” President Niinisto wrote on Twitter after the phone call.
Turkey is a country that opposes Sweden and Finland joining NATO, saying that these two countries harbor “terrorists”.
The US C-17 Globemaster military plane carrying baby formula is about to take off in Germany on May 22 – Photo: REUTERS
* A military flight carrying a shipment of baby formula from Europe has landed in the US to “fire” the milk shortage in this country.. The White House said a second shipment would arrive in the next few days.
“This is an important step, but it is not the only one. We will continue to work at the direction of the president to explore every opportunity to increase supply,” said US Agriculture Secretary Tom. Vilsack.
Prior to that, leading US dairy manufacturer Abbott had to recall products on February 17 and close its factory in Michigan, causing the largest milk crisis in recent history in the US.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: tuoitre.vn – Read the original article here
