Reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear accord will have to await the formation of a new Iranian government, the head of the UN&nbsp;nuclear watchdog said in remarks published on Wednesday, adding a deal needed political will from all parties. 
 
"Everyone knows that, at this point, it will be necessary to wait for the new Iranian government," Rafael Grossi said in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, in reply to a question about what stage negotiations on the deal were at. 
 
Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), appeared to be referring to Iran's presidential elections, due on Friday. 
 
Iran's new president is expected to name his cabinet by mid-August. The term of current President Hassan Rouhani ends on August&nbsp;3, a government spokesman said. 
 
The sixth round of talks to revive the deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday between Iran and world powers. 
 
The IAEA does not take any direct part in the negotiations but has been called on to verify them and continue inspections in the country. 
 
"The discussions that have been going on for weeks have dealt with very complex and delicate technical questions, but what is needed is the political will of the parties," Grossi said.

Reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear accord will have to await the formation of a new Iranian government, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said in remarks published on Wednesday, adding a deal needed political will from all parties.

Reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear accord will have to await the formation of a new Iranian government, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said in remarks published on Wednesday, adding a deal needed political will from all parties. "Everyone knows that, at this point, it will be necessary to wait for the new Iranian government," Rafael Grossi said in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, in reply to a question about what stage negotiations on the deal were at. Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), appeared to be referring to Iran's presidential elections, due on Friday. Iran's new president is expected to name his cabinet by mid-August. The term of current President Hassan Rouhani ends on August 3, a government spokesman said. The sixth round of talks to revive the deal resumed in Vienna on Saturday between Iran and world powers. The IAEA does not take any direct part in the negotiations but has been called on to verify them and continue inspections in the country. "The discussions that have been going on for weeks have dealt with very complex and delicate technical questions, but what is needed is the political will of the parties," Grossi said.

Nuclear deal must await new Iran govt: IAEA executive tells paper

Britain is keeping all options on the table as a response in a dispute with the European Union over part of their Brexit deal covering Northern Ireland, Brexit minister David Frost said on Wednesday, adding that talks were not making much progress.

Frustration in the British government is also rising because London has offered a number of proposals to solve a standoff with the European Union over Northern Ireland but has not had a lot back, Frost added.

"Our position is that we would like to find negotiated agreements that ... bring it back to the sort of light-touch agreement that we thought we were agreeing," Frost told a parliamentary committee.

"Our frustration ... is that we're not getting a lot of traction, and we feel we have put in a lot of ideas and we haven't had very much back to help move these discussions forward, and meanwhile ... time is running out."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he could trigger emergency measures in the Northern Ireland protocol after its implementation at the beginning of this year has seen disruption to trade between Britain and its province. 
 
"All options remain on the table as regards steps forwards. Obviously, we would prefer to find negotiated ways forward if we can. If that's not possible obviously ... other options remain on the table," Frost told a parliamentary committee.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Ireland's foreign minister said on Tuesday that&nbsp;post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are not a threat to the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom but simply a means of managing disruption from its exit from the European Union.

"Don't know how many times this needs to be said before it's fully accepted as true. NI (Northern Ireland) Protocol is a technical trading arrangement to manage the disruption of Brexit for the island of Ireland to the greatest extent possible," Simon Coveney said on Twitter.

"It's not about constitutional matters," he said, in response to comments by Britain's Brexit minister David Frost at a parliamentary committee.

Britain is keeping all options on the table as a response in a dispute with the European Union over part of their Brexit deal covering Northern Ireland, Brexit minister David Frost said on Wednesday, adding that talks were not making much progress.

Britain is keeping all options on the table as a response in a dispute with the European Union over part of their Brexit deal covering Northern Ireland, Brexit minister David Frost said on Wednesday, adding that talks were not making much progress. Frustration in the British government is also rising because London has offered a number of proposals to solve a standoff with the European Union over Northern Ireland but has not had a lot back, Frost added. "Our position is that we would like to find negotiated agreements that ... bring it back to the sort of light-touch agreement that we thought we were agreeing," Frost told a parliamentary committee. "Our frustration ... is that we're not getting a lot of traction, and we feel we have put in a lot of ideas and we haven't had very much back to help move these discussions forward, and meanwhile ... time is running out." Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he could trigger emergency measures in the Northern Ireland protocol after its implementation at the beginning of this year has seen disruption to trade between Britain and its province. "All options remain on the table as regards steps forwards. Obviously, we would prefer to find negotiated ways forward if we can. If that's not possible obviously ... other options remain on the table," Frost told a parliamentary committee. Meanwhile, Ireland's foreign minister said on Tuesday that post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland are not a threat to the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom but simply a means of managing disruption from its exit from the European Union. "Don't know how many times this needs to be said before it's fully accepted as true. NI (Northern Ireland) Protocol is a technical trading arrangement to manage the disruption of Brexit for the island of Ireland to the greatest extent possible," Simon Coveney said on Twitter. "It's not about constitutional matters," he said, in response to comments by Britain's Brexit minister David Frost at a parliamentary committee.

Not much progress: Britain keeps all options open in Northern Ireland row

Police in South Australia urged drivers on Wednesday to step up efforts to protect their cars, as thieves target the catalytic converters that scrub exhaust emissions, amid a surge in prices of precious metals. 
 
The converters, which strip particulate matter from emissions, contain high volumes of the precious metals platinum and palladium, whose prices touched records this year. 
 
"Thefts have occurred in residential driveways, public carparks and on main roads with public presence not seeming to deter offenders," state police said in a statement, adding that the devices were then sold on the secondhand market. 
 
After several arrests, they are encouraging owners to mark or engrave the devices with the vehicle identification number, as well as making them harder to remove, for instance by welding in the retaining bolts. 
 
Other measures include parking in locked or well-lit areas, near walls or fences with the car bonnet facing a solid object to discourage access to the converter. 
 
Prices of platinum are up 38% from a year ago at $1,173 an ounce, while palladium is up 43% at $2,758 an ounce.

Police in South Australia urged drivers on Wednesday to step up efforts to protect their cars, as thieves target the catalytic converters that scrub exhaust emissions, amid a surge in prices of precious metals.

Police in South Australia urged drivers on Wednesday to step up efforts to protect their cars, as thieves target the catalytic converters that scrub exhaust emissions, amid a surge in prices of precious metals. The converters, which strip particulate matter from emissions, contain high volumes of the precious metals platinum and palladium, whose prices touched records this year. "Thefts have occurred in residential driveways, public carparks and on main roads with public presence not seeming to deter offenders," state police said in a statement, adding that the devices were then sold on the secondhand market. After several arrests, they are encouraging owners to mark or engrave the devices with the vehicle identification number, as well as making them harder to remove, for instance by welding in the retaining bolts. Other measures include parking in locked or well-lit areas, near walls or fences with the car bonnet facing a solid object to discourage access to the converter. Prices of platinum are up 38% from a year ago at $1,173 an ounce, while palladium is up 43% at $2,758 an ounce.

Pricey metals lure Australian thieves to strip cars of catalytic converters

China has tripled its daily COVID-19 vaccine rollout in June, inoculating 44% of its population with at least one dose, but its health experts warn against a quick border reopening, citing an uneven rollout and the low rate of full vaccinations. 
 
China rolled out 17.3 million doses per day in June on average, up sharply from 4.8 million in April, as it expanded the list of approved vaccines to seven by adding three more locally-developed shots, and continued to boost production. 
 
But the rollout has been uneven. 
 
By the first week of June, major cities of Beijing and Shanghai fully inoculated nearly 70% and 50% of their residents respectively, but the rate in Guangdong and Shandong provinces remained below 20%. 
 
"(China) is such a big country... Once any of its places open up, it will have a big impact on places that haven`t reached high vaccination levels," Feng Zijian, a researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said earlier this month. 
 
Feng said that China is yet to reach a consensus on what vaccination rate will safely allow adjusting virus control measures, including loosening requirement of quarantine or virus testing for inbound travellers. 
 
China will also wait and see how Japan handles its virus outbreak and the Tokyo Olympics next month before deciding how quickly Beijing needs to loosen its border controls, a person familiar with the situation said. 
 
China is also stepping up vaccinations in preparation to host the Winter Olympics early next year. 
 
Several counties and districts of Zhangjiakou city in northern China, which will host some of the Games, are urging residents to get vaccinated, saying it is a "necessary contribution" that they should make for the international event. 
 
As part of the city's vaccination campaign, more than 1,800 unvaccinated visitors were dissuaded from entering a park in the Xuanhua district earlier this month and guided to nearby inoculation sites, according to a social media post by the district-level authorities. 
 
"There isn't much time and the task is heavy," Wu Weidong, head of the city-level committee of the Communist Party, said in a statement earlier this month. 
 
It said the city is still short of its vaccination target without detailing its target or inoculation rate. 
 
China has kept local transmission in check by conducting large-scale COVID-19 tests and seal up neighbourhoods and streets when new cases emerged. It refuses to abandon this "zero-tolerance" playbook, even though local outbreaks are tiny compared with those in other countries. 
 
Zhang Wenhong, director of an expert team on COVID-19 treatment in Shanghai city, said at a recent conference it would be too early to drop the policy or fully open up until the full vaccination rate hits at least 70%. 
 
For China, the flip side of low local transmission has been difficulty in gauging clearly how effectively China's vaccination campaign will help contain the spread of the virus. 
 
Some countries, such as Britain and Chile, are battling a surge in new cases even as they have among the highest vaccination rates in the world, a cautionary tale for China. 
 
Chile, which used a vaccine developed by China's Sinovac as its major vaccination tool, said on Monday, it would extend a COVID-19 emergency through September, as cases have soured to some of their highest levels since the pandemic began.

China has tripled its daily COVID-19 vaccine rollout in June, inoculating 44% of its population with at least one dose, but its health experts warn against a quick border reopening, citing an uneven rollout and the low rate of full vaccinations.

China has tripled its daily COVID-19 vaccine rollout in June, inoculating 44% of its population with at least one dose, but its health experts warn against a quick border reopening, citing an uneven rollout and the low rate of full vaccinations. China rolled out 17.3 million doses per day in June on average, up sharply from 4.8 million in April, as it expanded the list of approved vaccines to seven by adding three more locally-developed shots, and continued to boost production. But the rollout has been uneven. By the first week of June, major cities of Beijing and Shanghai fully inoculated nearly 70% and 50% of their residents respectively, but the rate in Guangdong and Shandong provinces remained below 20%. "(China) is such a big country... Once any of its places open up, it will have a big impact on places that haven`t reached high vaccination levels," Feng Zijian, a researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said earlier this month. Feng said that China is yet to reach a consensus on what vaccination rate will safely allow adjusting virus control measures, including loosening requirement of quarantine or virus testing for inbound travellers. China will also wait and see how Japan handles its virus outbreak and the Tokyo Olympics next month before deciding how quickly Beijing needs to loosen its border controls, a person familiar with the situation said. China is also stepping up vaccinations in preparation to host the Winter Olympics early next year. Several counties and districts of Zhangjiakou city in northern China, which will host some of the Games, are urging residents to get vaccinated, saying it is a "necessary contribution" that they should make for the international event. As part of the city's vaccination campaign, more than 1,800 unvaccinated visitors were dissuaded from entering a park in the Xuanhua district earlier this month and guided to nearby inoculation sites, according to a social media post by the district-level authorities. "There isn't much time and the task is heavy," Wu Weidong, head of the city-level committee of the Communist Party, said in a statement earlier this month. It said the city is still short of its vaccination target without detailing its target or inoculation rate. China has kept local transmission in check by conducting large-scale COVID-19 tests and seal up neighbourhoods and streets when new cases emerged. It refuses to abandon this "zero-tolerance" playbook, even though local outbreaks are tiny compared with those in other countries. Zhang Wenhong, director of an expert team on COVID-19 treatment in Shanghai city, said at a recent conference it would be too early to drop the policy or fully open up until the full vaccination rate hits at least 70%. For China, the flip side of low local transmission has been difficulty in gauging clearly how effectively China's vaccination campaign will help contain the spread of the virus. Some countries, such as Britain and Chile, are battling a surge in new cases even as they have among the highest vaccination rates in the world, a cautionary tale for China. Chile, which used a vaccine developed by China's Sinovac as its major vaccination tool, said on Monday, it would extend a COVID-19 emergency through September, as cases have soured to some of their highest levels since the pandemic began.

China ramps up vaccinations, but uneven rollout leaves borders closed

Indonesia's geophysics agency warned on Wednesday of possible aftershocks and tsunami potential after a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit near the Moluccas islands, also known as the Maluku islands. 
 
The quake struck at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles). 
 
"Please move away from beach and move to higher ground," BMKG said in a text message, noting that the warning applied especially to Seram Island. 
 
A tsunami wave could potentially be triggered by underwater landslides, it added. It earlier said there was no tsunami potential. 
 
A local disaster mitigation agency official said there were no report of injured people or casualties so far, but some buildings and public facilities sustained damage. 
 
Unverified videos that circulated online showed some local residents moving to higher ground after the quake. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia's geophysics agency warned on Wednesday of possible aftershocks and tsunami potential after a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit near the Moluccas islands, also known as the Maluku islands.

Indonesia's geophysics agency warned on Wednesday of possible aftershocks and tsunami potential after a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit near the Moluccas islands, also known as the Maluku islands. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles). "Please move away from beach and move to higher ground," BMKG said in a text message, noting that the warning applied especially to Seram Island. A tsunami wave could potentially be triggered by underwater landslides, it added. It earlier said there was no tsunami potential. A local disaster mitigation agency official said there were no report of injured people or casualties so far, but some buildings and public facilities sustained damage. Unverified videos that circulated online showed some local residents moving to higher ground after the quake. (With inputs from agencies)

Magnitude 6.1 quake hits near Indonesia's Moluccas islands

Singapore's population rose by about 1.1% each year over the past decade, the slowest rate since independence in 1965, the latest census showed on Wednesday, with locals having fewer children and immigration policies tightening. 
 
Just last year, the global financial hub saw its population fall 0.3% to 5.69 million, the first drop since 2003, due to fewer foreign arrivals on the back of travel curbs and job losses brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Like many other developed countries, Singapore is struggling with the implications of low birth rates and an ageing population. 
 
Residents aged 65 years and over formed 15.2% of the population in 2020, up from 9% in 2010. 
 
Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Singaporean citizens increased to 3.52 million from 3.23 million. But more are staying single and those who marry are having fewer children. 
 
The average number of children born to a resident female, who has been married, aged 40 to 49 years dropped to 1.76 in 2020, from 2.02 in 2010. 
 
The median age of the resident population, which includes citizens and permanent residents, increased to 41.5 years in 2020 from 37.4 years in 2010, the latest census showed. 
 
Authorities have also been accelerating immigration restrictions since the 2011 general elections when the ruling People's Action Party polled a record low share of the popular vote, hurt by citizens' anxiety over an influx of foreigners. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Singapore's population rose by about 1.1% each year over the past decade, the slowest rate since independence in 1965, the latest census showed on Wednesday, with locals having fewer children and immigration policies tightening.

Singapore's population rose by about 1.1% each year over the past decade, the slowest rate since independence in 1965, the latest census showed on Wednesday, with locals having fewer children and immigration policies tightening. Just last year, the global financial hub saw its population fall 0.3% to 5.69 million, the first drop since 2003, due to fewer foreign arrivals on the back of travel curbs and job losses brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Like many other developed countries, Singapore is struggling with the implications of low birth rates and an ageing population. Residents aged 65 years and over formed 15.2% of the population in 2020, up from 9% in 2010. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Singaporean citizens increased to 3.52 million from 3.23 million. But more are staying single and those who marry are having fewer children. The average number of children born to a resident female, who has been married, aged 40 to 49 years dropped to 1.76 in 2020, from 2.02 in 2010. The median age of the resident population, which includes citizens and permanent residents, increased to 41.5 years in 2020 from 37.4 years in 2010, the latest census showed. Authorities have also been accelerating immigration restrictions since the 2011 general elections when the ruling People's Action Party polled a record low share of the popular vote, hurt by citizens' anxiety over an influx of foreigners. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore records slowest decade of population growth since independence

Britain's trade minister on Wednesday called on the European Union to be responsible and reasonable in a row over the implementation of Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit divorce deal. 
 
"We need the EU to be pragmatic about the checks that are undertaken and that was always the way the protocol was drafted," International Trade Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News. 
 
"It requires compromise between the parties, and the EU need to be reasonable," Truss said. 
 
Earlier, French European Affairs junior minister Clement Beaune said that current tensions over Brexit between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government and the European Union were 'a test' for Europe.

The tensions between Britain and the EU threatened to overshadow the Group of Seven summit's conclusion on Sunday, with London accusing France of 'offensive' remarks that Northern Ireland was not part of the United Kingdom.

"Mr Johnson thinks that you can sign deals with the Europeans and not respect them and that Europe will not react. It is a test for Europe," Beaune told Europe 1 radio.

"I am telling the British people, (Brexit) commitments must be respected... If it is not the case, retaliatory measures could be taken," Beaune added.

During talks with Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit, Johnson queried how the French president would react if Toulouse sausages could not be sold in Paris markets, echoing London's accusation that the EU is preventing sales of British chilled meats in Northern Ireland.

"In Northern Ireland, there are sausage import problems... Why? Because when you leave the European Union, you have necessarily some (trade) barriers," Beaune said.

"I cannot tell the French or the Europeans that Britain can export via (EU member) Ireland some products, such as meat without any control... That is what it is all about. Brexit has consequences."

(With inputs from agencies)

Britain's trade minister on Wednesday called on the European Union to be responsible and reasonable in a row over the implementation of Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit divorce deal.

Britain's trade minister on Wednesday called on the European Union to be responsible and reasonable in a row over the implementation of Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit divorce deal. "We need the EU to be pragmatic about the checks that are undertaken and that was always the way the protocol was drafted," International Trade Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News. "It requires compromise between the parties, and the EU need to be reasonable," Truss said. Earlier, French European Affairs junior minister Clement Beaune said that current tensions over Brexit between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government and the European Union were 'a test' for Europe. The tensions between Britain and the EU threatened to overshadow the Group of Seven summit's conclusion on Sunday, with London accusing France of 'offensive' remarks that Northern Ireland was not part of the United Kingdom. "Mr Johnson thinks that you can sign deals with the Europeans and not respect them and that Europe will not react. It is a test for Europe," Beaune told Europe 1 radio. "I am telling the British people, (Brexit) commitments must be respected... If it is not the case, retaliatory measures could be taken," Beaune added. During talks with Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit, Johnson queried how the French president would react if Toulouse sausages could not be sold in Paris markets, echoing London's accusation that the EU is preventing sales of British chilled meats in Northern Ireland. "In Northern Ireland, there are sausage import problems... Why? Because when you leave the European Union, you have necessarily some (trade) barriers," Beaune said. "I cannot tell the French or the Europeans that Britain can export via (EU member) Ireland some products, such as meat without any control... That is what it is all about. Brexit has consequences." (With inputs from agencies)

UK tells EU on Northern Ireland: Be responsible, be reasonable

US&nbsp;and Canadian officials are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss how to eventually lift pandemic-related border restrictions between the two countries, but no immediate action is expected, media reports said citing sources briefed on the matter. 
 
US&nbsp;and Canadian business leaders have voiced increasing concern about the ban on non-essential travel at land borders because of COVID-19 that was imposed in March 2020 and has been renewed on a monthly basis since. The measures, which also apply to the US-Mexico border, do not affect trade or other essential travel. 
 
The current restrictions are set to expire on June 21, but US&nbsp;and industry officials expect they will be extended again. 
 
On June 8, it was&nbsp;reported that the Biden administration was forming expert working groups with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the United Kingdom to determine how best to safely restart travel after 15 months of pandemic restrictions. 
 
A meeting is expected to occur with Mexico later this week and meetings with the United Kingdom and EU are currently set for next week, but the timing could still shift, three people briefed on the meetings said. 
 
US&nbsp;restrictions prevent most non-US&nbsp;citizens, who have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil within the last 14 days from traveling to the United States. 
 
It was previously reported that US&nbsp;and airline officials do not think US&nbsp;restrictions will be lifted until around July 4 at the earliest. 
 
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday, he has spoken with US&nbsp;President Joe Biden about how to lift the restrictions, but made clear no breakthrough has been achieved. 
 
Two officials said the working groups are each expected to meet twice a month. 
 
Canada last week took a cautious first step, saying it was prepared to relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens returning home starting in early July. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US and Canadian officials are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss how to eventually lift pandemic-related border restrictions between the two countries, but no immediate action is expected, media reports said citing sources briefed on the matter.

US and Canadian officials are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss how to eventually lift pandemic-related border restrictions between the two countries, but no immediate action is expected, media reports said citing sources briefed on the matter. US and Canadian business leaders have voiced increasing concern about the ban on non-essential travel at land borders because of COVID-19 that was imposed in March 2020 and has been renewed on a monthly basis since. The measures, which also apply to the US-Mexico border, do not affect trade or other essential travel. The current restrictions are set to expire on June 21, but US and industry officials expect they will be extended again. On June 8, it was reported that the Biden administration was forming expert working groups with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the United Kingdom to determine how best to safely restart travel after 15 months of pandemic restrictions. A meeting is expected to occur with Mexico later this week and meetings with the United Kingdom and EU are currently set for next week, but the timing could still shift, three people briefed on the meetings said. US restrictions prevent most non-US citizens, who have been in the United Kingdom, the 26 Schengen nations in Europe without border controls, Ireland, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil within the last 14 days from traveling to the United States. It was previously reported that US and airline officials do not think US restrictions will be lifted until around July 4 at the earliest. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday, he has spoken with US President Joe Biden about how to lift the restrictions, but made clear no breakthrough has been achieved. Two officials said the working groups are each expected to meet twice a month. Canada last week took a cautious first step, saying it was prepared to relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens returning home starting in early July. (With inputs from agencies)

US, Canada set to discuss lifting of border restrictions: Report

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme. 
 
The request is a turnaround for Bolsonaro, who last year ignored offers of vaccines from Pfizer, according to testimony to a Senate commission investigating delays in vaccinating the country with the world's second-deadliest outbreak. 
 
Bolsonaro, his chief of staff and ministers of health and foreign affairs, held a conference call with Pfizer Brasil Chief Executive Marta Diez and Pfizer Latin America Chief Executive Carlos Murillo, the president's office said on social media. 
 
Bolsonaro asked the Pfizer executives if deliveries for later this year could be brought forward to June, from the fourth quarter, a government official with knowledge of the matter said. 
 
Pfizer Brasil declined to comment on the meeting. 
 
Almost half a million Brazilians have died from COVID-19, yet only 10.3% of the country's 210 million people have received a first vaccine dose, and just 25% have been fully vaccinated, mainly with vaccines developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and AstraZeneca Plc. 
 
Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic, who opposed lockdown and social distancing, has advocated the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 patients, even though there is no evidence that it is effective. 
 
The far-right leader's government is being investigated by a Senate commission for delays in a vaccination plan that lags behind many other countries. The commission heard testimony that the government never replied to letters from Pfizer last year offering to sell vaccines. 
 
Brazil signed a deal with Pfizer in March to purchase 100 million doses, and the first doses arrived in late April. A second contract in May provided for another 100 million doses to be delivered in the fourth quarter. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme. The request is a turnaround for Bolsonaro, who last year ignored offers of vaccines from Pfizer, according to testimony to a Senate commission investigating delays in vaccinating the country with the world's second-deadliest outbreak. Bolsonaro, his chief of staff and ministers of health and foreign affairs, held a conference call with Pfizer Brasil Chief Executive Marta Diez and Pfizer Latin America Chief Executive Carlos Murillo, the president's office said on social media. Bolsonaro asked the Pfizer executives if deliveries for later this year could be brought forward to June, from the fourth quarter, a government official with knowledge of the matter said. Pfizer Brasil declined to comment on the meeting. Almost half a million Brazilians have died from COVID-19, yet only 10.3% of the country's 210 million people have received a first vaccine dose, and just 25% have been fully vaccinated, mainly with vaccines developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and AstraZeneca Plc. Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic, who opposed lockdown and social distancing, has advocated the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 patients, even though there is no evidence that it is effective. The far-right leader's government is being investigated by a Senate commission for delays in a vaccination plan that lags behind many other countries. The commission heard testimony that the government never replied to letters from Pfizer last year offering to sell vaccines. Brazil signed a deal with Pfizer in March to purchase 100 million doses, and the first doses arrived in late April. A second contract in May provided for another 100 million doses to be delivered in the fourth quarter. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazilian President asks Pfizer to speed up COVID-19 vaccine delivery

South Korean's military began annual drills on Tuesday around a set of islands also claimed by Japan, days after planned talks between the two countries' leaders were called off amid a spat over an Olympics map. 
 
Seoul and Tokyo have been at odds over the sovereignty of the islets called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, which lie about halfway between the neighbours in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. 
 
The decades-long territorial row was rekindled after South Korea lodged a protest over a map on the Tokyo Olympics website marking the islands as Japanese territory. 
 
Tokyo rejected Seoul's demand to remove the depiction of the islets in the Olympics map. South Korea asked the International Olympic Committee to mediate the dispute, and some South Korean politicians called for a boycott of the Games. 
 
Relations between the two Asian neighbours have been frosty amid feuds over the islets, trade and the issue of compensation for victims, who were forced work in Japanese firms and military brothels during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. 
 
Naval, air and coast guard forces will join the drills, which will be staged mostly on the sea with minimal contact between troops due to coronavirus concerns, Seoul's defence ministry said. 
 
South Korea's Yonhap news agency earlier reported Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took issue over the drills and called off planned talks with President Moon Jae-in at the Group of Seven summit in England over the weekend. 
 
An official at South Korea's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the meeting could not be held, without specifying why. 
 
When asked if a dispute over the drills was the reason, the official said: "the exercises are regularly held every year for the purpose of defending our territory." 
 
The Korean drills around the islets have taken place twice a year since 1986, prompting frequent protests from Japan. 
 
Japan's chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato on Monday denied the Yonhap report, saying it was 'one-sided' and the talks did not come off due to scheduling difficulties. 
 
On Tuesday, Kato said Tokyo had lodged a protest with Seoul over the exercises, saying the islands are Japanese territory under history and international law. 
 
"This sort of drill is unacceptable and extremely regrettable," he told a news conference. "We`ve protested to the South Korean government and called for them to be halted." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

South Korean's military began annual drills on Tuesday around a set of islands also claimed by Japan, days after planned talks between the two countries' leaders were called off amid a spat over an Olympics map.

South Korean's military began annual drills on Tuesday around a set of islands also claimed by Japan, days after planned talks between the two countries' leaders were called off amid a spat over an Olympics map. Seoul and Tokyo have been at odds over the sovereignty of the islets called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, which lie about halfway between the neighbours in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. The decades-long territorial row was rekindled after South Korea lodged a protest over a map on the Tokyo Olympics website marking the islands as Japanese territory. Tokyo rejected Seoul's demand to remove the depiction of the islets in the Olympics map. South Korea asked the International Olympic Committee to mediate the dispute, and some South Korean politicians called for a boycott of the Games. Relations between the two Asian neighbours have been frosty amid feuds over the islets, trade and the issue of compensation for victims, who were forced work in Japanese firms and military brothels during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. Naval, air and coast guard forces will join the drills, which will be staged mostly on the sea with minimal contact between troops due to coronavirus concerns, Seoul's defence ministry said. South Korea's Yonhap news agency earlier reported Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took issue over the drills and called off planned talks with President Moon Jae-in at the Group of Seven summit in England over the weekend. An official at South Korea's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the meeting could not be held, without specifying why. When asked if a dispute over the drills was the reason, the official said: "the exercises are regularly held every year for the purpose of defending our territory." The Korean drills around the islets have taken place twice a year since 1986, prompting frequent protests from Japan. Japan's chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato on Monday denied the Yonhap report, saying it was 'one-sided' and the talks did not come off due to scheduling difficulties. On Tuesday, Kato said Tokyo had lodged a protest with Seoul over the exercises, saying the islands are Japanese territory under history and international law. "This sort of drill is unacceptable and extremely regrettable," he told a news conference. "We`ve protested to the South Korean government and called for them to be halted." (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea holds drills around disputed islets amid row over cancelled Japan talks

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Outgoing UN&nbsp;aid chief Mark Lowcock slammed the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Monday for failing to come up with a plan to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, describing the G7 pledge to provide one billion doses over the next year as a 'small step'. 
 
"These sporadic, small-scale, charitable handouts from rich countries to poor countries is not a serious plan and it will not bring the pandemic to an end," Lowcock, who steps down on Friday, said. "The G7, essentially, completely failed to show the necessary urgency." 
 
The leaders of the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada met in Cornwall, England over the weekend and also agreed to work with the private sector, the Group of 20 industrialised nations and other countries to increase the vaccine contribution over months to come. 
 
"They took a small step - at that very, very nice resort in Cornwall - but they shouldn't kid themselves it's more than a small step and they have still have a lot to do," Lowcock said. 
 
"What the world needed from the G7 was a plan to vaccinate the world. And what we got was a plan to vaccinate about 10% of the population of low and middle income countries, maybe by a year from now or the second half of next year," he said. 
 
In May, the International Monetary Fund unveiled a $50 billion proposal to end the COVID-19 pandemic by vaccinating at least 40% of the population in all countries by the end of 2021 and at least 60% by the first half of 2022. 
 
"That is the deal of the century," said Lowcock, adding that the G7 could also have done a lot more to provide vital supplies, such as oxygen ventilators, testing kits and protective equipment, to countries, who are going to have to wait longer for vaccines. 
 
UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged world leaders to act with more urgency, warning that if developing countries were not vaccinated quickly, the virus would continue to mutate and could become immune to inoculation. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Outgoing UN aid chief Mark Lowcock slammed the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Monday for failing to come up with a plan to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, describing the G7 pledge to provide one billion doses over the next year as a 'small step'.

Outgoing UN aid chief Mark Lowcock slammed the Group of Seven wealthy nations on Monday for failing to come up with a plan to vaccinate the world against COVID-19, describing the G7 pledge to provide one billion doses over the next year as a 'small step'. "These sporadic, small-scale, charitable handouts from rich countries to poor countries is not a serious plan and it will not bring the pandemic to an end," Lowcock, who steps down on Friday, said. "The G7, essentially, completely failed to show the necessary urgency." The leaders of the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada met in Cornwall, England over the weekend and also agreed to work with the private sector, the Group of 20 industrialised nations and other countries to increase the vaccine contribution over months to come. "They took a small step - at that very, very nice resort in Cornwall - but they shouldn't kid themselves it's more than a small step and they have still have a lot to do," Lowcock said. "What the world needed from the G7 was a plan to vaccinate the world. And what we got was a plan to vaccinate about 10% of the population of low and middle income countries, maybe by a year from now or the second half of next year," he said. In May, the International Monetary Fund unveiled a $50 billion proposal to end the COVID-19 pandemic by vaccinating at least 40% of the population in all countries by the end of 2021 and at least 60% by the first half of 2022. "That is the deal of the century," said Lowcock, adding that the G7 could also have done a lot more to provide vital supplies, such as oxygen ventilators, testing kits and protective equipment, to countries, who are going to have to wait longer for vaccines. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged world leaders to act with more urgency, warning that if developing countries were not vaccinated quickly, the virus would continue to mutate and could become immune to inoculation. (With inputs from agencies)

Outgoing UN aid chief slams G7 for failing on vaccine plan

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