The deadly coronavirus pandemic has not only affected the healthcare systems but has also put a major strain on the global economy. In a recent development, it was revealed that the US economy added only 199,000 jobs in December. Also, the unemployment rate fell to 3.9 per cent. This comes as a major setback for analysts as they had expected a massive gain n payrolls.&nbsp;

A Labor Department report further revealed that the number of unemployed people dropped by 483,000 in December and by 4.5 million in the entire 2021.&nbsp;

Increases were seen in job gains for November and October. As per the data, the economy gained an average of 537,000 positions a month in 2021.

Michael Pearce, senior US economist with capital economics, in a report said, "The muted 199,000 gain in non-farm payrolls and the more muted increase in labor force participation suggest that worker shortages were becoming a bigger restraint on employment growth, even before the Omicron surge in infections, which could knock hundreds of thousands off payrolls in January."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-chinas-zero-covid-strategy-what-it-is-how-it-functions-and-does-it-work-442865">Also read |&nbsp;Explainer: China's 'zero covid' strategy; what it is, how it functions and does it work?</a>

This comes at a time when consumer prices in the US surged by 6.8 per cent in November for the first time in decades. This was the highest annual inflation rate since June 1982.&nbsp;

Inflation has been a matter of concern since the pandemic has hit the globe.

The energy index saw a surge of 3.5 per cent in November as the gasoline index increased by 6.1 per cent. The food index saw an increase of 0.7 per cent as the index for food at home rose 0.8 per cent.

Acknowledging the current scenario, US President Joe Biden said, "Today's numbers reflect the pressures that economies around the world are facing as we emerge from a global pandemic, prices are rising."&nbsp;

Deeming inflation as "a real bump in the road," he said that "price and cost increase are slowing, although not as quickly as we'd like."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly coronavirus pandemic has not only affected the healthcare systems but has also put a major strain on the global economy. In a recent development, it was revealed that the US economy added only 199,000 jobs in December.

The deadly coronavirus pandemic has not only affected the healthcare systems but has also put a major strain on the global economy. In a recent development, it was revealed that the US economy added only 199,000 jobs in December. Also, the unemployment rate fell to 3.9 per cent. This comes as a major setback for analysts as they had expected a massive gain n payrolls. A Labor Department report further revealed that the number of unemployed people dropped by 483,000 in December and by 4.5 million in the entire 2021. Increases were seen in job gains for November and October. As per the data, the economy gained an average of 537,000 positions a month in 2021. Michael Pearce, senior US economist with capital economics, in a report said, "The muted 199,000 gain in non-farm payrolls and the more muted increase in labor force participation suggest that worker shortages were becoming a bigger restraint on employment growth, even before the Omicron surge in infections, which could knock hundreds of thousands off payrolls in January." Also read | Explainer: China's 'zero covid' strategy; what it is, how it functions and does it work? This comes at a time when consumer prices in the US surged by 6.8 per cent in November for the first time in decades. This was the highest annual inflation rate since June 1982. Inflation has been a matter of concern since the pandemic has hit the globe. The energy index saw a surge of 3.5 per cent in November as the gasoline index increased by 6.1 per cent. The food index saw an increase of 0.7 per cent as the index for food at home rose 0.8 per cent. Acknowledging the current scenario, US President Joe Biden said, "Today's numbers reflect the pressures that economies around the world are facing as we emerge from a global pandemic, prices are rising." Deeming inflation as "a real bump in the road," he said that "price and cost increase are slowing, although not as quickly as we'd like." (With inputs from agencies)

In a major setback to analysts, US added only 199,000 jobs in December

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made an unusually small number of public appearances in the past two months, once again going three weeks without state media reporting his attendance at a public event, according to analysts.

Kim’s low profile comes as North Korea imposes anti-coronavirus measures, although the country says it has no confirmed cases, and follows intense speculation about his health last month after he missed a key anniversary.

Kim has appeared publicly four times in April and so far in May, compared to 27 times in the same period last year.

Since coming to power in 2011, the previous fewest public appearances Kim has made during those months was 21 in 2017, according to a tally by Chad O’Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, a Seoul-based organisation that tracks North Korea.

“This is not business as normal,” he said in a post on Twitter this week.

As a leader with near-absolute power over North Korea’s 25.5 million people, and access to a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons, Kim’s health and whereabouts are often scrutinized by the international community for any signs of instability.

Information in North Korea is tightly controlled, however, and independently confirmed details on Kim are almost non-existent.

South Korean officials have said they believe Kim’s limited public appearances may be precautions in the face of coronavirus concerns. North Korea has cancelled, postponed, or toned down many major public gatherings because the new coronavirus.

When asked about Kim’s absences, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said on Friday it is monitoring the situation, but noted Kim is often out of the public eye.

Citing an unnamed South Korean government official, JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported Kim may be carrying out his duties from a favoured villa in Wonsan, on the coast.

But the North Korean leader may also simply be focused on some of the domestic economic and political goals he outlined before the coronavirus crisis struck, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a former North Korea open source intelligence analyst in the U.S. government.

“COVID does remain a major concern for the country, but state media coverage of COVID has declined over the past month or so, so I don’t seen regime’s increased concern,” she said.

Friday marks three weeks since state media last showed images of Kim attending a public event.

North Korean state media reported Kim attended the opening ceremony of a fertilizer plant on May 1. That appearance marked a reemergence for Kim, whose unprecedented absence from a major holiday on April 15 sparked weeks of international speculation over his health and whereabouts.

Since then, state media has carried a steady stream of stories on Kim sending or receiving letters and diplomatic correspondence, but have not shown him attending public events.

Kim’s longest public absence was for 40 days in 2014. South Korea’s spy agency later said Kim had undergone a medical procedure on his ankle during that time.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made an unusually small number of public appearances in the past two months, once again going three weeks without state media reporting his attendance at a public event, according to analysts.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made an unusually small number of public appearances in the past two months, once again going three weeks without state media reporting his attendance at a public event, according to analysts. Kim’s low profile comes as North Korea imposes anti-coronavirus measures, although the country says it has no confirmed cases, and follows intense speculation about his health last month after he missed a key anniversary. Kim has appeared publicly four times in April and so far in May, compared to 27 times in the same period last year. Since coming to power in 2011, the previous fewest public appearances Kim has made during those months was 21 in 2017, according to a tally by Chad O’Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, a Seoul-based organisation that tracks North Korea. “This is not business as normal,” he said in a post on Twitter this week. As a leader with near-absolute power over North Korea’s 25.5 million people, and access to a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons, Kim’s health and whereabouts are often scrutinized by the international community for any signs of instability. Information in North Korea is tightly controlled, however, and independently confirmed details on Kim are almost non-existent. South Korean officials have said they believe Kim’s limited public appearances may be precautions in the face of coronavirus concerns. North Korea has cancelled, postponed, or toned down many major public gatherings because the new coronavirus. When asked about Kim’s absences, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said on Friday it is monitoring the situation, but noted Kim is often out of the public eye. Citing an unnamed South Korean government official, JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported Kim may be carrying out his duties from a favoured villa in Wonsan, on the coast. But the North Korean leader may also simply be focused on some of the domestic economic and political goals he outlined before the coronavirus crisis struck, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a former North Korea open source intelligence analyst in the U.S. government. “COVID does remain a major concern for the country, but state media coverage of COVID has declined over the past month or so, so I don’t seen regime’s increased concern,” she said. Friday marks three weeks since state media last showed images of Kim attending a public event. North Korean state media reported Kim attended the opening ceremony of a fertilizer plant on May 1. That appearance marked a reemergence for Kim, whose unprecedented absence from a major holiday on April 15 sparked weeks of international speculation over his health and whereabouts. Since then, state media has carried a steady stream of stories on Kim sending or receiving letters and diplomatic correspondence, but have not shown him attending public events. Kim’s longest public absence was for 40 days in 2014. South Korea’s spy agency later said Kim had undergone a medical procedure on his ankle during that time.

North Korea's Kim keeps low public profile in May: Analysts

The biggest victim of the US-led <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-drone-strike-kills-30-civilians-in-afghanistan-40-injured-250672">military actions</a> in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-accuses-afghan-govt-of-not-fighting-corruption-cuts-aid-250660">Afghanistan</a> are the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10-killed-in-car-bomb-attack-in-southern-afghanistan-governor-250502">civilians,</a> a political analyst told China Central Television in a recent interview.

The statement made by Afghan political analyst Wahid Mozhda is proved once again after a drone airstrike led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) killed 18 residents and injured six others in the eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday, according to the Afghan police.

According to the police, the victims were harvesting pine nuts at the time of the attack, which the NATO-led coalition force said was targeting a suspected hideout of extremists.

Watch: US to withdraw funds from Afghanistan

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-to-withdraw-funds-from-afghanistan-250700/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Data from the United Nations show that in 2018, the NATO-led airstrikes killed 393 and injured 239 civilians in Afghanistan.

As for such a condition, many common Afghan people and experts on the country's affairs believe that the U.S. military actions in that country is meant to pursuit its interests without considering what might happen to the Afghan people.

"The US tries to pursuit its own interests through turmoils and wars. This happens not only in Afghanistan but also in other countries like Syria and Iraq. All the countries have been destroyed after the US&nbsp;intervention. They try to pursue interests through wars. If they want peace, why do they use weapons?" said Khetob Hekemy, a resident in Kabul.

As for the sufferings of Afghan people, Mozhda hopes the international media could give more coverage, as few of them have covered these attacks.

"During the 18 years, what they've done in Afghanistan? what they've made? They killed more than half a million Afghan people during these 18 years. But nobody says [anything] about this. And the international community, every time they complain about the Taliban, but never say anything about the killing of civilians all over Afghanistan," said Mozhda.

The biggest victim of the US-led military actions in Afghanistan are the civilians, a political analyst told China Central Television in a recent interview. The statement made by Afghan political analyst Wahid Mozhda is proved once again after a drone airstrike led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) killed 18 residents and injured six others in the eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday, according to the Afghan police.

The biggest victim of the US-led military actions in Afghanistan are the civilians, a political analyst told China Central Television in a recent interview. The statement made by Afghan political analyst Wahid Mozhda is proved once again after a drone airstrike led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) killed 18 residents and injured six others in the eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday, according to the Afghan police. According to the police, the victims were harvesting pine nuts at the time of the attack, which the NATO-led coalition force said was targeting a suspected hideout of extremists. Watch: US to withdraw funds from Afghanistan Data from the United Nations show that in 2018, the NATO-led airstrikes killed 393 and injured 239 civilians in Afghanistan. As for such a condition, many common Afghan people and experts on the country's affairs believe that the U.S. military actions in that country is meant to pursuit its interests without considering what might happen to the Afghan people. "The US tries to pursuit its own interests through turmoils and wars. This happens not only in Afghanistan but also in other countries like Syria and Iraq. All the countries have been destroyed after the US intervention. They try to pursue interests through wars. If they want peace, why do they use weapons?" said Khetob Hekemy, a resident in Kabul. As for the sufferings of Afghan people, Mozhda hopes the international media could give more coverage, as few of them have covered these attacks. "During the 18 years, what they've done in Afghanistan? what they've made? They killed more than half a million Afghan people during these 18 years. But nobody says [anything] about this. And the international community, every time they complain about the Taliban, but never say anything about the killing of civilians all over Afghanistan," said Mozhda.

Civilians fall victim to US-led military actions in Afghanistan: Analyst

Tracking a firming trend overseas, silver prices shot up by 0.82 per cent to Rs 41,101 per kg in futures trade today as speculators raised their bets.

In futures trading at the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver for delivery in July jumped by Rs 335, or 0.82 per cent to Rs 41,101 per kg in a business turnover of 2,888 lots. 
 
On similar lines, the white metal for delivery in far-month September was trading higher by Rs 315, or 0.76 per cent to Rs 41,766 per kg in 167 lots. 
 
Market analysts said speculative position created by participants, driven by firm global trend, mainly pushed up silver prices at futures trade here. 
 
Meanwhile, silver rose 0.03 per cent to USD 17.01 an ounce in Singapore.

On similar lines, the white metal for delivery in far-month September was trading higher by Rs 315, or 0.76 per cent to Rs 41,766 per kg in 167 lots

Tracking a firming trend overseas, silver prices shot up by 0.82 per cent to Rs 41,101 per kg in futures trade today as speculators raised their bets. In futures trading at the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver for delivery in July jumped by Rs 335, or 0.82 per cent to Rs 41,101 per kg in a business turnover of 2,888 lots. On similar lines, the white metal for delivery in far-month September was trading higher by Rs 315, or 0.76 per cent to Rs 41,766 per kg in 167 lots. Market analysts said speculative position created by participants, driven by firm global trend, mainly pushed up silver prices at futures trade here. Meanwhile, silver rose 0.03 per cent to USD 17.01 an ounce in Singapore.

Positive global cues lift silver futures

US President Donald Trump&#39;s notoriously threatening rhetoric towards nuclear-armed North Korea - which has drawn comparisons with Richard Nixon&#39;s &quot;madman theory&quot; of diplomacy - may deserve some credit for bringing Pyongyang to talks, analysts have said.

The two Koreas held their first official dialogue in more than two years this week, agreeing the North would send its athletes to next month&#39;s Winter Olympics in the South and paving the way for further discussions.

The meeting represented a significant improvement after months of confrontation, during which Pyongyang carried out multiple missile tests and by far its biggest nuclear detonation to date.

At the same time Trump was blamed for heightening tensions with his threats to rain &quot;fire and fury&quot; on the North - now the title of an incendiary book on his presidency - and assertions that its leader Kim Jong-Un was on a &quot;suicide mission&quot;.

Since Kim inherited power in 2011, North Korea has made rapid progress towards its goal of developing a missile that can deliver an atomic warhead to the United States, which significantly strengthens its negotiating position.

In his New Year speech, Kim said Pyongyang had accomplished &quot;the great, historic cause of perfecting the national nuclear forces&quot;.

But some analysts now say that despite the hermit state&#39;s achievements and the defiance of its propaganda, Trump&#39;s chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North&#39;s elites, pushing them to seek ways to dial down tension.

Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was in Pyongyang for meetings towards the end of last year.

While there, he spoke to officials who &quot;feared that the US was already trying to shape the battlefield for a military operation against the North&quot;, he wrote Wednesday on the website 38North.

They seemed &quot;truly baffled&quot; that the South was unaware Trump was inching closer to war, Vorontsov said, while &quot;Pyongyang, they maintained, is under no such illusions&quot;.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that a military action is an option on the table. Washington has held several joint exercises with allies South Korea and Japan this year and deployed three aircraft carriers to the area at the same time.

There was &quot;growing concern&quot; in Pyongyang, Vorontsov said, that &quot;different elements of a combined arms operation against North Korea are being methodically rehearsed and that &#39;zero hour&#39;, as they put it, is not too far away&quot;.

The unpredictable US president is believed by some to be employing the playbook of his predecessor Richard Nixon, whose &quot;madman theory&quot; aimed to scare opponents into concessions by cultivating an image of recklessness.

It was Nixon himself who coined the term, according to his chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, whose autobiography quotes the disgraced president describing his intended message as: &quot;We can&#39;t restrain him when he is angry - and he has his hand on the nuclear button.&quot;

At times, Trump has appeared to echo the approach wholeheartedly.

As his top diplomat sought an opening with Pyongyang in October, the president tweeted: &quot;I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man&quot; - his nickname for Kim.

&quot;Save your energy Rex, we&#39;ll do what needs to be done!&quot; he added.

At the UN General Assembly, he raised the prospect the US would &quot;totally destroy&quot; North Korea, prompting Kim to respond with a personal pledge to &quot;surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire&quot;.

&quot;Never before have two leaders in command of nuclear arsenals more closely evoked a professional wrestling match,&quot; wrote a New Yorker columnist at the time.

Go Myong-Hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, said US actions had &quot;instilled considerable fear in Pyongyang unlike in South Korea&quot;.

&quot;So, they came to talks to secure strategic space,&quot; he said.

North Korea&#39;s refusal to expand the agenda of Tuesday&#39;s talks was intended to draw out the process &quot;to avoid possible US military action&quot;, Go added.

Despite a handful of agreements reached Tuesday, the North Korean delegation did not respond to Seoul&#39;s proposal for talks on family reunions, and said its nuclear and missile programmes - which it says it needs to defend itself - were not up for discussion with the South.

South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Wednesday thanked Trump for his efforts, saying he had played a &quot;very big&quot; role in realising the talks.

But former US secretary of state John Kerry has described Trump&#39;s tweets as creating &quot;chaos politics&quot; and many analysts say that in the long term, the US leader&#39;s approach will be counterproductive.

The president had been &quot;talking to the world&#39;s most dangerous state like a petulant man-child&quot;, Robert Kelly of Pusan National University wrote at the weekend.

&quot;Honestly, Trump just made everything worse, and his rhetoric almost certainly convinced the Kimist elite that going for nukes was wise.&quot;

The 45th president of the United States, though, has no doubts where the credit lies for getting the two Koreas together.

&quot;We were the ones,&quot; he told a cabinet meeting Wednesday. &quot;Without our attitude, that would have never happened.&quot;

Analysts now say that despite the defiance of its propaganda, Trump's chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North Korea's elites

US President Donald Trump's notoriously threatening rhetoric towards nuclear-armed North Korea - which has drawn comparisons with Richard Nixon's "madman theory" of diplomacy - may deserve some credit for bringing Pyongyang to talks, analysts have said. The two Koreas held their first official dialogue in more than two years this week, agreeing the North would send its athletes to next month's Winter Olympics in the South and paving the way for further discussions. The meeting represented a significant improvement after months of confrontation, during which Pyongyang carried out multiple missile tests and by far its biggest nuclear detonation to date. At the same time Trump was blamed for heightening tensions with his threats to rain "fire and fury" on the North - now the title of an incendiary book on his presidency - and assertions that its leader Kim Jong-Un was on a "suicide mission". Since Kim inherited power in 2011, North Korea has made rapid progress towards its goal of developing a missile that can deliver an atomic warhead to the United States, which significantly strengthens its negotiating position. In his New Year speech, Kim said Pyongyang had accomplished "the great, historic cause of perfecting the national nuclear forces". But some analysts now say that despite the hermit state's achievements and the defiance of its propaganda, Trump's chest-thumping provoked real fears within the North's elites, pushing them to seek ways to dial down tension. Alexander Vorontsov, head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was in Pyongyang for meetings towards the end of last year. While there, he spoke to officials who "feared that the US was already trying to shape the battlefield for a military operation against the North", he wrote Wednesday on the website 38North. They seemed "truly baffled" that the South was unaware Trump was inching closer to war, Vorontsov said, while "Pyongyang, they maintained, is under no such illusions". Trump administration officials have repeatedly said that a military action is an option on the table. Washington has held several joint exercises with allies South Korea and Japan this year and deployed three aircraft carriers to the area at the same time. There was "growing concern" in Pyongyang, Vorontsov said, that "different elements of a combined arms operation against North Korea are being methodically rehearsed and that 'zero hour', as they put it, is not too far away". The unpredictable US president is believed by some to be employing the playbook of his predecessor Richard Nixon, whose "madman theory" aimed to scare opponents into concessions by cultivating an image of recklessness. It was Nixon himself who coined the term, according to his chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, whose autobiography quotes the disgraced president describing his intended message as: "We can't restrain him when he is angry - and he has his hand on the nuclear button." At times, Trump has appeared to echo the approach wholeheartedly. As his top diplomat sought an opening with Pyongyang in October, the president tweeted: "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man" - his nickname for Kim. "Save your energy Rex, we'll do what needs to be done!" he added. At the UN General Assembly, he raised the prospect the US would "totally destroy" North Korea, prompting Kim to respond with a personal pledge to "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire". "Never before have two leaders in command of nuclear arsenals more closely evoked a professional wrestling match," wrote a New Yorker columnist at the time. Go Myong-Hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, said US actions had "instilled considerable fear in Pyongyang unlike in South Korea". "So, they came to talks to secure strategic space," he said. North Korea's refusal to expand the agenda of Tuesday's talks was intended to draw out the process "to avoid possible US military action", Go added. Despite a handful of agreements reached Tuesday, the North Korean delegation did not respond to Seoul's proposal for talks on family reunions, and said its nuclear and missile programmes - which it says it needs to defend itself - were not up for discussion with the South. South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Wednesday thanked Trump for his efforts, saying he had played a "very big" role in realising the talks. But former US secretary of state John Kerry has described Trump's tweets as creating "chaos politics" and many analysts say that in the long term, the US leader's approach will be counterproductive. The president had been "talking to the world's most dangerous state like a petulant man-child", Robert Kelly of Pusan National University wrote at the weekend. "Honestly, Trump just made everything worse, and his rhetoric almost certainly convinced the Kimist elite that going for nukes was wise." The 45th president of the United States, though, has no doubts where the credit lies for getting the two Koreas together. "We were the ones," he told a cabinet meeting Wednesday. "Without our attitude, that would have never happened."

Donald Trump's 'madman' rhetoric may have scared North Korea to talks: Analysts

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