COVID-19 Updates
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‘Treading water’: no sign household savings are flowing to small businesses
The New South Wales treasurer, Matt Kean, is calling on the federal government to stand by small businesses struggling through Omicron Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest…
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Covid has been an easy scapegoat for economic disruption, but Brexit is biting | Anand Menon
As the pandemic recedes, the negative impacts of Brexit will become clearer and its political effects more unpredictable Anand Menon is director of the UK in a Changing Europe It’s…
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CMO says Omicron subvariant ‘not cause for concern’ – as it happened
CMO plays down risk from new Omicron subvariant; Victoria records eight Covid deaths and 10,053 new cases; NSW records 27 deaths and 13,026 cases; Qld records three deaths and 7,462…
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Sweeping bill on inquiry into US Covid response sees bipartisan support
New Covid commission would inform the US response to future outbreaks as well as the current impact of the virus A sweeping new bill with powerful bipartisan support in the…
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New Zealand defends strict Covid quarantine after pregnant journalist ‘had to turn to Taliban’ for help
Charlotte Bellis, a journalist, says she was forced to return to Afghanistan after her application was met with ‘clauses and technicalities and confusion’ The New Zealand government has defended its…
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Coronavirus: Japan’s Kishida pushes booster shot campaign as support sags
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is pushing to quicken the pace of booster vaccinations, as a poll showed his voter support slipping months ahead of a key upper house election.Kishida…
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Spotify to direct listeners to accurate Covid information after Joe Rogan outcry
Streaming platform publishes rules for creators and announces plan to tackle misinformation, including ‘content advisories’ Spotify is adding a message that will direct listeners to correct Covid-19 information as controversy…
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Bank of England poised to raise interest rates as high inflation takes toll
City economists expect increase from 0.25% to 0.5% on Thursday amid cost of living crisis The Bank of England is poised to raise interest rates on Thursday amid growing concern…
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Coronavirus Hong Kong: time to live with the virus? Sweeping fifth wave forces officials to consider the previously unthinkable
When Hong Kong set a daily record of 164 Covid-19 infections last Thursday, officials were forced to confront the previously unthinkable: had the time finally come to dump the city’s…
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Will Kyoto go bankrupt? Japan’s ancient capital swims in debt as coronavirus keeps foreign tourists away
Kyoto, the ancient Japanese capital that tourists flocked to in their millions pre-pandemic, is in danger of going broke as it struggles to offset billions of dollars in debt racked…