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Eco/Invest/Demography

Russia trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine data, say UK, U.S. and Canada

British foreign minister Dominic Raab said it was “completely unacceptable” for Russian intelligence services to target work on the pandemic.
However,the Kremlin rejected Western allegations Russia had tried to steal COVID-19 vaccine data, Russian news agencies reported.

TASS cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying Russia had nothing to do any alleged hacker attacks on pharmaceutical companies and research institutes in Britain.

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Novartis to provide ‘no profit’ COVID-19 drugs to low income countries

“We shouldn’t underestimate the stress that COVID puts particularly on fragile health systems,” Hegemann said, adding Novartis hoped to work with health authorities, faith-based organisations and NGOs to eliminate big mark-ups. “We are not targeting classical commercial distribution channels, but very direct channels.”

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Skin whitening creams remain online despite mercury findings

Many countries ban or restrict mercury in creams, which can damage the kidneys, brain and nervous system. An international ban on manufacturing products with mercury in them comes into effect at end-2020.

The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), an international coalition of non-governmental organizations, issued a report last November that found unacceptable levels of mercury in 95 skin-lightening creams out of 158 samples tested.

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COVID-19, electric vehicles to reshape Thailand’s auto industry

Thailand’s auto-related businesses, which employ 900,000, are reopening after months of coronavirus shutdowns, promising relief for many laid-off workers.

But there’s a catch: Thailand’s shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) could pummel the local auto industry because it is dominated by hundreds of parts makers, while EVs require just 10% to 20% as many of parts as internal-combustion vehicles.

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U.N. aid chief to G20 on coronavirus: ‘Step up now or pay price later’

The United Nations increased its humanitarian appeal by more than a third to $10.3 billion to help 63 states, mainly in Africa and Latin America, tackle the spread and destabilizing effects of the coronavirus. This is up from the world body’s initial $2 billion request in March, then $6.7 billion in May.

So far, Lowcock said, the United Nations has only received $1.7 billion.

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