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International News

Chubb and Marsh partnership to provide $150 million cover for the COVAX Program for 92 low and middle-income countries

Through Chubb’s and Marsh’s collaboration, up to $150 million in insurance is provided for the COVAX No Fault Compensation Program to cover compensation payments to eligible individuals in the 92 lower-income countries and economies, known as the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) eligible economies.

Insurance broker Marsh led the global placement of the bespoke solution. Chubb is the lead insurer, supported by a further 10 insurers located in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and Bermuda.

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1 in 4 global Covid-19 deaths occurred in Americas: Pan American Health Organization

“One in four Covid deaths reported worldwide last week took place right here, in the Americas. Nearly every country in Central America is reporting a rise in infections,” said Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa Etienne..

For the first time, Canada’s infection rates have surpassed the US Covid-19 infection rates, the PAHO director informed.

The surge of infections is being led by new Covid-19 variants, which slow vaccination rollouts, due to lack of vaccine availability, are also providing major setbacks for a number of countries in the Americas.

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India’s COVID-19 emergency is wake-up call to Africa -AU health chief

African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are watching with total disbelief…What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent,” he told reporters.

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India’s GDP to grow at 11% this fiscal, surge in COVID cases may put economic recovery at risk: ADB

For FY2022, India’s GDP is expected to expand at 7 per cent, it added.
China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to expand 8.1 per cent in 2021 and 5.5 per cent in 2022. East Asia’s GDP is expected to grow 7.4 per cent in 2021 and 5.1 per cent in 2022, it said.

Further, it said the gross domestic product (GDP) of South Asia is expected to rebound to 9.5 per cent this year, following a contraction of 6 per cent in 2020, before moderating to 6.6 per cent next year (2022), it said.

ADB said the economic growth in developing Asia is set to rebound to 7.3 per cent this year, supported by a healthy global recovery and an early progress on COVID-19 vaccines. The projected resurgence follows a 0.2 per cent contraction last year.

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Russia fines Apple $12 mln for alleged app market abuse

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) said on Tuesday that U.S. tech giant Apple’s distribution of apps through its iOS operating system gave its own products a competitive advantage.Facebook, TikTok and Alphabet’s Google have also come under fire. The FAS said in a statement it had imposed a turnover fine on Apple of 906.3 million roubles ($12.1 million) for the alleged violation of Russian anti-monopoly legislation.

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White House considering intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines

Critics say waiving the WTO’s agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property could reduce the safety of vaccines, and that setting up production in new places would sap resources needed to boost production in existing locations.
The United States and several other countries have thus far blocked negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) about a proposal led by India and South Africa that would waive the IP rights of pharmaceutical companies to allow developing countries to produce COVID-19 vaccines.

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India’s LIC emerges as the 3rd strongest and 10th most valuable global insurance brand in 2021

According to the latest report released by Brand Finance the total value of the world’s top 100 most valuable insurance brands has declined by 6 per cent, decreasing from $462.4 billion in 2020 to $433.0 billion in 2021

12 Chinese brands in ranking account for 30% of total brand value as brands leverage significant volume premium of Chinese market
US brands buck negative sector trends – 26 brands featured record 14% cumulative brand value growth year-on-year

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