International
China confirms top officials vaccinated as it seeks to reassure vaccine-sceptic
AFP
Chinese anti-Covid vaccines are safe and have been given to the country’s top leaders, Beijing’s health authorities said Saturday, in a bid to reassure the population about their quality in the face of dwindling inoculation rates.
Using snap lockdowns, long quarantines and mass testing, China is the last major economy still pursuing the goal of eliminating outbreaks, even as its zero-Covid strategy takes a heavy toll on the economy.
But it has struggled to convince many Chinese people to get vaccinated — especially the elderly — with the relatively stable health situation and widespread fears over the quality of Chinese vaccines often blamed.
A year and a half since beginning its vaccination campaign in the country, Saturday’s comments by Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, mark the first time that China has officially commented on the inoculation status of its leaders.
“All current leaders of the Communist Party and the state have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and they have all been vaccinated with vaccines produced in China,” Zeng said, in comments indicating that President Xi Jinping is included in the group.
“This demonstrates that our leaders take the prevention and control of Covid-19 very seriously, and have great confidence in Chinese anti-Covid vaccines,” he added.
According to Zeng, among those over 60, only 67.3 percent of people over 60 have received three doses, a rate that drops to 38.4 percent among those over 80.
Authorities are also working to defuse fears fueled by misinformation circulated online.
“Covid vaccines do not cause leukemia, diabetes” and “do not cause tumors to proliferate”, Wang Fusheng, director of the infectious disease department at the 301 Military Hospital in Beijing, said Saturday.
The most used Chinese vaccines are those made by the private laboratory Sinovac and those made by state pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm. Beijing has yet to authorize the use of foreign Covid vaccines on its soil.
China currently registers a few hundred new cases each day, with authorities moving quickly to quell outbreaks by instating localised confinements, and placing infected patients into mandatory quarantine.
International
Merengue concert turns to mourning as Jet Set collapse claims 136 lives
Dominican rescue teams will end search and recovery operations on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at the Jet Set nightclubin Santo Domingo, where the building collapsed during a live concert.
Authorities estimate that the final 20 bodies will be recovered from the rubble today, bringing the official death toll to 136. This includes 12 additional bodies found overnight in the disaster zone, adding to the previously confirmed 124 fatalities.
Outside the collapsed nightclub, desperate relatives of the missing continue to gather, clinging to hope for news. Many also visited nearby hospitals and morgues in search of their loved ones.
A list of confirmed victims has been posted on a tent set up near the site, where the bodies are being transferred for identification.
The tragedy occurred during a performance by renowned merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the deceased.
Central America
Colombia to host fourth EU-CELAC Summit in November
The Fourth Summit between the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) will take place on November 9 and 10 in Santa Marta, Colombia, according to a joint statement released Wednesday by the Colombian government and the European Council.
The summit will be co-chaired by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in his role as pro tempore president of CELAC, and European Council President António Costa, the statement added.
The last EU-CELAC summit took place in July 2023 in Brussels, when both blocs agreed to hold these meetings every two years.
The summit brings together the 27 EU member states and the 33 CELAC countries, representing 14% of the global population, 21% of global GDP, and one-third of the members of the United Nations, the communiqué noted.
International
Russia and US to Meet in Istanbul for Diplomatic Talks on April 10
The Kremlin confirmed today a forthcoming meeting with the United States to discuss the normalization of diplomatic relations, which will take place in Istanbul.
“Our participation will be through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesperson, during his daily telephone press conference.
Peskov was responding to a question about who would represent Russia in the new round of negotiations, which is supposedly scheduled for April 10.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the delegations will be led by the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Alexandr Darchiev, and the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Sonata Coulter.
These are the same negotiators who met in late February in Istanbul, where the expert-level negotiation format was the same, according to the source.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said a few days ago that the next meeting would be held in the Turkish city, though he did not confirm a date.
Lavrov, who participated in only one of these meetings, clarified that the upcoming discussions would address the issues still dividing Moscow and Washington diplomatically, referring to the operations of both countries’ embassies.
The Kremlin asserted that Washington has not yet responded to Russia’s security concerns, preventing a ceasefire declaration on land, sea, and air.
Meanwhile, Trump expressed discontent with Russia’s recent attacks, including one last week that killed 20 people in Krivi Rig, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
So far, Russia has rejected a cessation of hostilities and only declared a 30-day ceasefire on March 18 against attacks on energy infrastructure, which was extended by Kyiv a week later.
Mexico’s president proposes regional economic summit at CELAC
Merengue concert turns to mourning as Jet Set collapse claims 136 lives
Colombia to host fourth EU-CELAC Summit in November
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
-
Internacionales4 days agoErik Prince Backs Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa in Fight Against Crime and “Narcoterrorism”
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemala’s Legal Chief Shot Dead in Parking Lot: Investigation Underway
-
Central America2 days agoHonduras Hosts CELAC Summit Amid Regional Concern Over U.S. Deportations
-
Central America2 days agoMulino and Orsi Highlight Shared Vision After Panama Joins Mercosur as Associate State
-
International2 days agoTeachers in Southern Mexico Bring Education to Stranded Migrant Children
-
International1 day agoRussia and US to Meet in Istanbul for Diplomatic Talks on April 10
-
Central America2 days agoTrump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Block Return of Deported Salvadoran
-
Central America1 day agoAudit Exposes Major Breaches in Panama Canal Port Concession, $300 Million Owed to State
-
International1 day agoScience Brings Back the Extinct Direwolf with Successful De-Extinction Project
-
International1 day agoMaduro Announces Economic Emergency Decree Amid Growing Tensions with the U.S.
-
Sports1 day agoNeymar Returns to Santos Training After Month-Long Injury Layoff
-
International1 day agoTransgender Student Arrested at Florida Capitol for Using Women’s Restroom Under New State Law
-
Central America1 hour agoCELAC condemns unilateral sanctions in ‘Tegucigalpa Declaration’
-
Central America1 hour agoColombia to host fourth EU-CELAC Summit in November
-
Central America1 hour agoMexico’s president proposes regional economic summit at CELAC
-
International1 hour agoMerengue concert turns to mourning as Jet Set collapse claims 136 lives