Britain has now given 15 million people their first dose of vaccine against COVID-19, the minister in charge of the vaccination programme said on Twitter on Sunday.
Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, was sworn in as prime minister on Saturday to lead a unity government that has to steer Italy out of the coronavirus crisis and an economic slump.
By Reuters Staff
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JOHANNESBURG, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The coronavirus has hit South Africa’s already ailing economy hard and power cuts by state-owned utility Eskom will likely make things worse, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday.
The global lender in 2020 approved a $4.3 billion emergency loan for South Africa.
Africa’s most advanced economy was already in recession before the coronavirus struck. It also has the continent’s most infections, with more than 1.4 million cases and close to 42,000 deaths to date.
The IMF forecasts a contraction of 7.5% in 2020 gross domestic product, while 2021 growth is seen at only 2.8%.
Pfizer will temporarily reduce its deliveries to Europe of its vaccine against COVID-19 while it upgrades its production capacity, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said on Friday. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Terje Solsvik)
YPF bonds rallied on Thursday after the Argentine state energy giant said it had received support from holders of almost 60% of its bond maturing next month to restructure the debt, helping defuse near-term default fears.