Global Politics
“Getting tense” – North Korea is about to run out of food
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned the nation could be about to run out of food.
According to state media, Kim Jong-Un said the country’s economy improved this year but called for measures to tackle the “tense” food situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic and last year’s typhoons.
Mr. Kim chaired a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s central committee this week to review progress on major policies and craft measures in the hope to resolve economic issues.
The committee set goals and tasks to achieve its new five-year economic plan outlined at its previous session in February, including increased food and metal production.
The supreme leader says the overall economy had improved in the first half of the year, with the total industrial output growing 25% from a year before.
Local media reported there was “a series of deviations” in the party’s efforts to implement the plans due to several obstacles, with Kim singling out tight food supplies.
“The people’s food situation is now getting tense as the agricultural sector failed to fulfil its grain production plan due to the damage by typhoon last year,”
Kim said.
The call for measures to boost agricultural production
Mr. Kim says the food situation in his country “is now getting tense.”
The party vowed to direct all efforts to the farming sector and discuss ways to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to KCNA, Kim Jon-Un stated the protracted pandemic crisis required the party to step up efforts to provide food, clothing and housing for the people.
No coronavirus cases have been officially confirmed in North Korea, although South Korean officials have questioned this claim.
North Korea has however imposed strict anti-virus measures including border closures and domestic travel restrictions.
COVAX, a global initiative for sharing COVID-19 vaccines with poor countries, has said it will provide nearly 2 million doses to North Korea but the shipment has been delayed amid protracted consultations.
Author
New Zealand has suspended its travel bubble with Australia
The nation has halted its travel bubble arrangements for at least eight weeks as Australia continues to battle against the delta variant of COVID-19.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern fronted the media and stated that “the Delta variant has materially changed the risk profile”.
From 11:59pm tonight, Australians will be unable to travel to New Zealand on a quarantine-free flight
This restriction will be in place for at least the next eight weeks.
The trans-tasman route is already closed to travellers flying into New Zealand from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia as those states battle COVID-19 outbreaks.
“For New Zealanders in Australia, we are absolutely committed to getting you home,” Ms Ardern said.
Constant disruption to trans-Tasman travel bubble
Flights to New Zealand inside the bubble have been paused and restarted as different Australian states have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks.
“For the next seven days, we will have managed return flights for New Zealanders from all states and territories.
“Only New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand will be able to fly home.”
Author
Sydney has declared a national emergency as COVID-19 cases rise across the Australian city
Sydney and the state of New South Wales is calling on the Australian Federal Government to “refocus the national vaccination strategy”.
As the delta variant of the virus spreads throughout the city, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her government have declared a national emergency.
New South Wales Government officials say that the spreading of the virus is “threatening the safety of other states.”
“This is not just a challenge for New South Wales – it’s a challenge for Australia”
They’ve encouraged people in virus-ravaged south-western and western Sydney to urgently “do their duty” and get vaccinated against coronavirus.
“The national emergency, every citizen has a duty to do what they can to defeat whatever is happening to us – in this case, it is a Delta variant of a virus,”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
The Premier has stressed the importance of getting vaccinated as NSW records its highest daily number of COVID-19 cases today.
Dr. Kerry Chant says Australia urgently needs to correct the mythology about AstraZeneca
“We need to vaccinate younger people, between that 20 and 40-year-old age group,”
The Premier said.
Meanwhile, Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant says Australia urgently needs to “correct the mythology about AstraZeneca”.
“There is no doubt that if we want to contain this virus and stop it seeping out to other parts of Greater Sydney, stop it impacting our freedom and our economy, but also stop it spreading to other states, we need to have a discussion about refocusing the national vaccination strategy,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
The issue will be addressed at today’s National Cabinet, she said.
At least 53 of today’s NSW cases were infectious in the community
Author
As the race to combat the global chip shortage continues the Biden administration is big to end the crisis
US President Joe Biden is preparing to spend $52 billion to boost the worsening shortage of semiconductor chips.
The White House is still waiting for congressional approval on the big spend but is pushing ahead with plans of how to invest the money wisely.
The Commerce Secretary says America “needs to incentivise the manufacturing of chips” if the country wants the crisis to end.
She added that officials have been speaking with the impacted industries on a daily basis which has helped address the shortage from the ground up.
Whilst there have been reports that the sector is gradually improving, but the car manufacturing sector may still be impacted by delays.
Biden recently called for Semiconductor chips to be produced locally in the US, but this company is ignoring his plea.
Semiconductor manufacturer ‘Global Foundries’ has ignored US President Joe Biden’s request for new plants to be built locally amid the global chip shortage.
Construction will begin on the $4 billion Asian plant in 2023. This goes against the Biden administration’s wishes to return chip manufacturing to American soil.
The company will join rivals including ‘Samsung’ and ‘Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’ which are all also trying to address the current chip shortage.
The President has been under increasing pressure to secure a constant supply of this crucial tech that is used in so many modern devices.
Author
Tokyo’s economic games get underway | ticker VIEWS
Big tech giants could be held to account for vaccine misinformation
Snapchat is growing faster than it has in years
-
Climate3 days agoAustralia blocks UNESCO from ruling the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” from climate change
-
Business3 days agoRex Airlines grounds all Boeing 737 jets immediately
-
Crypto2 days agoBitcoin bounces back as Musk announces Tesla to accept crypto again
-
Ticker First2 days agoGlioblastoma awareness day
-
Tech3 days agoBillionaire space race – Blue Origin lifts off
-
Business3 days agoMajor oil company makes multi-billion dollar move away from fossil fuels
-
Global Politics4 days agoChina accuses Australia of “hypocritical” Microsoft hack accusations
-
Business3 days agoWally Funk: the female trailblazer who’s the oldest person to go to space