Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam called on residents to “remain confident” and support her administration’s measures to contain a worsening COVID-19 outbreak, as daily infections surged by more than 40 times since the start of February.

EUROPE

* Britain will offer COVID-19 vaccines to all 5-11 year olds, widening the rollout of vaccines in children in a decision that has been taken more slowly than in some other countries.

AMERICAS

* Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said it is time for the United States to start inching back towards normality, despite remaining risks from COVID-19.

* Marriott and Hilton, two of the biggest U.S. hotel chains, told investors they expect people to resume packing their bags for business and leisure this year at rates not seen since before the pandemic.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Japan is set to announce on Thursday that it will ease border controls put in place to counter the spread of the coronavirus, measures that are the strictest among wealthy nations and have been slammed by business leaders and educators.

* Finance leaders of the world’s top 20 economies will debate the fallout from geopolitical tensions, global inflation and tighter monetary policy at a two-day meeting kicking off on Thursday. But COVID-19 cases overshadow the gathering with many ministers either attending online or skipping the meeting altogether.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

* BioNTech has developed a vaccine factory made from shipping containers that it plans to ship to Africa as assembly kits to ease what the WHO has described as huge disparities in COVID-19 vaccine access.

Source: Tap News Agency