Good morning. We’re covering Russia’s struggling military campaign, Australia’s halting recovery from bush fires and a Covid-19 protest at Peking University. Russia scales back its charge east After a series of military setbacks, Moscow now appears to be focusing on a narrow objective: widening its holdings in Ukraine’s eastern region of Donbas. But even there Russia may be forced to scale back its ambition to take most of eastern Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Russia still controls the wide swath of southern Ukraine it seized…
Day: May 16, 2022
Taiwan Fights for Its Diplomatic Survival in Latin America
Advertisement Of the 14 small diplomatic allies that recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan), eight are in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a region that has become one of the main arenas of the growing geopolitical dispute between China and the United States. The question of Taiwan’s diplomatic survival as a state has become central to China-U.S. relationship and Latin America will be a key region in that context. China has made steady progress in recent decades in the region, becoming the top trading partner of most Latin…
Europe’s growth forecast cut as Ukraine war drives up inflation; diesel price hits record – as it happened
Closing summary Time for a recap Concerns over the global economic recovery have continued to mount, after China’s economic activity plummeted, and eurozone growth forecasts were cut. China’s retail sales tumbled by over 11% in April, while industrial production contracted by 2.9% — both the worst readings since the early months of the pandemic in 2020. Unemployment rose, while property sales saw their biggest slump since August 2006. Analysts warned that China’s economy could shrink this quarter, as Covid-19 lockdowns continued to hit consumer spending and factory output. The EC…
Students Protest Covid Lockdowns at Elite Beijing University
A group of students at a campus of China’s elite Peking University protested strict Covid-19 lockdown requirements on Sunday, arguing that the measures were poorly communicated and unfair. The government quickly moved to censor videos and photos that spread on China’s internet. The students were upset that they were unable to order food and that they were required to isolate, while teachers and their families were allowed to leave the campus freely, according to posts on a school forum and one student. The authorities tried to put up a wall…
Shanghai to end Covid lockdown and return to normal life in June amid economic slowdown
Shanghai has set out plans for the return of more normal life from 1 June and the end of a painful Covid-19 lockdown that has lasted more than six weeks and contributed to a sharp slowdown in China’s economic activity. In the clearest timetable yet, deputy mayor Zong Ming said on Monday that Shanghai’s reopening would be carried out in stages, with movement curbs largely to remain in place until 21 May to prevent a rebound in infections, before a gradual easing. “From June 1 to mid- and late June,…
Shanghai lockdown: China unemployment rate near pandemic peak
In the clearest timetable yet, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming said the reopening of the financial, manufacturing and trading hub would be carried out in stages, with movement curbs largely to remain in place until 21 May to prevent an increase of infections, before a gradual easing. BBC