International

Canada reports first death linked to AstraZeneca jab

AFP/Editor

A 54-year woman has died in Canada after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, the first fatality linked to the drug in the country, provincial authorities announced Tuesday.

“I’m sad to know that a healthy 54-year-old woman… died because she was vaccinated. It’s hard to take,” Francois Legault, the premier of Quebec, told a news conference.

The French-speaking province’s chief public health officer Horacio Arruda said life-saving treatments did not work and the unidentified patient died of cerebral thrombosis after being vaccinated.

But he cautioned that the death should not change the government’s recommendations to use the vaccine for those over 45 years old.

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“We knew about serious complications, there was one in 100,000 (doses administered). But we must remember that, to date, we have had more than 400,000 people who have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca,” Quebec health minister Christian Dube added.

As of last Friday, just over 1.1 million AstraZeneca doses had been administered nationwide.

Only four other cases of blood clots associated with low platelets have been reported in the country, and each patient recovered.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received an AstraZeneca shot on Friday.

On Tuesday, the Canadian leader said about 60 soldiers had been deployed to overwhelmed hospitals in Nova Scotia to help care for critical patients.

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The day before about 30 army nurses and health technicians were sent to reinforce hospital staff in Ontario, which is struggling with a new wave of infections led by variants.

In Quebec, which has suffered the most Covid deaths of any region in the country, the latest data showed rates of infections were slowing, allowing the government to announce it was pushing the start of a nightly curfew in Montreal from 8 pm to 9:30 pm (0130 GMT) starting next Monday.

International

US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy

The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.

According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.

The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.

“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.

However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.

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“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

International

Fed’s Waller warns of rising inflation risks amid Middle East conflict

Christopher Waller, a governor at the Federal Reserve, said Friday that he is increasingly concerned about the inflationary impact of the ongoing conflict involving United States and Israel against Iran, particularly due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Waller, who had supported interest rate cuts over the past year amid concerns about the labor market, said he has shifted his stance in recent weeks due to rising inflation risks.

“Since the Strait of Hormuz was closed, it suggests this conflict could be much more prolonged and that oil prices will remain elevated for longer,” Waller said in an interview with CNBC.

“Therefore, this indicates that inflation is a greater concern than I had previously assessed,” he added.

Waller also backed the Federal Reserve’s decision earlier this week to keep interest rates unchanged, signaling a more cautious approach as global geopolitical tensions continue to affect economic outlooks.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.