Batten end caps

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia on Tuesday to withdraw troops from Ukraine's eastern border in what the alliance says is Moscow's biggest build-up since 2014, ahead of an emergency meeting of allied foreign and defence ministers. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba flew to Brussels for talks with Stoltenberg a day after Kyiv accused the Kremlin of ignoring its request for talks between the two countries' presidents over a build-up of Russian troops near its border. "In recent weeks Russia has moved thousands of combat-ready troops to Ukraine's borders, the largest massing of Russian troops since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014," Stoltenberg said. Russia has said it moves its forces around as it sees fit, including for defensive purposes, and has regularly accused NATO of destabilising Europe with its troop reinforcements in the Baltics and Poland since the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. "Russia must end this ... » Learn More about NATO demands Russia end Ukraine build-up, West examines options

Vice President Leni Robredo. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Vice President temporarily closed sign-ups for its “Bayanihan E-Konsulta” a day after it called on volunteers to help its latest project that aims to provide easier access to medical care in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vice President Leni Robredo announced on social media that enlistment for “Bayanihan E-Konsulta” was temporarily ended after her office received more than 2,300 applications. “We are temporarily closing our sign-ups, as we bring everyone on board for our project rollout. Today, we are starting our onboarding sessions and we are doing them by batch.“ Robredo said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 7. 24 hours after we posted our call for medical and non medical volunteers, more than 2,300 volunteers signed up already!!… Posted by Leni Gerona Robredo on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 On April 6, the OVP urged medical and non-medical volunteers to be part of ... » Learn More about OVP’s ‘Bayanihan E-Konsulta’ sign-up halted for now amid rush of volunteers

LONDON — Britain’s economy rebounded slightly in February despite virus curbs, while exports of goods to the European Union jumped by almost 50 percent but failed to reverse January’s record Brexit-driven slump. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.4 percent in February after sinking by an upwardly-revised 2.2 percent the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement that noted a boost from industrial output and consumer spending. The economy held up despite England’s renewed Covid-19 lockdown, which was implemented in early January but partially eased this week owing to a rapid vaccination drive. From Monday, pubs were allowed to serve drinks outside — and non-essential retailers and hairdressers reopened as well. The phased reopening has sparked hopes for a rebound in economic activity in the current second quarter, or three months to June. The ONS added however on Tuesday that the nation’s economy remains 7.8 percent smaller than its ... » Learn More about Britain’s economy and EU exports advance in February

SINGAPORE - After years of putting up with a husband who abused her, did not allow her to go out of the house and often failed to provide for the family, Vietnamese bride Lyly, 30, decided to leave the Singaporean for good. Lyly (not her real name) said her former husband, a driver in his 60s, often hit her when he was angry, drunk or lost money at gambling. Lyly said in English: "I asked him for money (for family expenses) and he always said 'you need money for what? To give to another man?'" Once, he did not buy any food for her and their son, six, for a week and in desperation after finishing all that could be eaten at home, she called the police for help. She said of the dire straits she was in then: "I don't know where the market is, where the bus stop is. I have no money and I have no friends." She fled with her son to a crisis shelter at least three times, but returned to her former husband each time he promised to change. Still, he continued to hit her and ... » Learn More about Abused Vietnamese bride gets free legal aid to divorce Singaporean husband

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - One was asked whose bodily fluids she would like to drink, while another watched her peers re-enact an incestuous rape scene. These were just two examples of the sexualised activities that hundreds of freshmen were made to participate in some of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) orientation camps in the past two months. Some students said they attended the camps to make friends, but they were instead pressured to take part in increasingly sexualised activities. A 19-year-old freshman whom we shall name Chloe told The New Paper that she left the room after she became uncomfortable during an activity called “burning bridges” that required her to answer inappropriate questions. The questions touched on taboo subjects such as which man’s bodily fluid she would want to drink, who among them is the sluttiest, and who would never get married and die alone, she said. The girl had to lie on the floor, then the guy pretended to kick open a door ... » Learn More about Students say NUS orientation camp games increasingly sexualised; some told to re-enact rape scene

SINGAPORE - Siblings Nathan and Phoebe Foong have been waking up for school, where they stand to attention for the National Anthem during assembly, before heading to the canteen. The catch? They are actually at home. Their parents, Elvin and Esther Foong, devised "Naph School", an amalgam of the first two letters of the children's names, after the family were asked to self-isolate under a leave of absence (LOA) request. The family's LOA was issued after their trip to visit Mrs Foong's father in Johor during the recent March school holidays. Nathan, nine, and Phoebe, seven, will return to school on April 2 . According to the Education Ministry, less than 10 per cent of students and staff across all schools are on LOA or stay-home notice (SHN), which aim to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They are both 14-day self-isolation measures, typically following overseas travel. Some families with young children are concerned about supporting their offspring's learning away from ... » Learn More about Staying at home during Covid-19 outbreak: How to plan activities with your kids, and take ‘sanity breaks’

SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, Caqueta, Colombia (Reuters) - The dirt tracks winding through southern Colombia's tangled jungle often mark the beginning of the end for besieged patches of rainforest in this part of the Amazon. Across San Vicente del Caguan, one of the country's most deforested regions, illegal and informal roads fan out in an ever-expanding network, bringing visitors, commercial interests and farmers and ranchers who clear and burn the land. The result is the steady decay of Colombia's Amazon. A Reuters map of the region shows a lattice of lines that crisscross one another and creep southward into the forest and fan out on all sides. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/329ehRE) The destruction, which is striking on the ground, is significant enough to be visible from the sky. Patches of deforestation appear at the furthest extent of the roads, according to the map, which underlines the impact of unplanned roadbuilding by combining satellite imagery and local ... » Learn More about Road to ruin: informal byways sow seeds of destruction in Colombia’s Amazon

PARIS (Reuters) -The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord. But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected "all escalatory measures by any actor". Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war. Last week, Iran and its fellow signatories held what they described as "constructive" talks to revive the deal, which the Trump administration quit in 2018 saying its terms favoured Tehran, in a move welcomed by Israel. But Britain, France and Germany said Tehran's new decision to enrich at 60 percent, and activate 1,000 ... » Learn More about European powers warn Iran over ‘dangerous’ uranium enrichment move

ROME (Reuters) - The head of healthcare management in Italy's largest region, Lombardy, said on Wednesday there was a growing reluctance amongst residents to accept AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine because of safety fears. Public confidence in the vaccine has been battered worldwide since reports emerged linking it to very rare but potentially fatal blood clots in the brain. "It is a phenomenon that in recent days is becoming more serious than we might have thought," Giovanni Pavesi told the regional health commission in Lombardy, which is centred on Italy's financial capital Milan. Officials elsewhere across the country reported similar problems, posing a major headache to the government as it struggles to ramp up vaccination efforts. "The rejection of AstraZeneca has been seen in numerous regions," said Antonino Spirlì, acting president of Calabria, the toe of Italy's boot, where the region's main hospital reported up to 70% of people were turning down AstraZeneca. "It ... » Learn More about Italians seen increasingly reluctant to accept AstraZeneca shots

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday vaccines should for now on only be given to the elderly and appealed to regional governments and individuals not to flout his guidelines. Unlike many other European countries, when Italy launched its vaccination campaign at the end of December, its army of pensioners were not given automatic precedence, despite the fact that they have borne the brunt of the killer disease. The failure to provide swifter protection has cost thousands of lives, experts say. "Stop vaccinating people who are under 60, stop vaccinating young people," Draghi told a news conference, raising his voice in an impassioned plea. Under Italy's constitution it is the country's 20 regions which have the final say on who gets vaccinated, and many have allowed professional groups such as magistrates and journalists to get a jab before people over the age of 70. "With what conscience does someone jump the queue, knowing that he or she is ... » Learn More about Italy PM Draghi appeals for elderly to get vaccine priority