A medical worker in a protective suit collects a swab from a resident at a makeshift nucleic acid testing site, during a mass testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Chaoyang district of Beijing, China June 13, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
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BEIJING, June 13 (Reuters) – Beijing will suspend all offline sports events starting from June 13 citing high transmission risks of a recent COVID-19 outbreak linked to a bar in the city, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports said in a statement on Monday.
As of June 12, some 166 cases have been linked so far to the outbreak at the Chaoyang Heaven Supermarket Bar, which emerged last week.
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Reporting by Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks in Downing Street in London, Britain, April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson
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LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) – Transgender women should not be competing in female sporting events, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told broadcasters on Wednesday.
Johnson was speaking as the country looked set to abandon plans to hold a flagship conference designed to promote LGBT+ rights around the world. read more
Charities and organisations are boycotting the event following a dispute over conversion therapy for transgender people.
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“I don’t think biological males should be competing in female sporting events. Maybe that’s a controversial thing to say, but it just seems to me to be sensible,” Johnson said.
“I also happen to think that women should have spaces — whether it’s in hospitals, prison or changing rooms — which are dedicated to women. That’s as far as my thinking has developed on this issue.
“If that puts me in conflict with some others, then we have got to work it all out. It doesn’t mean I’m not immensely sympathetic to people who want to change gender, to transition and it’s vital we give people the maximum love and support in making those decisions.”
Transgender rights has become a hot talking point as sports seek to balance inclusivity with ensuring there is no unfair advantage.
Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges was ruled out of Britain’s National Omnium Championships last weekend after the sport’s governing body, the UCI, ruled she was ineligible. read more
British Cycling had cleared Bridges to take part under their “Transgender and Non-Binary Participation policy”.
New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics Games in Tokyo last year.
University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas last month became the first transgender National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in Division I history after winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle. read more
Thomas competed on Pennsylvania’s men’s team for three years before transitioning and setting multiple programme records with the women’s team, but her eligibility has come under considerable scrutiny.
The latest International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidance, updated in November last year, is that no athlete should be excluded from competition on the grounds of a perceived unfair advantage due to gender. read more
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OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo speaks during the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Texas, U.S., March 7, 2022. REUTERS/Daniel Kramer
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HOUSTON, March 7 (Reuters) – OPEC has no control over the events that have led to the run up in global oil prices and there is not enough capacity worldwide to compensate for the loss of Russian supply, OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said on Monday.
Benchmark Brent crude prices surged on Monday, touching a 14-year high of over $139 a barrel as the United States and European allies considered banning Russian oil imports following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is the world’s top exporter of crude and fuel, shipping around 7 million bpd or 7% of global supplies.
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“There is no capacity in the world that could replace 7 millions barrels per day,” Barkindo told reporters at an industry conference in Houston.
“We have no control over current events, geopolitics, and this is dictating the pace of the market,” he said.
U.S., European and other governments exempted energy trade from sanctions to prevent already tight markets rallying further, but that has failed.
Traders have avoided Russian oil to avoid running afoul of future sanctions or unwittingly violating sanctions already imposed on Russian banks, companies and individuals.
With an outright ban, some analysts posit prices could rocket even higher. JPMorgan predicted Brent could hit $185 by year-end. A supply shortage would require prices to rise enough to cut demand. read more
“I have heard from several speakers here at CERAweek that current tightness in the market condition might be creating some demand destruction,” said Barkindo.
“Even as that might be the case, the other side of the equation is probably more critical at the moment, which is supply is increasingly lagging behind.”
When asked why the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies did not just end all restrictions on output at their meeting last week, Barkindo told Reuters the situation in oil markets had developed since the group met on March 2.
“Let’s see what happens at the next meeting,” he said.
OPEC and allies led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+, said after that meeting in a statement that markets were well balanced, and OPEC+ sources reaffirmed that earlier on Monday. read more
OPEC+ remained committed to market stability, Barkindo said. The group continued to unwind the deep cuts imposed at the height of the pandemic, he said. Production should be fully restored from the cuts in September, he said.
OPEC+ stuck to a plan for a modest output rise in April at the March 2 meet and ignored the Ukraine crisis in their talks. read more
The situation in the markets was likely to be a game-changer in the energy transition, Barkindo told reporters.
Access to capital for the oil industry has become more challenging, he said, but the crisis was showing the world could not afford to stop investing in oil and gas.
Most OPEC+ members have little spare oil production capacity at the moment, with the bulk of the extra capacity available in the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the International Energy Agency.
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Reporting By David Gaffen and Marianna Parraga; Writing by Simon Webb; Editing by David Gregorio
Canadian Police officers move protestors towards parliament hill, as they work to restore normality to the capital while trucks and demonstrators continue to occupy the downtown core for more than three weeks to protest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, February 19, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
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Feb 19 (Reuters) – Canadian police on Saturday used pepper spray and stun grenades in an attempt to restore normalcy in Ottawa, parts of which have been paralyzed by protesters opposing the government’s pandemic restrictions. read more
Here is a timeline of main events:
Nov. 19 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government announces that all cross-border truck drivers will be subject to mandatory vaccine and quarantine requirements from Jan. 15. The trucking industry association has warned the mandates could intensify supply-chain disruptions, but opposes protests on public roads. read more
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Jan. 28 – A convoy largely consisting of trucks starts arriving in Ottawa from across Canada opposing the vaccine mandate. A similar requirement is in place in the United States.
Jan. 29 – Thousands of protesters under the banner “The Freedom Convoy 2022” hold a loud but peaceful protest in downtown Ottawa. read more
Jan. 31 – Trudeau, who was moved to a secret location, says Canadians are disgusted by the behavior of some protesters in Ottawa and says he will not be intimidated. read more
Feb. 2 – Leader of Canada’s main opposition Conservative Party, Erin O’Toole, is ousted after a caucus vote, partly because of his failure to embrace the anti-government protest quickly enough. read more
Feb. 5 – Protesters occupy downtown Ottawa for second straight weekend. Protests spread to other cities including the financial capital Toronto. read more
Feb. 6 – Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declares state of emergency. read more
Feb. 7 – Police seize thousands of liters of fuel and remove an oil tanker supplying the trucks. A court grants an interim injunction preventing people from sounding horns in downtown Ottawa.
Feb. 7 – Protesters start blocking the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, the busiest crossing between Canada and the United States, and protesters block other border points in Alberta and Manitoba. read more
Feb. 8 – The blockade disrupts trade between the two countries. Ford Motor Co (F.N), General Motors Co (GM.N) and Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) halt some production. read more
Feb. 10 – The Biden administration urges Canada to use federal powers to ease the disruption at the U.S.-Canada border. read more
Feb. 11 – A Canadian judge orders an end to the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge and the province of Ontario declares a state of emergency. Protesters defy the court order and remain. read more
Feb. 13 The Ambassador Bridge reopens after a six-day blockade as Canadian police clear protesters. read more
Feb. 15 – Trudeau invokes rarely used special emergency measures to tackle protests. read more
Feb. 16 – Ottawa’s police chief resigns. read more
Feb. 17- Police warn protesters occupying central Ottawa of “imminent” action. read more
Feb. 18 – Police begin push into crowds of demonstrators, arrest more than 100 and haul away vehicles. Key organizers are arrested. read more
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Compiled by Denny Thomas in Toronto
Editing by Matthew Lewis
PARIS, Feb 16 (Reuters) – A draft bill that would ban the wearing of the hijab in sporting competitions will pass on to France’s National Assembly after the Senate on Wednesday declined to vote on the legislation.
The bill includes a clause, previously added as an amendment by the conservative-dominated upper house, which stipulates that the wearing “of conspicuous religious symbols is prohibited” in events and competitions organised by sports federations.
The move is, however, opposed by the government and its allies in the lower house. The National Assembly has the final vote.
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Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; writing by Richard Lough, editing by Tassilo Hummel
