Spread the love
ASIA:
China is set to report its first population decline since records began in 1949 despite the relaxation of the government’s strict family planning policies, which was meant to reverse the falling birth rate of the world’s most populous country. The latest Chinese census, which was completed in December but has yet to be made public, is expected to report the total population of the country at less than 1.4 billion, according to people familiar with the research. In 2019, China’s population was reported to have exceeded the 1.4 billion mark. The government was scheduled to release the census in early April. Liu Aihua, a spokesperson at the National Bureau of Statistics, said on April 16 that the delay was partly due to the need for “more preparation work” ahead of the official announcement. The delay has been widely criticized on social media.
KINGSTON â The University of Rhode Island Theater Departmentâs first full-stage production in more than a year is getting a much larger audience than expected.Â
This week, hundreds of elementary and junior high classrooms across the state will be streaming âMiss Nelson Is Missing!â â a childrenâs play about a rambunctious class that terrorizes their sweet teacher until she goes missing. When their teacher gets replaced by an uber-strict substitute, they become determined to bring her back.Â
URI Theater Professor and Production Manager Paula McGlasson is delighted by the number of audience members the pre-recorded production will be reaching.Â
âThe response has been absolutely amazing,â McGlasson said. âWe thought maybe a hundred teachers would reply. When we shut down registration, we had 470 teachers who wanted to view the play in their classes.â
SHARE
AXA Green Crescent Insurance Company rolled out a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement and improve their financial well-being.
The Employee Secure Saver plan helps employers provide employees with a savings vehicle similar to those available globally, the insurer said in a statement on Monday.
“Many in the country remain unaware that end-of-service benefit in the UAE is unlikely to be sufficient on its own for retirement – a life goal that requires careful planning,” Mohamed Seghir, chief executive of AXA GCIC, said.
Many in the country remain unaware that end-of-service benefit in the UAE is unlikely to be sufficient on its own for retirement
New Hanover and Brunswick counties, as well as UNCW and NHRMC will halt the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (Port City Daily/File)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it will pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States, causing N.C. public health, local counties and providers to follow suit on Tuesday.
The pause comes after six 18-to-48-year-old women, within six to 13 days after receiving the J&J vaccine, were diagnosed with a rare blood clot (cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) in combination with low blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). It left one dead and another in serious condition.
More than 60,000 people have been fully vaccinated in New Hanover County. (Port City Daily / Courtesy New Hanover County)
While just a month or so ago, folks were scurrying to get hard-to-come-by vaccine appointments in the tri-county region, today slots are readily available. Currently, all three public health departments New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender are reporting appointments open. They have been all week, in fact.
Does that mean people are less interested in receiving the Covid-19 vaccine? Or that there is more supply?
Judging by state numbers alone, over the last five weeks, North Carolina was vaccinating over 400,000 people a week, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ dashboard. This week the number was down almost by half, at around 230,000 vaccinations.