World News in Brief: April 26

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa on Monday expressed his intention to stand for reelection as president for the five-year term after his current term ends on Nov. 23, 2021, the Manila-based bank said. ADB presidents are nominated from ADB's regional members for a five-year term and elected by the ADB Board of Governors.

Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, on April 26, 2021. Local tourism has been severely impacted by the COVID-19, with fewer tourists seen in the scenic area now. (Photo: Xinhua)
Tourists visit the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, on April 26, 2021. Local tourism has been severely impacted by the COVID-19, with fewer tourists seen in the scenic area now. (Photo: Xinhua)

* The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it is expelling a military attache of the Italian Embassy in Moscow in a retaliatory measure. The decision was made in response to the "unfriendly" and "groundless" expulsion of two staffers of the Russian Embassy in Rome on March 31.

* Asia-Pacific countries are facing growing cases of the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday as India recorded the highest daily spike of 352,991 new cases, taking the total to 17,313,163, while the Philippines reported over 1 million infections in total.

* In Indonesia, the total cases rose by 5,944 within one day to 1,647,138, with the death toll adding by 177 to 44,771, the Health Ministry said. According to the ministry, 5,589 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 1,501,715.

* Malaysia reported 2,776 new infections, the health ministry said, bringing the national total to 395,718. Another 13 more deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 1,449.

* Thailand confirmed 2,048 new cases and eight fatalities, according to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangsan. Some 2,038 of the new cases were domestic infections while 10 others were imported cases, Apisamai told a press conference.

* Cuba once again reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19, with 1,185 infections registered as well as 10 deaths, the Ministry of Public Health reported on Sunday. With these figures, the number of cases has risen to 101,503 and the death toll to 591.

* Brazil's COVID-19 death toll on Sunday reached 390,797 after registering another 1,305 fatalities, the country's ministry of health reported. According to the ministry, another 32,572 cases were registered, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 14,340,787. As of Saturday, Brazil had vaccinated 41.4 million people against COVID-19.

* The French government will guarantee EUR11 billion (US$13.3 billion) in equity long-term loans to bolster finances of struggling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Minister of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery Bruno Le Maire said Monday.

* Another 1,712 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, the lowest daily number since early September, according to official figures released Sunday. This brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,404,882.

* The foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Saudi Arabia increased by 331 percent in the last five years, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

Xinhua