By , GENEVA (Reuters) - Nations who fail to use every mechanism available to combat the still-raging novel coronavirus will struggle to beat it, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.“Some countries ... have taken a fragmented approach. These countries face a long, hard road ahead,” Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva, without singling out any nations.More than 10.5 million people have been infected globally and more than half a million have died since the COVID-19 disease first emerged in China.Tedros said...…By , GENEVA (Reuters) - Nations who fail to use every mechanism available to combat the still-raging novel coronavirus will struggle to beat it, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.“Some countries ... have taken a fragmented approach. These countries face a long, hard road ahead,” Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva, without singling out any nations.More than 10.5 million people have been infected globally and more than half a million have died since the COVID-19 disease first emerged in China.Tedros said...WW…

By , GENEVA/ZURICH (Reuters) - Coronavirus cases are soaring in several major countries at the same time, with “worrying increases” in Latin America, especially Brazil, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.The world recorded more than 183,000 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the most in a single day since the outbreak started in December, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.“Certainly the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time and across the whole world,” WHO’s top emergencies expert, Mike Ryan, told...…By , GENEVA/ZURICH (Reuters) - Coronavirus cases are soaring in several major countries at the same time, with “worrying increases” in Latin America, especially Brazil, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.The world recorded more than 183,000 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the most in a single day since the outbreak started in December, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.“Certainly the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time and across the whole world,” WHO’s top emergencies expert, Mike Ryan, told...WW…

By , Sales in North America and Europe were particularly strong in March, helping to drive an overall rise of 4.3% in the first three months of the year, beating analyst expectations for a 3% increase.In North America, Purina Pet care sales rose by a double-digit percentage while Nescafe and Coffee Mate drinks had high single-digit increases.In Europe, Middle East and North Africa, most categories of Nestle product won market share, the company said, with its Maggi noodles doing well.Chief Executive Mark Schneider said Nestle was working to adapt to the virus conditions and ensure it had...…By , Sales in North America and Europe were particularly strong in March, helping to drive an overall rise of 4.3% in the first three months of the year, beating analyst expectations for a 3% increase.In North America, Purina Pet care sales rose by a double-digit percentage while Nescafe and Coffee Mate drinks had high single-digit increases.In Europe, Middle East and North Africa, most categories of Nestle product won market share, the company said, with its Maggi noodles doing well.Chief Executive Mark Schneider said Nestle was working to adapt to the virus conditions and ensure it had...WW…

By , , NEW YORK/ZURICH/TOKYO (Reuters) - Global banks may lose more than $6 billion from the downfall of Archegos Capital, sources familiar with trades involving the U.S. investment firm said on Monday, and regulators and investors fear the episode could reverberate more widely.Japan’s Nomura and Credit Suisse of Switzerland warned of major losses from lending to Archegos for equity derivatives trades, triggering a worldwide sell-off in banking stocks.Morgan Stanley shares fell 2.6% and Goldman Sachs Group dropped 1.7%. Nomura shares closed down 16.3%, a record one-day drop, while Credit...…By , , NEW YORK/ZURICH/TOKYO (Reuters) - Global banks may lose more than $6 billion from the downfall of Archegos Capital, sources familiar with trades involving the U.S. investment firm said on Monday, and regulators and investors fear the episode could reverberate more widely.Japan’s Nomura and Credit Suisse of Switzerland warned of major losses from lending to Archegos for equity derivatives trades, triggering a worldwide sell-off in banking stocks.Morgan Stanley shares fell 2.6% and Goldman Sachs Group dropped 1.7%. Nomura shares closed down 16.3%, a record one-day drop, while Credit...WW…

By ZURICH (Reuters) - “Stop Extremism!” urges a red billboard in a quiet village outside Zurich above an image of a scowling woman wearing a black headscarf and face veil.The billboard is part of a campaign by the far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) to ban face coverings in public and which will be voted on in a binding national referendum on Sunday. Opinion polls suggest most Swiss will back it and the ban will become law.“In Switzerland our tradition is that you show your face. That is a sign of our basic freedoms,” said Walter Wobmann, an SVP member of parliament and chairman of the...…By ZURICH (Reuters) - “Stop Extremism!” urges a red billboard in a quiet village outside Zurich above an image of a scowling woman wearing a black headscarf and face veil.The billboard is part of a campaign by the far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) to ban face coverings in public and which will be voted on in a binding national referendum on Sunday. Opinion polls suggest most Swiss will back it and the ban will become law.“In Switzerland our tradition is that you show your face. That is a sign of our basic freedoms,” said Walter Wobmann, an SVP member of parliament and chairman of the...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - Health officials around the world gave their backing to the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, after a study showing it had little effect against mild disease caused by the variant now spreading quickly in South Africa rang global alarm.The prospect that new virus variants could evolve the ability to elude vaccines is one of the main risks hanging over the global strategy to emerge from the pandemic by rolling out vaccines this year.South Africa, where a new variant now accounts for the vast bulk of cases, initially announced a pause in its rollout of a million...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - Health officials around the world gave their backing to the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, after a study showing it had little effect against mild disease caused by the variant now spreading quickly in South Africa rang global alarm.The prospect that new virus variants could evolve the ability to elude vaccines is one of the main risks hanging over the global strategy to emerge from the pandemic by rolling out vaccines this year.South Africa, where a new variant now accounts for the vast bulk of cases, initially announced a pause in its rollout of a million...WW…

By ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland’s top law enforcement official committed several breaches of his official duties and lied to investigators while his office examined alleged corruption surrounding soccer governing body FIFA, a federal court said on Friday.Attorney General Michael Lauber made “implausible” statements about an undisclosed meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in June 2017, the Federal Administrative Court (FAC) said.The court concluded Lauber “intentionally made a false statement” to the watchdog investigating his conduct and knowingly concealed the meeting.“Overall,...…By ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland’s top law enforcement official committed several breaches of his official duties and lied to investigators while his office examined alleged corruption surrounding soccer governing body FIFA, a federal court said on Friday.Attorney General Michael Lauber made “implausible” statements about an undisclosed meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in June 2017, the Federal Administrative Court (FAC) said.The court concluded Lauber “intentionally made a false statement” to the watchdog investigating his conduct and knowingly concealed the meeting.“Overall,...WW…

By , Slideshow ZURICH/GENEVA (Reuters) - Britain’s candidate to be the next director general of the World Trade Organization, Liam Fox, would not take sides in trade disputes between members as it battles the global downturn caused by COVID-19 and rising protectionism, he said on Friday.The former British trade secretary had paid five visits to Washington and five visits to Beijing during his previous role, and if elected would take a balanced approach to clashes which have rocked the global economy.“We are not going to be involved in taking sides in bilateral trade disputes,” Fox, one of...…By , Slideshow ZURICH/GENEVA (Reuters) - Britain’s candidate to be the next director general of the World Trade Organization, Liam Fox, would not take sides in trade disputes between members as it battles the global downturn caused by COVID-19 and rising protectionism, he said on Friday.The former British trade secretary had paid five visits to Washington and five visits to Beijing during his previous role, and if elected would take a balanced approach to clashes which have rocked the global economy.“We are not going to be involved in taking sides in bilateral trade disputes,” Fox, one of...WW…

By ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland’s federal prosecutor is about to end its investigation into former FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s deals with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to sell World Cup broadcasting rights.The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said it has informed all the parties of its intention to close the case and was seeking ways to end it.“We confirm the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland ...considers the criminal investigation into the partial facts and allegations concerning the contractual relationship with the CFU to be complete and ready for conclusion,” it...…By ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland’s federal prosecutor is about to end its investigation into former FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s deals with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to sell World Cup broadcasting rights.The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said it has informed all the parties of its intention to close the case and was seeking ways to end it.“We confirm the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland ...considers the criminal investigation into the partial facts and allegations concerning the contractual relationship with the CFU to be complete and ready for conclusion,” it...WW…