Consumption has not picked up the way it should to compensate for effects of the virus, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said

The number of trucks lying idle at border gates in northern provinces on January 8 was 3,609, down 2,484 from December 26

City orders a half-day off for staff at companies and other institutions on Wednesday, tells them to keep activities 'relatively static'

Elderly and immuno-compromised residents, who are being prioritised, queue up at health centres to boost defences against virus

Australian businesses are grappling with the growing toll of workers out sick or ordered to isolate for being close contacts

The probes come amid an embarrassment for the government over senior officials attending a birthday party in violation of its own rules

The moves follow an import suspension by South Korea last month, after Canada reported its first bovine spongiform encephalopathy case in six years.

Anyang, a city with a population of 5 million in central Henan Province, is the latest city in recent weeks to begin city-wide testing and impose strict Covid-19 prevention measures

Officials in the northern city have tightened exit controls and requires residents to get approval from employers or local authorities before leaving town in a bid to block the spread of the Covid variant.

The capital New Delhi and several states have imposed night and weekend curfews and restricted capacity at hotels and restaurants

Australia is now battling record infections in its effort to live with the virus after recording higher vaccination rates. It is now rolling out vaccines for children.

Amid restrictions in Tianjin port, the most traded iron ore futures on Dalian Commodity Exchange, for May delivery, dropped 2.2% to 698 yuan ($109.52) per tonne