Hong Kong reports 2,071 new COVID-19 cases（在线收听）

Hong Kong reports 2,071 new COVID-19 cases

Chinese naval ships carrying relief supplies arrive in Tonga

A Chinese naval fleet has arrived in Tonga's capital city Nuku'alofa to deliver more than 1,400 tons of relief supplies to the country.

Before loading, all the materials have completed disinfection treatment and sampling quarantine.

The naval fleet is also equipped with professional medical personnel and equipment.

As Tonga has been hit by COVID-19 outbreaks, the fleet will provide assistance within its capacity to Tonga upon subsequent request.

Veteran free skier Xu wins China's first Olympic gold in women's aerials at Beijing 2022

China's veteran free skier Xu Mengtao fulfilled her dream of winning an Olympic gold in the women's aerials at Beijing 2022 on Monday evening.

It is the fifth gold medal for China at Beijing 2022, equaling the number of golds taken by China in a single Winter Olympics at Vancouver 2010.

Xu Mengtao is a four-time Olympian and the runner-up at Sochi 2014.

Hong Kong reports 2,071 new COVID-19 cases, gov't rolls out sixth-round relief

Data from the Center for Health Protection shows Hong Kong recorded 2,071 new cases of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period from Sunday to Monday.

Of the newly reported cases, 19 were imported and the rest were local cases.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has issued a paper to the Legislative Council Finance Committee to seek injection of 27 billion HK dollars, or 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, into the Anti-epidemic Fund.

A total of 48 measures will be introduced to support businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic.

Chief secretary for administration John Lee says 60 percent of the total financial commitment has been dedicated to providing relief to individuals.

Japan's GDP expands annualized real 5.4 pct in 4th quarter last year

The Japanese economy expanded a real 1.3 percent in the October-December period of 2021 from the previous quarter.

A government report says this represents an annualized 5.4 percent growth.

According to the Cabinet Office's preliminary data, the growth in the period marked the first increases in two quarters in real gross domestic product.

Data also shows that for 2021, Japan's economy in real terms grew 1.7 percent.

This marked the first expansion in three years and came on the heels of a 4.5-percent decrease logged in 2020.

Canadian PM declares public order emergency to end truck blockades

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared a public order emergency to support provinces in ending the ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests.

Trudeau says he has invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada's history to give the federal government extra and "temporary" powers to handle the issues.

He adds the move is targeting to those areas in need, not the whole country.

UN chief calls for diplomacy to defuse Russia-Ukraine tensions

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for diplomacy to defuse the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Guterres says he is deeply worried about the current tensions and increased speculation about a potential military conflict.

The secretary-general has spoken with the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine.

Guterres says he will remain fully engaged in the hours and days to come.

Ukrainian president, German chancellor discuss regional security challenges

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has held a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss regional security challenges.

Zelensky says the two parties talked over the peace process in and around Ukraine and the legal guarantees that will help to protect Ukraine.

Scholz says Germany is trying to find a diplomatic solution to the situation around Ukraine.

Scholz arrived in Kyiv on Monday for a working visit. On Tuesday he will visit Moscow.

Madagascar braces for another cyclone: UN

Madagascar is bracing for another tropical storm only 10 days after Cyclone Batsirai killed at least 121 people.

Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, says Tropical Cyclone Dumako is on track to hit the country's northeast on Tuesday.

Cyclone Batsirai hit Madagascar's southeast on Feb. 5, displacing 29,000 people and destroying 19,000 homes.

Dujarric says health teams have been deployed to affected areas where they are working in collaboration with the government to scale up the response.