Tokyo, 3 March, /AJMEDIA
U.N. demands immediate Russian withdrawal from Ukraine
NEW YORK – The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday adopted with an overwhelming majority a non-binding resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Russian military amid international outcry against Moscow’s move.
During an emergency special session, the resolution was backed by 141 members and opposed by five members including Russia and North Korea, with 35 abstentions.
———-
Japan to accept people displaced by Russian invasion of Ukraine
TOKYO – Japan is planning to accept people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at an early date, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday as Tokyo ramps up its humanitarian support.
The government will first allow in people who have fled Ukraine and have relatives or acquaintances in Japan. But the door will also open to those who do not, given the severe humanitarian situation, Kishida said.
———-
Russia, Belarus athletes to compete in Paralympics as neutrals
BEIJING – Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete in the Beijing Paralympic Games as neutrals under the Paralympic flag, while their results will be excluded from the medal table, the International Paralympic Committee said Wednesday.
The IPC governing board made its decision two days before the opening of the Winter Games, amid growing calls from the international sporting community for a blanket ban from competition over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in which it is supported by Belarus.
———-
EU bans 7 Russian banks from int’l payment network SWIFT
BRUSSELS – The European Union said Wednesday its members agreed to exclude seven Russian banks from a key international payment network known as SWIFT, as part of financial sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Following the EU decision, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, the service provider headquartered in Belgium, is expected to formally determine the cutoff certain to disrupt Russian trade and money transfer.
———-
U.S. delays ICBM test to avoid raising nuclear tensions with Russia
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Defense Department said Wednesday it will postpone an intercontinental ballistic missile test in an effort to avoid any actions that could further heighten tensions with Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“We have no intention in engaging in any actions that can be misunderstood or misconstrued,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said as he announced the delay of the Minuteman III ICBM test launch scheduled for this week, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was putting his country’s nuclear forces on high alert.
———-
U.S. Fed on track to lift key interest rate in March meeting: Powell
WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the U.S. central bank is on track to raise its key interest rate from near-zero later this month, despite acknowledging the high uncertainty stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“With inflation well above 2 percent and a strong labor market, we expect it will be appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate at our meeting later this month,” Powell said in his testimony to the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.
———-
Japan considering raising daily entry cap to 7,000 from 5,000
TOKYO – Japan is considering further easing its COVID-19 border controls by raising the daily cap on entrants to 7,000 from the current 5,000, government sources said Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Japanese government raised the cap for foreign nationals entering the country for purposes other than tourism and Japanese nationals returning from 3,500 and eased quarantine rules.
———-
Toyota to suspend operations in Russia, Honda halts shipments
NAGOYA/TOKYO – Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it will suspend operations at its plant in St. Petersburg from Friday due to supply chain disruptions amid growing concern over the impacts of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
In related moves, Honda Motor Co. has suspended shipments of vehicles and motor bikes to Russia, while Mazda Motor Corp. is also planning to halt exports of auto parts to its factory in the country amid fear of potential financial turmoil stemming from sanctions, company officials said Wednesday.