A biker was forced to hold on to a lorry for 19 miles after a motorbike crash in which his wife died.
Anderson Antonio Pereira’s bike was rammed by a lorry and became jammed under the front of the vehicle in Penha, southern Brazil, on Sunday.
His wife Sandra, 47, was left unconscious in the road, but Anderson, 49, managed to cling to the door.
He begged the 36-year-old driver to stop moving, but he carried on for another 19 miles.
A video recorded by eyewitnesses shows Anderson swinging from the left-hand door of the lorry, with his bike squashed under the front of the HGV and scraping along the road.
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Eventually other motorists came to his aid and managed to get the lorry to stop. The driver was then dragged out of his seat into the road and beaten up before he was arrested.
Mr and Ms Pereira had bought the motorcycle only two months before the crash.
A horror crash in southern Brazil left a motorbike jammed under the front of a lorry on Sunday (Picture: Newsflash)
Anderson Antonio Pereira, 49, was filmed swinging from the left-hand door of the lorry (Picture: Newsflash)
Sandra Pereira, 47, pictured with her husband (Picture: Newsflash)
Mr Pereira is expected to make a full recovery, but his wife was flown by helicopter to hospital and later died of head injuries.
She leaves behind a 26-year-old son.
The driver is expected to be charged after he was suspected to be under the influence of drugs.
Joe Biden’s $1.9tn US stimulus programme will boost the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic around the world, the OECD said on Tuesday, as it upgraded its outlook for global growth.
The Paris-based international organisation said it expected a stronger rebound from last year’s historic recession than it forecast in November, mainly because of the rapid rollout of Covid-19 vaccination programmes in many countries and the increase in US stimulus spending.
The scale of the Biden plan will add about 1 percentage point to global economic growth in 2021, Laurence Boone, the OECD’s chief economist, told the Financial Times.
As a result, the global economy will expand by 5.6 per cent this year, the OECD forecast on Tuesday, an upgrade of 1.4 percentage points from its November forecast.
The stimulus bill — known as the American Rescue Plan — is one of the largest US government interventions in the economy of the post-second world war era. It is expected to be passed on Tuesday by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives after the US Senate voted to approve the package on Saturday.
The stimulus plan has helped add fuel to a powerful shift in global equities markets. Companies considered beneficiaries of stronger economic growth, such as banks and airlines, have begun rallying, while tech stocks such as Netflix and Amazon that performed strongly during the height of the Covid-19 crisis have pulled back in recent weeks.
It has also triggered a sharp sell-off in the bond market, as expectations for more rapid US price growth have been sharpened. Higher inflation is bearish for bonds, since it eats into the fixed income streams that they provide.
The Biden package was “trying to kickstart a new episode where you have higher growth and you move away from too-low inflation”, Boone said, although she added that “it would have been nice” to see “a little more” of the money spent on investment.
The OECD substantially revised up its expectations for US growth this year, from 3.2 per cent in its November forecasts to 6.5 per cent.
Because of their trade connections to the US, Canada and Mexico are also both set to benefit from the US stimulus, which will boost their growth this year by about 1 percentage point compared with November’s forecast, the OECD estimated.
In Europe the boost will be closer to 0.5 percentage points, as the positive effects of the Biden stimulus will be partly offset by the lag in vaccination programmes, which will delay the loosening of coronavirus restrictions and generate a longer hangover from the crisis, the OECD warned.
Boone said: “Europe is not doing enough on the vaccine. Countries are supporting their economies and that is very welcome, but before adding to the existing stimulus they should speed up vaccination and reopen their economies.”
The OECD revised upwards its forecast for the UK for both 2021 and 2022 by 0.9 and 0.6 percentage points respectively as a result of its successful vaccination programme.
The US stimulus package will increase domestic inflation, but not to a dangerous level, Boone said, because “there is a lot of slack in [US] labour markets”. Although there will be “some temporary [price] pressures in some areas”, she argued the stimulus was unlikely to result in generalised upward pressure on all wages, which would drive persistent inflation.
And investors’ expectations of inflationary pressures in other regions, such as Europe, were less likely to materialise, she added, in part because vaccination programmes were progressing more slowly.
The upbeat US outlook will also help mitigate the longer-term scars left by the crisis, the OECD said. Advanced economies will be close to their pre-pandemic growth path by the end of next year, it estimated.
Emerging economies will fare less well, remaining 3 to 4 per cent below their pre-virus output path by that time, the forecasts show, although this would be a much better outcome than the OECD forecast just three months ago.
“The amazing fiscal support everywhere means that we have preserved the economic fabric across OECD countries. Even in emerging markets we’ve seen amazing policy support,” Boone said.
Countries most dependent on tourism face the greatest challenges in securing a stable recovery, the OECD warned, while its overall optimistic outlook depends on the successful acceleration of the production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
It also assumed the world would remain largely free from vaccine-resistant mutant strains of the virus.
To keep the recovery strong, the OECD recommended that countries should first ensure they have a robust vaccination strategy and maintain strong fiscal support to boost growth, and then shift government support into high-growth areas of the economy such as digital and green investment.
“Early signalling of future alignment of long-term price signals with environmental and climate policy objectives, including through carbon pricing, would lower environmental policy uncertainty and improve the prospects for the funding of investments in clean technologies,” the OECD said.
Health officials announced the new safety guidelines at Monday's White House coronavirus task force briefing.
The recommendations say fully vaccinated Americans can:
Meet indoors with other fully vaccinated people without masks or social distancing
Meet indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household, if they are at low risk for severe illness from the virus
Skip testing or quarantine when exposed to Covid-19, unless symptoms appear
But they should continue to:
Avoid non-essential travel and large crowds
Continue to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing in public
The CDC said there was still a risk vaccinated people could spread the disease to the unvaccinated, as data on this remains sparse. The new guidelines in particular call for mask wearing and distancing from those who are unvaccinated and may be at an elevated risk of serious Covid-related complications.
CDC senior adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters: "We've begun to describe what a world looks like as we move beyond Covid-19. As more and more people get vaccinated… the list of activities will continue to grow."
The US has seen a recent uptick in the number of inoculations per day. Over 90 million vaccines have been administered to date.
The approval of a third vaccine, Johnson & Johnson's single-dose jab, to join the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech versions, has also helped boost supply.
But health officials warn that Covid-19 is still a serious concern.
Dr Walensky added that the guidance would continue to be updated "as more people get vaccinated and science and evidence expands".
Mr Slavitt said it was a "very hopeful morning but with continued warning signs for the future".
'Missed opportunity'
However, Dr Leana Wen, a public health expert and the former Baltimore health commissioner, told the Associated Press the new guidance was "far too cautious".
Dr Wen said the CDC was "missing a major opportunity to tie vaccination status with reopening guidance".
"By coming out with such limited guidance, they are missing the window to influence state and national policy," she said.
More than 20 travel and aviation groups wrote to the White House on Monday calling for a temporary health documentation system to boost travel.
The group said it opposed making vaccination "a requirement for domestic or international travel".
Later on Monday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden would deliver his first primetime address this Thursday to mark one year under Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Last week, Mr Biden said the US would have enough coronavirus vaccines for every adult by the end of May.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that fully vaccinated Americans can return to some sense of normalcy.
Those who have received the required jabs can visit with other vaccinated people and some unvaccinated people, according to the new guidelines.
People are considered protected two weeks after they take the final dose of their vaccine, the CDC said.
Over 30 million Americans have been fully vaccinated thus far.
Health officials announced the new safety guidelines at Monday's White House coronavirus task force briefing.
The recommendations say fully vaccinated Americans can:
Meet indoors with other fully vaccinated people without masks or social distancing
Meet indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household, if they are at low risk for severe illness from the virus
Skip testing or quarantine when exposed to Covid-19, unless symptoms appear
"We've begun to describe what a world looks like as we move beyond Covid-19," senior adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. "As more and more people get vaccinated… the list of activities will continue to grow."
Those who are vaccinated are still required to follow other basic safety measures, like wearing masks and socially distancing in public as well as avoiding large crowds and travel.
The guidelines also call for masking and distancing from those who are unvaccinated and who may be at an elevated risk of serious Covid-related complications.
The US has seen a recent uptick in the number of jabs per day. Over 90m vaccines have been administered to date. The approval of the third vaccine, Johnson & Johnson's single-dose jab, has also helped boost supply.
But health officials also warned that Covid-19 is still a serious concern.
"Over 90% of the population still has not been vaccinated," CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky said.
"Our responsibility is to make sure, in the context of 60,000 new cases a day, that we protect those who are vulnerable."
The US has reported over 29 million virus cases and 525,000 deaths.
Dr Walensky added that the guidance will continue to be updated "as more people get vaccinated and science and evidence expands".
Mr Slavitt said it was a "very hopeful morning but with continued warning signs for the future".
But Dr Leana Wen, a public health expert and the former Baltimore health commissioner, told the Associated Press the new guidance was "far too cautious".
Dr Wen said the CDC was "missing a major opportunity to tie vaccination status with reopening guidance".
"By coming out with such limited guidance, they are missing the window to influence state and national policy," she said.
Later on Monday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden will deliver his first primetime address this Thursday to mark one year under Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Last week, Mr Biden said the US will have enough coronavirus vaccines for every adult by the end of May.
A US judge has delayed jury selection in the case of an ex-Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, an unarmed black man, last May.
Derek Chauvin faces murder charges for kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for over seven minutes in a widely-viewed video that sparked protests worldwide.
The delay came as the judge awaits an appeals court decision on whether a new murder charge can be added.
Jury selection could resume on Tuesday morning at the earliest.
Mr Chauvin is accused of second-degree unintentional murder and manslaughter in the 25 May death of Mr Floyd. The maximum sentence he faces on that count is 40 years.
The less severe charge of third-degree murder was initially dismissed last year, but prosecutors have requested to reinstate it.
Legal experts say that adding a third-degree charge could make it easier for prosecutors to get a conviction.
Jury selection is expected to take about three weeks, with trial arguments due to begin on 29 March.
More than 370 potential witnesses could be called to testify.
What happened in court?
The judge's decision followed prosecutors saying they would ask the appeals court to delay proceedings as the panel weighs whether the third-degree murder charge can be brought against Mr Chauvin.
Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill said it was unlikely the appeals panel would respond before Tuesday.
"So unless any of the parties object I'm going to kick our jurors loose and start everything tomorrow with jury selection," the judge said.
Lawyers for Mr Chauvin said they would ask the Minnesota Supreme Court to review the court of appeals decision, which could lead to further delays.
Mr Chauvin, who was fired from the Minneapolis police force and is currently free on a $1m (£725,000) bail, wore a blue suit and tie to court, as well as a black face mask. He took notes on a yellow legal pad during the hearing.
AFP
How has the city been preparing?
The death of Mr Floyd sparked racial justice protests around the world. Most demonstrations were peaceful, though some turned violent.
The trial, which is the fourth involving the killing of a civilian by a police officer in modern Minnesota history, has been highly anticipated.
Barricades, fencing and barbed wire surround the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis as police brace for protests.
On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the city. Marches also occurred over the weekend.
Three other ex-officers who were involved in Mr Floyd's arrest are due to stand trial together later this year.
'I hope they find unbiased people'
Analysis by Tara McKelvey, BBC News, Minneapolis
Barbed wire surrounds the courthouse, and Forest McClarron, 34, an army veteran, walks past, looking up at the building.
He lives on Chicago Avenue, where George Floyd was pinned to the ground.
"I hope they find unbiased people," McClarron says, referring to the jury selection process. "Just honest, unbiased people."
Near him a woman walks with her husband to a vehicle parked on South Third Avenue. He has an assault rifle, and a paper cup sits on the bonnet of the vehicle.
He works in private security, and they are here to keep activists safe "from white supremacists," they say.
The mood is calm and the street smells like cannabis while people wait to see what happens with the jury, and with those who have gathered outside the courthouse.
How is the jury being selected?
A jury of 12 and four alternates will be selected by lawyers for each side from a pool of eligible local citizens.
Each potential juror has filled in a 16-page questionnaire, which asks about news viewing habits, how many times they watched the video of Mr Floyd's arrest, belief in the US criminal justice system, and other questions related to the case.
In cases involving issues such as racism, the selection process can be seen as hugely important to the outcome of the trial and how fair it is perceived.
The 46-year-old was arrested outside a convenience store on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill.
Officers arrived and handcuffed him, but when they tried to put him into the squad car he resisted and a struggle ended with Mr Floyd face down on the street.
Mr Chauvin, 44, placed his left knee between Mr Floyd's head and neck, and kept it there for seven minutes and 46 seconds, according to prosecutors. Two other officers helped pin him down, while another prevented witnesses from intervening.
Mr Floyd said he could not breathe more than 20 times. The video shows him go limp and get carried away by police.
A nun in Myanmar told junta forces "you'll have to come through me" - moments before they opened fire on protesters.
At least two people were confirmed dead in the city of Myitkyina on Monday following clashes with security forces.
Sister Ann Roza Nu Tawng previously said she was prepared to die to save others after being filmed kneeling in front of armed police in the capital city of Kachin state.
Some have called the scene, on 28 February, Myanmar's "Tiananmen moment".
Dressed in white robes and a dark habit, the 45-year-old was again photographed near protest lines in the city on Monday morning.
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Other images show her kneeling in front of police, this time near the Catholic cathedral, as a senior nun looks on.
Recounting the horrifying events of the morning, she told Sky News: "The first time I was pleading with the police not to beat, not to arrest, not to crack down on the protesters, because the protesters were not doing anything bad, they were just shouting slogans.
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"And the police told me 'we are from here, we have to do this. Please stay away from here'.
Image:Sister Ann Roza said she hoped the police officers she spoke to weren't those who opened fire. Pic: Myitkyina News Journal
"I replied, 'no, if you want to do this you have to come through me!'
"Later the police said 'we have to remove this barricade on the road'. They then removed the barricade and after a while the protesters returned.
"Then around 12 noon the security forces were about to crack down, so again I was begging with them, I was kneeling down in front of them and I was pleading not to shoot and not to arrest the people.
"The police were also kneeling and they told me they had to do it because this was to stop the protest.
"After that, tear gas was used and I was struggling to breathe and I was dizzy, and then I saw the man who had fallen down in the street and [he had been shot]."
The editor of Myitkyina News Journal told Sky News that, as of lunchtime, at least two people had been confirmed dead.
Distressing photos show Sister Ann Roza standing at the top of the street as protesters run towards the gravely injured person lying in the road.
Image:One of the dead protesters lying in the road. Pic: Kachin Waves
In another graphic image, she is crying out as she leans towards the body of a man who has been shot in the head.
She said that due to the tear gas she did not see if it was police or military who fired on the protesters, but she hoped it wasn't the officers she spoke to.
"I am very sad," she said. "The police told me that they're not going to crack down or shoot brutally, but finally they did.
"I saw another person who died on the spot and had serious injuries.
"The first person who was shot in the head could still breathe when he arrived at the clinic and the people tried to treat him, but finally he died."
It is just over a week since Sister Ann Roza was first filmed kneeling in front of police lines in the city as she begged them to refrain from violence.
In an interview with Sky News on Friday, she explained she was willing to sacrifice her own life to protect protesters.
"Then they opened fire and started beating the protesters. I was shocked and I thought today is the day I will die," she said.
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Moment nun stands up to Myanmar military
"I decided to die. I was asking and begging them not to do it and I told them the protesters didn't commit any [crime]," she said, crying.
At least 56 people have been killed and 1,790 detained or arrested since the 1 February coup, according to figures compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) .
On Monday, numerous injuries were reported at locations across the country as the military tried to stop the ongoing protests.
At least one protestor in Pyapon, Ayeyarwaddy region, was also killed according to Khit Thit media agency.
Tear gas, stun grenades and live fire have all been used against unarmed civilians in the five weeks since the coup.
Over the weekend, residents in cities including Yangon also reported soldiers shooting tear gas and bullets after dark as terrified residents watched from their homes.
One video sent to Sky News appeared to show forces firing in the grounds around West Yangon Hospital on 7 March.
In another, soldiers are filmed in a residential street as bright flashes light up the sky.
Protesters hit the streets in the Swiss capital of Bern after 51% of voters backed a far-right proposal to outlaw the burqa and niqab in public spaces (Picture: AFP)
Switzerland has voted to ban women from wearing the burqa or niqab in public spaces.
The Muslim veils are worn by just a handful of women in the country, but just over 51% of Swiss voters backed a far-right proposal to outlaw them in shops, restaurants and on the street.
Exceptions for full facial veils will be allowed inside religious sites and for security or health reasons, such as face masks to protect against Covid, as well as for traditional carnival celebrations.
There are around 450,000 Muslims in Switzerland, just 5% of the population.
Almost no-one wears a burka and only around 30 women wear the niqab, yet a referendum on the issue was triggered in 2017 after 100,000 people supported a nationwide vote.
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Face veils have been banned since 2013 in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, while neighbouring France and Austria have also prohibited them in public.
The Swiss government had opposed the measure as excessive, arguing that full-face coverings are a ‘marginal phenomenon’.
It was also argued the ban could harm tourism from Persian Gulf states, who are often drawn to Swiss lakeside cities.
Demonstrators hold a sign reading ‘the racist patriarchy went together’ during a protest after the Burqa ban referendum was narrowly approved (Picture: AP)
Almost no-one wears a burka in Switzerland and only around 30 women wear the niqab (Picture: AP)
Supporters of the proposal argued the full-face coverings symbolise the repression of women and that faces should be shown in a free society.
In the end, 51.2% of voters supported the plan. There were majorities against it in six of Switzerland’s 26 cantons – among them those that include the country’s three biggest cities, Zurich, Geneva and Basel, and the capital, Bern.
Backers included the nationalist Swiss People’s Party, which is the strongest in parliament.
The committee that launched the proposal is led by far-right politician Walter Wobmann who also initiated a ban on the construction of new minarets at Swiss mosques.
A coalition of left-leaning parties said the proposal was ‘absurd’ and ‘Islamophobic’, while Mr Wobmann said it addressed both ‘a symbol of a completely different system of values… extremely radical Islam’ and security against ‘hooligans’.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
