FirstFT: Today’s top stories | Financial Times

Hong Kong’s expat finance community has voiced deep concerns about the government’s strategy to contain the coronavirus pandemic after hundreds of families were locked in their homes or taken to quarantine camps.

About 750 people, including children, were forced into government-run quarantine centres late last week as the authorities rushed to contain a Covid-19 outbreak at a gym that is popular with expats who work in Hong Kong’s financial district.

Police also locked down nine buildings in Hong Kong Island’s Central and Mid-Levels districts that are home to expat families. There was particular concern that infants attending a playgroup were among those ordered into quarantine camps for two weeks.

The US consulate, which closed on Monday after two staff members tested positive for the virus, said it was in talks with the “highest levels” of the Hong Kong government about “testing, quarantine and hospitalisation procedures, particularly in regard to the possible separation of children from their parents”. (FT, Yahoo)

Coronavirus digest

• Two of India’s top vaccine manufacturers have warned that the world’s vaccine production is being threatened by America’s pandemic export controls.

• European countries have suspended the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine over concerns the jab may cause blood clots, even though regulators and experts say there is no evidence of problems.

• There were more US air passengers this past weekend than any time in the last year, which has fuelled the recovery hopes of US airline chiefs.

• Covid-19 has sparked an interest in public sector careers around the world.

• Regular booster shots to supplement the Covid-19 vaccine will probably be needed in the battle against coronavirus, a top genome expert said. (FT, Reuters)

Follow our live coronavirus blog for the latest. (FT)

In the news

India’s state bankers strike against Modi reform plans Public sector bank workers across India are striking in protest against Narendra Modi’s plans to privatise two state-owned lenders, setting up an early challenge to his ambitious reform drive. As many as 1m employees and officers are expected to strike on Monday and Tuesday. (FT)

EU launches Brexit legal action against UK Brussels has launched legal action against the UK over alleged breaches of the two sides’ Brexit deal on Northern Ireland, escalating a dispute that has soured relations and which could lead to British goods being hit with tariffs. (FT)

Xiaomi rallies on US trading ban reprieve Shares in the smartphone maker rose sharply after a US court granted the company a reprieve from Trump-imposed restrictions on American investment. Xiaomi shares climbed as much as 12 per cent in Hong Kong on Monday. (FT)

Australia protesters vent fury over rape allegations Tens of thousands of Australians marched in nationwide protests on Monday demanding an end to violence against women, amid a widening government crisis following two allegations of rape. (FT)

Two men charged in assault of US Capitol officer US authorities have arrested and charged Julian Elie Khater, 32, and George Pierre Tanios, 39, with allegedly spraying a chemical substance at Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who died after injuries sustained during the January 6 assault on the seat of Congress. (FT)

Danone board ousts Faber as chief and chairman The French company’s board of directors has decided to replace Emmanuel Faber as chief executive and chairman, bowing to pressure from activist investors and blowing up a two-week-old compromise designed to have him remain as chairman. (FT)

Stripe valuation soars to $95bn Stripe has become Silicon Valley’s most valuable private company after investors, including Ireland’s National Treasury Management Agency and Fidelity, struck a deal valuing the online payments processor at $95bn. (FT)

Tesla’s Elon Musk changes job title to ‘technoking’ Elon Musk is still the chief executive of Tesla — just don’t call him that. The electric-car pioneer announced on Monday that Musk has changed his title to “technoking”, but would maintain the position of chief executive. Chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn is now to be known as “master of coin”, the company added in a statement. (FT)

The day ahead

US and Japanese officials meet US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and US secretary of state Antony Blinken will hold their first in-person talks with their Japanese counterparts on Tuesday. (AP)

UK foreign and defence policy Boris Johnson’s government will on Tuesday set out its “integrated review” of foreign and defence policy, highlighting the economic opportunities of Asia and the potential strategic threat of China. (FT)

What else we’re reading

Emerging markets need support to avoid a ‘lost decade’ A question now is whether emerging markets, saddled with debt incurred in response to the pandemic, are heading down the same path as Latin America in the 1980s and the eurozone in the 2010s. Signs another crisis may be looming should prompt a rethink of the IMF’s tools, writes Megan Greene. (FT)

Hydrogen-powered planes: pie in the sky? After more than 60 years, hydrogen is back on the aerospace agenda. The debate is spurred by the need to resolve one of commercial aviation’s greatest challenges: how to reduce its role in global warming by 2050, when countries are committed to net neutrality on carbon emissions under the Paris accord. Read our full series on hydrogen here. (FT)

López Obrador fails to recognise his women problem Andrés Manuel López Obrador spent International Women’s Day barricaded in the National Palace behind a wall guarded by riot police. For a president who promised respect, tolerance and peace, it looked as if he was at war with half his country — women, writes Jude Webber. (FT)

How people are getting money out of China The country forbids citizens from using any of their $50,000 annual foreign exchange quota to buy foreign property or securities. But discovering loopholes is “something of a national pastime”. (Bloomberg)

Palestinian peace must rest on international law The international community has a responsibility to step up and endorse the International Crime Court’s decision to investigate Hamas and Israel ahead of upcoming elections, writes Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and chair of The Elders. (FT)

‘The big issue exposed by Covid is civil liberties’ To his supporters, Scott Atlas is the man who injected a welcome dose of common sense into the Trump administration’s coronavirus response. To his critics, he is the man whose irresponsible advice led to thousands of deaths. The combative radiologist sits down for an outside lunch with Washington correspondent Kiran Stacey. (FT)

Podcast of the day

Democracy and data How far are those of us who live in democratic societies willing to trust “big government” with our data? Kathrin Hille, Greater China correspondent, speaks to Taiwan’s digital minister Audrey Tang and the country’s former deputy prime minister Chen Chi-mai about their country’s data-driven approach to coping with Covid-19. (FT)