VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

photo : AFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has a funding shortfall totaling US$197 million for its operations in Syria and urgent support from international donors is required to ensure the deliveries of vital food supplies to vulnerable families in the country, WFP Syria Communications Officer Jessica Lawson told Sputnik. Jessica Lawson also said support from international donors will be vital in allowing the WFP to continue to deliver food to the most vulnerable families in Syria as the needs of the population become greater. Needs across the country are rapidly increasing and additional funds from donors are key to help vulnerable families to access nutritious food. The WFP’s work in Syria continues in close coordination with the country’s government, which is helping to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed to those in need//sputnik

photo : times

South Korea's Daewoong Pharmaceutical said its anti-parasitic drug niclosamide had eliminated the novel coronavirus from animals' lungs during testing. Drugmakers worldwide are rushing to develop treatments for the illness caused by the new coronavirus, which has killed more than 400,000 globally since it first emerged late last year in China. Daewoong said its experimental anti-viral drug completely cleared up the disease in ferrets' lung tissues and inhibited inflammation. The company plans to start human clinical trials in July. Jeon Seng-ho, CEO of Daewoong Pharma said based on the positive outcome of the animal test, the plan to complete human trials and get approval of the COVID-19 treatment drug by the end of this year//JP

photo : theindependent

Thousands of people have joined anti-racism demonstrations across the UK. The protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, are being held in cities including London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester, and Sheffield. In London, protesters knelt for a minute's silence before chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter". The protests went ahead despite officials advising against mass gatherings due to coronavirus. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the social distancing advice was "for the safety of all of us", while Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said the protests were "unlawful". The vast majority of the day's protests were peaceful//BBC

photo : cbsnews

A senior aide to Republican U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday apologized for promoting a racially-charged video on her Twitter feed. Mercedes Schlapp, a senior Trump national spokeswoman, said she “deeply apologized” for retweeting a video of a chainsaw wielding man in Texas, shouting at anti-racist protesters, in which he used a racial slur. Schlapp’s apology comes as the U.S. is convulsed by protests after the police killing in Minnesota last month of a black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer, who knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. That officer has been charged with second degree murder and three fellow officers have been charged in abetting Floyd’s death//Reuters