VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) has unanimously voted to adopt the resolution on improving access to test kits for the COVID-19 lung disease, as well as future vaccines and treatments, Keva Bain, the WHA president and the Bahamas' ambassador to Geneva, announced on Tuesday. The resolution put forward by the European Union also aims to launch a review of the experience and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the mechanisms at WHO's disposal, its actions and its contribution to the UN efforts. The evaluation will be followed by recommendations to improve global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacity, including through strengthening, as appropriate, WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme//sputnik

The United Kingdom announced a new post-Brexit tariff regime on Tuesday to replace the European Union's external tariff, maintaining a 10% tariff on cars but cutting levies on tens of billions of dollars of supply chain imports. After decades outsourcing its trade policy to the EU, Britain is seeking free trade agreements with countries around the world and aims to have deals in place covering 80% of British trade by 2022. The new tariff regime, in place from January 2021, marks a departure from what some UK officials call an overly complex EU system, setting out Britain's stall as it negotiates trade deals with both the United States and the Brussels-based bloc. Britain said the regime, known as UK Global Tariff, would be simpler and cheaper than the EU's Common External Tariff. It will apply to countries with which it has no agreement and removes all tariffs below 2%. The government said tariffs would be eliminated on a wide range of products, with 60% of trade coming into the UK tariff-free on WTO terms or through existing preferential access. The UK will maintain tariffs on products competing with industries such as agriculture, automotive and fishing, and remove levies on 30 billion pounds ($37 billion) worth of imports entering UK supply chains. According to Thomas Sampson, Associate Professor at the London School of Economics, keeping agricultural protection makes sense as a bargaining chip for EU & US trade negotiations. But means big cost increases for agriculture imports if no UK-EU FTA. The UK will also remove tariffs on products, which support energy efficiency and will introduce a temporary zero tariff on goods being used to fight COVID-19 such as personal protective equipment//JP

French citizens and residents travelling home from outside the European Union will be asked to observe a two-week "voluntary" quarantine, France's foreign minister said Tuesday. The measure will not affect non-EU foreign visitors as the bloc's exterior borders remain closed in a bid to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the LCI broadcaster, this will apply only to those returning from beyond the EU. There has been no quarantine for citizens or residents returning to French soil until now. According to Minister Le Drian, the new measure will rely on "individual responsibility. Returning travelers can choose whether to observe the autonomous lockdown at home or another venue//JP

Health Secretary  of the UK  Matt Hancock has announced everyone aged five and over in the UK with symptoms can now be tested for coronavirus. He was speaking in Parliament after the loss of taste or smell was added to the list of Covid-19 symptoms, alongside a fever and a new persistent cough. As quoted by BBC.com ( 18/5)  Mr Hancock said the government was "expanding eligibility for testing further than ever before". He added 100,678 tests had been conducted on Sunday.Testing in England and Scotland has been limited to people with symptoms who are key workers and their families, hospital patients, care home residents, over-65s and those who need to leave home to work. In Wales and Northern Ireland it was just key workers, hospital workers and care home residents//BBC