photo : jakartapost
Passengers of China-bound flights must provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding, China's aviation authority said on Tuesday, as the government looks to further reduce the risk of imported coronavirus cases amid increased international travel. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on its website that nucleic acid tests must be completed within five days of embarkation. The tests should be conducted at facilities designated or recognized by Chinese embassies in host countries. The embassies will carefully assess the testing capacity of host countries and formulate travel procedures when testing conditions are met. The announcement comes as countries struggle with testing capacity and speed. In parts of the United States, receipt of test results can take up to two weeks, while in some other countries, nucleic acid tests are reserved for people who have come in close contact with COVID-19 patients or who have symptoms of the potentially fatal disease//JP
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South Korea's first-ever military communications satellite has been successfully launched by private operator SpaceX, Seoul said Tuesday, as it looks to build up its defense capabilities. Seoul's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement that a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellite blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX confirmed the satellite deployed about 32 minutes after lift-off, on Monday afternoon local time. Seoul's Defense Acquisition Program Administration -DAPA said the launch made South Korea the 10th country in the world to own a military-only communications satellite, which will provide permanent and secured military communications. According to the statement, the satellite is expected to reach its orbit of 36,000 kilometers in two weeks and South Korea's military will take over the system in October after testing//JP
photo : bbc
EU leaders have struck a deal on a huge post-coronavirus recovery package following a fourth night of talks. It involves €750billion (US$859billion) in grants and loans, to counter the impact of the pandemic in the 27-member bloc. The talks saw a split between nations hardest hit by the virus and so-called "frugal" members concerned about costs. The deal centres on a €390bn programme of grants to member states hardest hit by the pandemic. Italy and Spain are expected to be the main recipients. On the press conference held on Tuesday (July22) in European Union headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, The European Council President, Charles Michel said that the agreement is a pivotal moment for European Union in handling the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
"I believed this agreement will be seen as a pivotal moment in Europe journey. But it will also launch us to the future, in fact it's the first time In European history that our budget will be clearly linked to our climate objective. The first time that the respectful overflow is a decide criteria for budget spending and the first time that we are jointly reenforcing our economy against a crisis" Michel said.
A further €360bn in low-interest loans will be available to members of the bloc. On the same event, European Union President, Ursula Von Der Leyen said that Europe will manage 1,8 trillion Euro budget to recover economy.
"The new budget will power the European green deal. It will accelerate the digitalization of Europe economy, thanks to next generation EU national reform will be boosted, we invest in Europe future. And finally unlike in previous crisis this time member state have not opted for the inter govermentally agreement but they have entrusted the European commission of Europe recovery, we will together manage a total of 1,8 Trillion Euro. The barge of the money will be channeled through the programs in which the European parliament is involved" Ursula said
The package will allow members to maintain spending in the aftermath of lockdowns that badly affected public finances. It includes controlls that the funds will not be misused. Recipients will have to submit spending plans to the European Commission, and a majority of states will be able to block projects. The leaders reached agreement early on Tuesday after more than 90 hours of talks. The European Commission will borrow the €750bn on international markets and distribute the aid. The deal was reached alongside agreement on the bloc's next seven-year budget, worth about €1.8 trillion. The UK, which has recorded more coronavirus deaths than any other European country, left the EU in January and is not involved in the deal//NK/bbc
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A study predicts that Polar bears will be wiped out by the end of the century unless more is done to tackle climate change. As quoted by BBC.com (20/7) scientists say some populations have already reached their survival limits as the Arctic sea ice shrinks. The carnivores rely on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean to hunt for seals. As the ice breaks up, the animals are forced to roam for long distances or on to shore, where they struggle to find food and feed their cubs. Dr Peter Molnar of the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada stated the bear has become the "poster child of climate change. He said polar bears are already sitting at the top of the world; if the ice goes, they have no place to go//bbc
photo : newsbreak
Weary European Union leaders expressed cautious optimism Monday that a deal was in sight on their fourth day of wrangling over an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1 trillion) budget and coronavirus recovery fund, following a weekend of walkouts, flaring tempers and insults. As quoted by APNews.com (20/7) it took an emotional dinner speech by European Council President Charles Michel about leaders not failing their union, French President Emmanuel Macron slamming his fist in anger on a table, and a new set of budget numbers to send the marathon summit onward. Macron stated there were extremely tense moments and there will be more that no doubt will still be difficult. But on content, things have moved forward. Macron stressed his partnership with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Without Franco-German agreement, the EU has never taken momentous steps//APNews
photo : wvnews
Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. As quoted by APNews.com Tuesday (20/7) British researchers first began testing the vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom got the experimental vaccine. Such early trials are designed to evaluate safety and see what kind of immune response was provoked, but can’t tell if the vaccine truly protects. In research published Monday in the journal Lancet, scientists said that they found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55 that lasted at least two months after they were immunized//APNews
photo : eurasiancomission
The Heads of governments of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member-states gathered in Minsk, Belarus to take part in the offline meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on July 17. A Press Release from the Embassy of Belarus in Jakarta received by Voice of Indonesia on Monday (20/7) stated that the Council approved a comprehensive plan of action in healthcare and hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The members of the Union agreed to exchange information, implement algorithm to respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases. The issues of creating the industrialization map, the common program in space, agricultural industry and food security of the Union have also been discussed. Besides, the parties debated the formation of a single oil and gas energy market within the framework of the Union. Above all, the strategy for the development of Eurasian integration until 2025 was discussed. It is expected to be signed in Minsk this autumn//ReleaseBelarusembJkt
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European Union leaders battled to save a beleaguered €750 million (US$860 million dollars) COVID-19 recovery package at a summit on Sunday (Jul 19), as global deaths soared past 600,000 and Hong Kong raised the alarm about its growing outbreak. The United States - the worst-affected country by far - ended a week in which it registered its highest figures for new cases for three days running, taking its total towards 3.7 million infections and 140,00 deaths. The virus has now infected more than 14 million people worldwide. With clusters cropping up from Spain to Australia, officials were again facing the dilemma of imposing lockdowns to protect public health or loosening restrictions to save struggling businesses//CNA
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The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a record increase in global Covid-19 cases for the second day in a row, with the total rising by 259,848 in 24 hours. The biggest increases reported on Saturday were from the United States, Brazil, India, and South Africa, according to a daily report. Total global Covid-19 cases surpassed 14 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed nearly 600,000 people in seven months. The surge means that 1 million cases were reported in under 100 hours. The WHO reported 71,484 new cases in the United States, 45,403 in Brazil, 34,884 in India, and 13,373 in South Africa//tempo
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British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has said that he does not want to impose a second national lockdown in the event of another Covid-19 outbreak. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, he compared the option of a nationwide shutdown to a "nuclear deterrent", adding he does not think the country "will be in that position again". Under the new powers, local authorities can close shops, cancel events, and shut outdoor public spaces to manage local outbreaks. Mr. Johnson also said that authorities were getting better at identifying and isolating local outbreaks, adding that the power to order national action will remain an option//bbc