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International News (601)
May
EU leads on global pledging event raising €7.4 billion for COVID-19 global response
Written by nuke
The EU, together with WHO and other partners, hosted an international pledging conference on 4 May 2020 raising €7.4 billion Euro in only a few hours, as initial funding to kick-start a global research cooperation. The aim is to gather significant funding to ensure the collaborative development and universal deployment of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against coronavirus. The pledging continues until the end of May, and funds collected will be channelled into three strands: diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge and requires a global response. This initiative is part of a multilateral response to the COVID-19 crisis and follows up on a commitment made by EU leaders at the G20 and G7 meetings. European comission President Ursula von der leyen said that the world is coming together to defeat the virus.
"The 4th of May 2020 mark turning point in our fight againts the corona virus. Because the world is coming together, government from every continents joint hands and team up with global health organization and other experience partners. The partners are many the goal is one to defeat this virus" Von Der Leyen said.
In parallel, the EU has already committed over €380 million in research and innovation measures to develop vaccines, new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical systems to prevent the spread of the virus.On the occasion the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres stated that UN is pleased working together with EU and other states to A universal and affordable Access to COVID-19 Tools or ACT-Accelerator.
"I was very happy to join the the world health organization and the initial groups of other sectors to launch the ACT accelerated. A landmark of global cooperation to speed up the development of vaccines and equitable acces to the new covid 19 diagnostic, treatments and vaccine" Antonio Guterres said.
The pledging event was co-convened by the European Union, Canada, France, Germany, Italy (also incoming G20 presidency), Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (also holding the G20 presidency), Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. The initiative is a response to the callfrom the World Health Organization (WHO) and a group of health actors for a global collaboration for the accelerated development, production and equitable global access to new coronavirus essential health technologies. The Coronavirus Global Response Initiative is comprised of three partnerships for testing, treating and preventing underpinned by health systems strengthening//NK
May
Treasury rolls out small business 'bounce back' loans
Written by nuke
Businesses will be able to apply for loans of up to £50,000 from Monday in a scheme backed by the Treasury. The new scheme, dubbed bounce back loans, will offer smaller amounts than the existing Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). But the Treasury says they will be quicker and easier to apply for and will have a 2.5% interest rate. The form will be seven questions long and the loan is 100% guaranteed by the government. The CBILS provide loans of up to £5m for companies with a turnover of less than £45m. The CBIL scheme loans have come in for criticism by some businesses, especially smaller ones. Banks can often apply their usual lending criteria, which makes it harder for smaller enterprises to qualify while locked down.Banks have been criticized for delays in handing out loans but have blamed the heavy workload, the need to complete the necessary credit checks and a shortage of staff. The government insists these new loans will be easier to apply for//bbc
May
A new drug developed by UK scientists to treat Covid-19 patients is being trialed at University Hospital Southampton. Developed by UK biotech company Synairgen, it uses a protein called interferon beta, which our bodies produce when we get a viral infection. Initial results from the trial are expected by the end of June. There are currently few effective treatments for coronavirus with doctors relying on patients' immune systems//bbc
May
Express Satellites to Be Launched on 30 July, Proton-M Repairs to End in June
Written by nuke
Telecommunications satellites Express-80 and Express-103 will be launched on July 30, the Proton-M carrier rocket needed for the launch will be repaired by June, a space industry source said. The repair schedule at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, stipulates sending the Proton-M to the Baikonur cosmodrome, at the start of this summer. In April, three Proton-M heavy-lift launch vehicles, designated for launching satellites from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, were returned to the Khrunichev Centre in Moscow. According to the Russian Satellite Communications Company, the Express-103 satellite is designed to provide a package of communications services, such as digital TV, telephony, videoconferencing, data transmission, Internet access, and to deploy satellite networks by applying VSAT technology//Sputnik
May
COVID-19: Singapore students to be allowed to go back to school from May 19
Written by nuke
As part of the gradual easing of "circuit breaker" measures, schools in Singapore will start to bring back students in small groups, for face-to-face lessons from May 19. Minister for National Development of Singapore, Lawrence Wong said they will focus initially on the graduating cohort that are taking national exams. Priority will also be given to those who need additional support during the school holidays, which will begin this year in May instead of June. However, to reopening of premises, the key requirements have to be put in place, and that is much stricter guidelines and requirements for safe management within the workplaces. The students come we keep them in separate groups within their cohorts//CNA
May
South Africa began to gradually ease its strict coronavirus lockdown on Friday, allowing some industries to reopen after five weeks of restrictions, that plunged its struggling economy deeper into turmoil.
As quoted by AFP.com, the economy of Africa's most industrialised nation was already teetering, with low growth and high debts when the lockdown kicked in on March 27.
On Wednesday S&P downgraded the country's credit rating further to junk. With 5,647 confirmed cases and 103 fatalities, South Africa has the continent's highest COVID-19 death toll//AFP
May
Kim Jong-un appears in public, North Korean state media report
Written by nuke
Kim Jong-un has appeared in public for the first time in 20 days, North Korean state media says.
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports that the North Korean leader cut the ribbon, at the opening of a fertiliser factory. It adds that people at the factory broke into thunderous cheers of hurrah, when he appeared on Friday.
The reported appearance,his first since an event on state media on 12 April - comes amid global speculation over his health. The latest reports from North Korean media could not be independently confirmed.
Asked about Mr Kim's reported reappearance, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he didn't want to comment yet.
Speculation about Mr Kim's health began, after he missed the birth anniversary celebrations of his grandfather, state founder Kim Il Sung on 15 April.
The anniversary is one of the biggest events in the North Korean calendar, and Mr Kim usually marks it, by visiting the mausoleum where his grandfather lies. Mr Kim had never missed this event//BBC
May
Coronavirus: Russian PM Mishustin tests positive for virus
Written by nuke
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has gone to hospital after he was diagnosed with coronavirus. His positive test came on the same day that Russia recorded a record 7,099 cases, taking the total number of infections above 100,000. Mishustin was given the role of prime minister in January and has been actively involved in Russia's handling of the epidemic. Russian TV showed him telling President Vladimir Putin of his diagnosis. Mishustin suggested that First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov should take his place and Putin agreed. Mishustin will now go into self-isolation//BBC
May
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says UK is past the peak of outbreak
Written by nuke
PM Boris Johnson said he will set out a comprehensive plan next week on how to restart the economy, reopen schools and help people travel to work following the coronavirus lockdown. He said the UK was past the peak of the virus outbreak, but stressed the country must not risk a second spike. Prime Minister Johnson said face masks will be useful as part of the strategy for coming out of lockdown. Some 26,771 people have now died with the virus in the UK, a rise of 674. The prime minister added that UK can now see the sunlight, but he insisted to avoid the disaster of a second peak//BBC
May
Coronavirus: Los Angeles offers free virus testing to all residents
Written by nuke
Los Angeles is offering free coronavirus tests to all residents, regardless of whether they are displaying any symptoms. Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement just hours after Los Angeles County reported its largest daily increase in new Covid-19 cases. Until now, only essential workers and those displaying symptoms could receive tests due to a scarcity of kits. Meanwhile, California ordered all beaches in Orange County to close. California is the most populous state in the US, and while some of its beaches have been closed for weeks, others have remained open with social distancing rules in place. Los Angeles County currently accounts for almost half of California's confirmed coronavirus cases. The state has so far reported over 48,000 cases and more than 1,900 deaths//BBC