in-cyprus 30 September 2020 - by Maria Bitar
World Bank President David Malpass said he was seeking board approval for a $12 billion coronavirus vaccine financing plan to help poor and developing countries secure vaccine doses, as part of the $160 billion coronavirus aid financing pledged by the bank.
EUROPE
* Italy is likely to extend a state of emergency to help keep the health crisis under control, a senior official said.
* Finland and Poland slapped new curfews on bars and restaurants, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the country would restrict the size of gatherings and fine people who flout tracking rules.
* Hundreds of junior Spanish doctors took to the streets of Barcelona to demand better working conditions as they struggle against a second wave of infections.
AMERICAS
* US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday she hoped to have a coronavirus aid deal with the White House this week, after speaking with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
* Walt Disney said on Tuesday it will lay off roughly 28,000 employees, mostly at its US theme parks, where attendance has been crushed by the pandemic, especially in California where Disneyland remains closed.
* New York City will impose fines on people who refuse to wear a face covering as the rate of positive tests for the novel coronavirus climbed above 3% for the first time in months, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
* Canada’s federal authorities and its two biggest provinces promised new measures to combat a second wave that is notching up as many cases as during the pandemic’s peak in April.
* Colombia will extend a selective quarantine for the duration of October.
* Mexico’s confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 738,163 on Tuesday, according to updated data from the health ministry, along with a total reported death toll of 77,163. Authorities reported 4,446 new cases along with 560 deaths on Tuesday, but the true figures are likely significantly higher due to little testing.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* India’s coronavirus case tally surged to 6.23 million after it reported 80,472 new infections in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed on Wednesday.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Israel’s parliament approved a government-backed edict on Wednesday likely to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said its experimental two-antibody cocktail reduced viral levels and improved symptoms in non-hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.
* Results from an early safety study showed Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate appeared safe and showed signs of working in older adults, researchers said.
* Germany’s CureVac NV said it has started a mid-stage study testing its experimental coronavirus vaccine and plans to begin a decisive global trial with about 30,000 volunteers in the fourth quarter.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* The US recovery from the coronavirus-linked recession has been more robust than expected, a top Federal Reserve policymaker said, though he added it could be about three years before the economy regains its full strength.
(Reuters)