GLOBAL COVID-19 TODAY
CORONAVIRUS CASES: 22,588,815
DEATHS: 791,090
RECOVERED: 15,309,032
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Heathrow’s rapid test centre could replace 14-day quarantine
The Guardian says a new Covid test centre is ready to start rapid testing of inbound passengers arriving at Heathrow airport’s Terminal 2, as soon as the government gives it the go-ahead. Arrivals would find out results within 24 hours of being tested, replacing the need for a 14-day quarantine.
More than 13,000 passenger tests a day can be carried out in the facility, launched by aviation services firm Swissport and the Collinson Group, which runs airport lounges. A second test centre will be ready at Terminal 5 by the end of August, and operators say both centres are scalable according to demand.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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Pupils get GCSE grades as BTec results are pulled
BBC News says hundreds of thousands of anxious teenagers are receiving their GCSE results, amid a fresh round of exams chaos, this time affecting BTecs.
Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will get GCSE grades given by their schools after a flawed algorithm was scrapped in a series of U-turns.
On Wednesday evening, exam board Pearson announced it would re-grade BTecs in line with GCSEs and A-levels.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Switzerland removes on arrival quarantine requirements for Saudis
Arab News says Saudi citizens travelling to Switzerland are exempted from the mandatory on-arrival quarantine, according to the country’s updated travel advisory as international borders reopen.
Switzerland listed 53 countries whose citizens will be required to finish a 10-day quarantine upon arrival, the Saudi Gazette reported.
Read the full story on Arab News
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Ukraine records record daily high of 2,134 new cases
Aljazeera says Ukraine registered 2,134 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, a new daily record for infections in the country, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.
Stepanov said the new data surpassed the previous single-day record of 1,967 reported the previous day.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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Indonesia infection rate highest in Southeast Asia
Aljazeera says Indonesia has officially reported 6,346 deaths from Covid-19, the highest toll in Southeast Asia, but the Reuters news agency reports that including people who died with acute Covid-19 symptoms but were not tested, the death toll is three times higher.
In a comprehensive report on the situation in the archipelago, the news agency says problems with testing as well as a lack of contact tracing has contributed to the rapid spread of the disease.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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Brazil’s President may extend emergency unemployment payments amid pandemic
CNN says Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he might extend emergency payments through the end of the year for the unemployed, but the payments will be at a lower rate than the current 600 reais ($108) a month.
The latest official figures on unemployment show that a total of 8.9 million people lost their jobs as the coronavirus pandemic swept through Brazil — representing the sharpest contraction on record for the country.
Read the full story on CNN
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Tokyo reports 339 new coronavirus cases, back above 300 after holidays
Japan Times says the Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 339 new novel coronavirus cases Thursday, topping 300 for the first time in five days amid worries over a new wave of infections following the end of the Bon summer holidays.
The figure, which is up sharply from the 186 infections logged Wednesday, pushed the cumulative tally in the capital to 18,607. There have been 347 deaths in Tokyo and 32 people are in serious condition.
Read the full story on Japan Times
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ARTS & ENT
Tiger King zoo closes – but will become a film set
Sky News says the big cat zoo made famous by the hit Netflix documentary series Tiger King has closed its doors to the public.
The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma had previously been owned by the star of the show, Joseph Maldonado-Passage – also known as Joe Exotic – who is serving a 22-year jail sentence for his role in a murder-for-hire plot.
Read the full story on Sky News
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SPORT
‘Messi has never been closer to leaving’ – Balague on what Koeman faces at Barca
BBC Sport says so now it’s official. Ronald Koeman is the new coach of Barcelona and Lionel Messi, the Dutchman has said, will be key to his plans.
President Josep Maria Bartomeu has spoken to Messi’s dad, who told him Koeman’s thinking was fine, but he had to speak to his son.
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