Tuesday 29 Septmeber
BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING
Tuesday 29 September 2020 News Briefing – Today’s headlines are dominated by the global Coronavirus Pandemic. As of 6:30 am (GMT), these are the global active numbers.
Global COVID-19 UPDATE
Coronavirus Cases: 33,552,483
Deaths: 1,006,381
Recovered: 24,881,156
- One million lives lost: World counts cost of Covid-19 pandemic.
- New global Covid-19 test will give results ‘in minutes.’
- Netherlands join neighbours in tightening Covid-19 restrictions amid rise in cases.
- Mexico revises cases and death toll.
- Pandemic to keep Asia’s growth at lowest since 1967, World Bank.
- CDC was pushed to play down the risks of Covid-19 in reopening schools, former Pence staffer says.
Uber wins right to operate in London
France24 says Uber has been granted the right to resume operating in London, despite what a judge described as ‘historical failures.
One million lives lost: World counts cost of Covid-19 pandemic
Aljazeera says the global death toll from Covid-19 has crossed one million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, but the WHO says that number is likely to be much higher.
Some 1,000,555 people across the world have now died from the virus, data from JHU showed on Tuesday.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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Netherlands join neighbours in tightening Covid-19 restrictions amid rise in cases
Euronews says the Netherlands has introduced stricter measures to combat rising coronavirus cases, banning spectators at professional sports matches and ordering bars and restaurants to close at 10 pm for the next three weeks.
The Health Minister said “we’re doing our best, but the virus is doing better”, warning that tougher measures could follow if the numbers don’t stop rising.
Read the full story on Euronews
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New global Covid-19 test will give results ‘in minutes’
BBC News says a new test that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes will dramatically expand the capacity to detect cases in low- and middle-income countries, the WHO has said.
The $5 test could transform tracking of Covid-19 in less wealthy countries, which have shortages of healthcare workers and laboratories.
A deal with manufacturers will provide 120 million tests over six months. The WHO’s head called it a major milestone.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Mexico revises cases and death toll
The Guardian says Mexico upped its estimated Covid-19 deaths to 89,612 on Monday, and boosted estimates of its total number of cases to 870,699, almost 137,000 more than it previously recognised, AP reports.
Even with the new estimated death toll, Mexico is still in fourth place worldwide behind India, which has 95,542 deaths. But in the case of infections, the new estimates would boost Mexico from eighth place in total cases to fifth place, behind Russia with about 1.15 million cases.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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Pandemic to keep Asia’s growth at lowest since 1967, World Bank
Arab News says the coronavirus pandemic is expected to lead to the slowest growth in more than 50 years in East Asia and the Pacific as well as China, while up to 38 million people are set to be pushed back into poverty, the World Bank said in an economic update on Monday.
The bank said the region this year is projected to grow by only 0.9%, the lowest rate since 1967.
Read the full story on Arab News
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CDC was pushed to play down the risks of Covid-19 in reopening schools, former Pence staffer says
CNN says the CDC was pushed to play down the risks of the coronavirus pandemic in reopening schools, Olivia Troye, a former staff member for VP Mike Pence, told CNN.
“Unfortunately, this was an effort, you know, at times where I would get blindsided, where there would be junior staffers being tasked to find different data for charts to show that the virus wasn’t as bad for certain populations, ages or demographics,” Troye told CNN.
Read the full story on CNN
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A quick look at the top stories today
Trump refuses to take questions at WH event after bombshell tax claims
The Independent says Trump on Monday did not take reporters’ questions as he concluded an event on coronavirus testing a day after an explosive report based on previously secret financial documents that revealed he paid no federal taxes some years and took heavy losses despite selling himself as a business savant.
Brussels appeals court ruling on Apple 13 billion euros back tax case
EuroNews says Brussels announced on Friday it is appealing a court ruling that said Apple did not have to repay €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement the European Union “respectfully considers that in its judgment the General Court has made a number of errors of law”.
Mali’s sanctions may take longer than expected to be lifted
Africanews says it was hoped the Sunday appointment of Mali’s new civilian prime minister, Moctar Ouane, could lift sanctions imposed by neighbouring countries.
ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Mali soon after the junta led August 18 coup and said they would be lifted after civilian leaders were appointed during the transition period.
Trump administration mulls tightening sanctions on Iran
Aljazeera says the Trump administration is considering fresh sanctions to sever Iran’s economy from the outside world except in limited circumstances, by targeting more than a dozen banks and labelling the entire financial sector off-limits, three people familiar with the matter said.
