Thursday 22 October
BRIEF – ME! – DAILY NEWS BRIEFING
Thursday 22 October 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: 41,487,185
Deaths: 1,136,341
Recovered: 30,914,158
- Rishi Sunak expected to increase tier 2 jobs support.
- German cases rise by over 10,000 for first time in pandemic.
- Spain becomes first EU nation to reach 1 million Covid-19 cases.
- Jordan limits comprehensive curfew to Fridays until end of 2020.
- Brazil COVID-19 vaccine trial continues despite volunteer death.
- A Covid-19 vaccine should be available in “next couple of months,” NIH director says.
Rishi Sunak expected to increase tier 2 jobs support
BBC News says the chancellor is expected to unveil new support for workers in parts of England under tier two restrictions.
Rishi Sunak will announce an update to the Job Support Scheme (JSS) – which is set to replace furlough in November – in the Commons on Thursday.
Critics say not enough is being done for companies in tier two areas that have seen demand collapse without being formally required to shut.
Read the full story on BBC News
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German cases rise by over 10,000 for first time in pandemic
The Guardian says the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose by more than 10,000 in a single day for the first time.
The institute recorded 11,287 new cases in its daily update for a total of 392,049. The previous day’s increase was 7,830.
The previous highest one-day total was on 20 October, according to Johns Hopkins University, with over 8,500 new cases.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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Spain becomes first EU nation to reach 1 million Covid-19 cases
France24 says Spain has become the first EU nation to surpass a million coronavirus infections, official data showed Wednesday. The Mediterranean country doubled its tally in just six weeks despite the government’s fresh restrictions on public life to curb the spread of the disease.
The country recorded 16,973 confirmed cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, the health ministry announced Wednesday, taking the total to 1,005,295 since its first case was diagnosed on January 31 on the remote island of La Gomera, in the Canary Islands.
Read the full story on France24
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Jordan limits comprehensive curfew to Fridays until end of 2020
Arab News says Jordan’s curfew has been revised and will now be imposed only on Fridays – instead of Fridays and Saturdays – until the end of the year, state news agency Petra reported citing PM Bisher Khasawneh.
Khasawneh said businesses can operate until 10 p.m. and public movement will be allowed from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. as partial nighttime curfews will be extended.
Read the full story on Arab News
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Brazil Covid-19 vaccine trial continues despite volunteer death
Aljazeera says Brazil said on Wednesday that a volunteer in a clinical trial of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University had died, but said the trial would continue.
The regulator said while testing of the vaccine would continue, it provided no further details about the volunteer’s death, citing the medical confidentiality of those involved in trials.
Read the full story on AljazeeraÂ
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A Covid-19 vaccine should be available in “next couple of months,” NIH director says
CNN says the US should have a viable vaccine against the coronavirus in the “next couple of months,” Dr Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, said Wednesday.
Collins said it’s “truly breathtaking” that a Covid-19 vaccine will have been developed in under a year given that it can take a decade to create a successful vaccine.
Read the full story on CNN
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- Two California teens arrested in connection to pro-Trump rally assault, police say.
- French prosecutors charge seven, including two teens, over teacher’s killing.
- Nearly 70% of Italians say Europe’s climate response is insufficient, Euronews survey reveals.
- Undeterred Nigerian Youth Call for Police Reform Post-Shooting.
- Cocaine worth $500m found hidden in charcoal shipment.
- Thai PM revokes emergency measures after week of protests.
Two California teens arrested in connection to pro-Trump rally assault, police say
Fox News says two teens accused of confronting demonstrators advocating for the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom in Southern California have been charged in connection to a violent altercation, authorities said.Â
A group of about 50 President Trump supporters with Unite 911 were holding a rally in Palm Springs on Sunday before the altercation involving two juveniles, ages 13 and 15, said Lt. William Hutchinson of the Palm Springs police.
French prosecutors charge seven, including two teens, over teacher’s killing
France24 says two teenagers accused of pointing out French teacher Samuel Paty to his killer who beheaded him were on Wednesday charged with complicity in terrorist murder, prosecutors said, as the nation paid homage to the slain educator.
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Nearly 70% of Italians say Europe’s climate response is insufficient, Euronews survey reveals
Euronews says Europeans believe not enough is being done to tackle climate change, according to a Euronews-commissioned survey.
Around two-thirds of respondents in France (64%), Germany (67%) and Italy (68%) agreed not sufficient action was being taken in Europe.
UK respondents agreed but in lower numbers (57%).
Read the full story on Euronews
Undeterred Nigerian Youth Call for Police Reform Post-Shooting
Africanews says peaceful protests against police brutality in Lagos turned bloody on Tuesday.
News which soon took hold of the Twittersphere as users worldwide shared videos of Nigerian armed forces opening fire on #EndSARSNow demonstrators.
Cocaine worth $500m found hidden in charcoal shipment
BBC News says police in Paraguay have found a record 2.3 tonnes of cocaine hidden among a charcoal shipment destined for Israel.
They said the drugs had an estimated street value of $500m (ÂŁ383m). It is the largest drugs seizure police have made in the South American country.
