The UK has passed its coronavirus peak, Boris Johnson says
Boris Johnson has said the UK is “past the peak” of its coronavirus outbreak and is looking towards a lockdown exit strategy, as he led the British government’s coronavirus briefing for the first time since recovering from Covid-19. “We’re past the peak and we’re on...
Italy will reopen based on how the virus has spread regionally, prime minister says
The Italian government will slowly relax the coronavirus lockdown measures based on how the contagion spreads in different regions of the country, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said today. “Reopening of activities would be based on precise scientific criteria,” he said during an address to...
A third of hospitalized Covid-19 patients die in the UK, study shows
A large-scale new pre-print study has found that a third of coronavirus patients admitted to UK hospitals die, and fewer than half of those put on ventilators survive. The study, called ISARIC4C and led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, University of Liverpool, and...
Europe remains “very much” in grip of pandemic -WHO
Europe remains “very much in the grip of this pandemic,” the World Health Organization warned on Thursday. “Today the European region accounts for 46% of cases, and 63% of deaths globally,” regional director Dr Hans Kluger said. Although Europe is seeing evidence of a “plateau...
Germany conducts more coronavirus tests “than ever”
Germany is conducting more coronavirus tests than at any time since the outbreak of the virus, its government disease control agency said on Thursday. “We had 860,000 tests last week. We have never had so many in Germany, that is great,” Lothar Wieler, the head...
British Prime Minister to face tough questions on coronavirus response for first time since recovering from virus
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face questions at a daily government coronavirus briefing for the first time since recovering from the illness. Testing failures and a rising death toll: Johnson is expected to address questions over the UK’s failure to reach its own target...
France’s GDP sees biggest decline since quarterly records began
The French economy has shrunk by 5.8% in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter — the biggest drop since the country began recording its quarterly GDP in 1949, said France’s national statistics agency, INSEE, on Thursday. Europe’s third-largest economy’s slump is caused mainly...
Germany is now capable of conducting more than 860,000 tests per week
Germany’s labs have increased their coronavirus testing capacity to 141,815 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests a day, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the national center for disease control. That means the nation’s labs can conduct 860,494 tests a week, said RKI. This estimate factors...
It’s just past 9:30 a.m. in Frankfurt and in 1 p.m. in Mumbai. Here’s the latest on the pandemic
Covid-19 has shut down countries worldwide and infected nearly 3.2 million people. If you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments from today: Milestone in South Korea: The country reported zero local transmissions yesterday for the first time since February 18. Four new cases...
Spain’s economy contracted 5.2% in first quarter
The Spanish economy contracted by 5.2% in the first quarter of the year, mainly due to a sharp decline in March, when coronavirus infections prompted a nationwide state of emergency and lockdown. This is the largest GDP drop Spain has seen in recent history, significantly...
Europe sees worst drop in economic activity on record amid pandemic
The European Union economy shrank 3.5% in the first quarter of 2020, feeling the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. EU on course for recession: This is the worst quarterly drop since the EU started collecting the data in 1995, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistic...
Italy falls into recession
Italy, one of the worst hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic, has fallen into recession after its economy slumped 4.7% in the first quarter of 2020, according to the preliminary estimate by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). This is the second consecutive negative...
Coping with Covid 19 : how cargo companies and big brands are adapting to the coronavirus
Business Line explores how some of the giants in the cargo industry are dealing with the Covid 19 health crisis. The team also looks at how the world’s biggest brands have adapted their advertising during the pandemic. As the covid 19 pandemic presents humanity with...
Coronavirus: Remdesivir antiviral drug reduces recovery time from COVID-19, says study
A potential coronavirus treatment has shown success in speeding up the recovery time in people with severe COVID-19, a major US study has shown. Patients with coronavirus treated with the antiviral drug remdesivir recovered in 11 days compared to 15 days for those who received...
Oxford University and pharma giant join forces over vaccine
The University of Oxford’s potential Covid-19 vaccine will be manufactured and distributed by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on a not-for-profit basis. The partnership will allow for rapid vaccination around the world if it proves to be effective. Human trials of the vaccine developed by the University...
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson to update UK on ‘steps to defeat’ the disease
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a cabinet meeting later and then lead the daily coronavirus briefing for the first time since his return to work. No 10 said the PM, whose fiancee gave birth on Wednesday, will update the UK on the “fight against...
Coronavirus: France offers subsidy to tempt lockdown cyclists
France is encouraging people to cycle to keep pollution levels low once lockdown restrictions end. Under the €20 million (£17m; $21.7m) scheme, everyone will be eligible for bike repairs of up to €50 at registered mechanics. The funding will also help pay for cycle training...
Shell cuts dividend for first time since WW2
Royal Dutch Shell has cut its dividend for the first time since World War Two following the collapse in global oil demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. The energy giant also suspended the next tranche of its share buyback programme. The move came as it...
More than 27,000 people have died from coronavirus in Italy
At least 27,682 people with Covid-19 have now died in Italy since the beginning of the crisis, data from the Italian Civil Protection Agency showed Wednesday. The number of active cases in the country stands at 104,657. The total number of cases in Italy, including...
Switzerland to further ease restrictions May 11
The Swiss government will further loosen coronavirus-related restrictions as of May 11. Shops, cultural and sports institutions, and restaurants will be allowed to open at that date, Switzerland’s Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga said at a press conference in Bern. Primary and secondary schools can also...
Spain will begin easing restrictions in May but won’t mandate face masks
Spain is working to ease restrictions in the country and officials defined what the “new normal” will look like as the number of new coronavirus cases continues to fall. Relaxation of Spain’s confinement measures, which have been Europe’s strictest, will be lifted gradually and in...
Germany advises against international travel until at least June 14
Germany is advising against all international trips until at least June 14, the country’s foreign minister Heiko Maas announced Wednesday. Maas told reporters the country “could not advise travel without worries” and that Germany is coordinating with its European neighbouring countries on the global travel...
Volkswagen takes $3 billion coronavirus hit but still expects to make profit this year
Volkswagen still expects to post an operating profit this year despite the “unprecedented crisis” triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, which slammed sales and earnings in the first quarter. The world’s largest carmaker said Wednesday that first-quarter operating profit plummeted to €904 million ($978 million) from...
Potential vaccine being tested in Germany will start US tests “shortly” and could “supply millions” by end of year
A German company working with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has begun human trials of a potential Covid-19 vaccine that could supply millions by the end of the year, according to the two firms. Pfizer says it will begin testing the experimental vaccine in the United...
What will happen to Europe’s tourism industry?
While those employed in aviation and tourism face particularly worrying times, many would-be holidaymakers are wondering whether they will able to go on their planned trips this year. Countries reliant on sun-seeking visitors are hoping they will be able to welcome them. Tourism ministers from...
Ukrainian seasonal workers stopped flying to the UK
Ukraine’s national airline has cancelled a special flight taking seasonal contract workers to the UK, where they can earn four times as much as at home. The Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight was scheduled to leave Kiev for London today. But with very short notice,...
UK pledges £1.5bn for Covid-19 vaccine research
The UK government has pledged more than £1.5bn over the next five years as part of international efforts to find a Covid-19 vaccine. International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan told MPs the UK would contribute the equivalent of £330m a year for the next five years...
Police protecting Prague mayor after ‘Russian murder plot’
The mayor of Prague has confirmed he is under police protection, days after a news report suggested he was the target of an assassination plot. Czech newspaper Respekt alleges a Russian agent carrying the poison ricin arrived in the country three weeks ago. Mayor Zdenek...
Germany’s new Berlin airport set for take off, nine years late
There may be no passengers on the horizon because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Berlin’s long-awaited new airport has finally been given clearance for take off on 31 October. Berlin-Brandenburg was due to open in March 2011 but delays and scandals put it on hold...
Order of Malta: Grand Master Giacomo Dalla Torre dies at 75
Giacomo Dalla Torre, Grand Master of the Order of Malta – the Catholic chivalric group – has died at 75. The grand master, whose full name was Frà Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, died in Rome after several months of illness. The order...