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Japan to launch ASDF space unit to monitor threat to satellites

Japan will launch its first space operations unit within the Air Self-Defense Force on May 18 to monitor threats to Japanese satellites in outer space, ...




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World leaders evoke WWII spirit in battle against pandemic

Global leaders marked 75 years since the end of World War II in Europe on Friday, urging citizens to draw inspiration from the historic victory ...




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Japan’s hotels in a bind as mild and asymptomatic coronavirus patients opt to heal at home instead

Despite legislative attempts to persuade mild and asymptomatic patients to isolate in hotels, most cooperating facilities are nearly empty.




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Chinese ships chase Japanese fishing boat near Senkaku Islands

While it is unclear what kind of chase it was, the Japan Coast Guard ordered the vessels to leave and deployed a ship to guard ...




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Golden Week takes a turn for the weird online amid pandemic

The current environment surrounding the emergence of COVID-19 has forced people to come up with brand new ways of enjoying time away from work.




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A pandemic potpourri of Golden Week news gems

As if the COVID-19 pandemic didn't give Japan enough things to worry about, the unseasonably warm winter and resulting lack of snow may spell severe ...




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Hard sell: Japan’s retail sector may need to reinvent itself in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

A sea change in shopping habits amid the new coronavirus outbreak could impact marketing and distribution across the country for years to come.




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Japanese government, criticized for low testing rates, eases guidelines for seeking virus tests

Anyone with four days of mild cold symptoms is now being encouraged to consult a public health center about getting tested.




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US reversal prevents UN vote on pandemic truce

The United States stunned other members of the UN Security Council by preventing a vote on a resolution for a ceasefire in various conflicts around the world to help troubled nations better fight the coronavirus pandemic, diplomats said.




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Half of Spaniards to see lockdown eased as toll falls

Spain's daily death toll due to Covid-19 today fell to its second lowest since mid-March, as half the country prepares to move to the next phase of its rolling back of lockdown measures.




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Pandemic, Oil Prices Force Saudis to Take Painful Economic Steps


Analysts differ over whether economy of Middle East’s top oil producer might ‘collapse’




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US general says coalition continuing fight against ISIS amid the pandemic


The pandemic has led to a series of changes, including the separation of US and coalition forces from locals.




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Warning Of A Second Pandemic Wave, Health Minister Says Iran Needs A CDC

While admitting that the official death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran has exceeded 6,000, the Islamic Republic Minister of Health warned of a heavy second wave of the disease next autumn and winter. ";A relatively heavy attack by a combination of flu and coronavirus is expected in the fall and winter";, the Minister, Saeed Namaki, reiterated.




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Delayed South China Sea talks expose China’s complex relationship with neighbours during pandemic

Negotiations between China and its Southeast Asian neighbours for a South China Sea code of conduct have been postponed as the nations involved put their efforts into containing the Covid-19 pandemic, creating uncertainty about whether the two sides can work together amid rising tensions in the contested territory.Southeast Asian nations are increasingly caught in a dilemma whether to maintain relations with Beijing during the pandemic while also fearing that tensions over the disputed waters…




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Japan wards off Chinese coastguard vessels caught chasing fishing boat in East China Sea

Japan said it deployed patrols and issued warnings to a group of Chinese coastguard vessels spotted pursuing a Japanese fishing boat in the hotly contested waters of the East China Sea on Friday.The Japan Coast Guard said on Saturday that four Chinese coastguard vessels entered waters close to the Diaoyu Islands – a group of uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo and known locally as known as Senkaku – at about 4pm.The face-off took place about 50 minutes later, when two of the Chinese vessels…




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Coronavirus: how will Europe’s tourism industry survive the pandemic?

Tourism is a key component in the European economy, accounting for 10 per cent of all activity, but it now faces its greatest challenge – how to survive the coronavirus pandemic?International tourist arrivals could plunge by 60 to 80 per cent in 2020 owing to the coronavirus, the World Tourism Organisation warned on Thursday, meaning the local business is going to be essential.France is the world’s leading destination for holiday travel but President Emmanuel Macron warned earlier this week it…




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US regulator pulls approval for dozens of companies making respirators in China

A US regulator on Thursday pulled approval for dozens of companies making industry-standard masks in China, citing substandard performance, and warned health care providers to reconsider using any of the now-blacklisted products.After the US Food and Drug Administration’s determination that many of the made-in-China N95-style masks filter out less than 95 per cent of particulate matter – the filtration level that gives the N95 mask its name – the approved number of manufacturers dropped to 14…




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US-China trade negotiators vow to save phase one deal on first call during pandemic

Top trade negotiators from the United States and China spoke by phone on Friday and vowed to continue to support the phase one trade deal, Chinese state media reported, in their first contact since the agreement was signed in January.On the call, China’s Vice-Premier Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer “vowed to implement their trade deal and boost cooperation on public health”, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.The officials said…




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Lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic - SCMP Series

In a series of in-depth articles, we look at the early lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic. 1. Wanted: world leaders to answer the coronavirus pandemic alarm The international community has sleepwalked into an emergency that it could have prepared for years ago, analysts say. 2. One virus caused Covid-19; scientists say thousands more are in waiting In the second part of our series on lessons learned from the pandemic, we look at the need to identify new viruses and the risks of…




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Spanish flu killed his sister, now ‘world’s oldest man’ faces off against Covid-19

South African Fredie Blom celebrated his 116th birthday on Friday unfazed by the coronavirus crisis, over 100 years since the Spanish flu pandemic killed his sister.“I have lived this long because of God’s grace,” said Blom, possibly one of the oldest men in the world.Lighting a cigarette, he recalled the 1918 pandemic that left tens of millions dead worldwide including his sister.Blom was born in 1904 in the rural town of Adelaide, tucked near the Great Winterberg mountain range of South…




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Coronavirus: US reversal scuppers UN vote on global pandemic ceasefire

The United States has stunned other members of the UN Security Council by preventing a vote on a resolution for a ceasefire in various conflicts around the world to help troubled nations better fight the coronavirus pandemic, diplomats said.Washington’s reversal on Friday came a day after it agreed to the text, negotiators said under cover of anonymity.“The United States cannot support the current draft,” the country’s delegation declared, without further detail, to the 14 other Security…




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Tokyo exotic dancer who earns tips can’t prove income drop to apply for Japan’s coronavirus aid

Japanese exotic dancer Aya Yumiko has been living off her savings since March as she waits for the bars and clubs in Tokyo where she performs in burlesque shows to reopen.But a decision by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week to extend a state of emergency to tackle the coronavirus pandemic until the end of May means Yumiko could use up her last reserves of cash before she can get back to work.“I had enough saved up to last me for two or three months,” said the 40-year-old dancer, who performs…




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How the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a ‘less Chinese’ belt and road initiative

China’s early lead in containing and recovering from the coronavirus outbreak bodes well for the resumption of its massive multi-year Belt and Road Initiative. But as a Chinese saying goes, “a solitary bloom does not herald spring”. As the world’s largest manufacturing and trading nation and a growing technology power, its deep integration with the global economy underscores its keen interest in seeing the world recover as soon as possible.China’s rise from the pandemic will revive demand and…




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Coronavirus: Asian vets head to Australia to prepare for next pandemic

As the coronavirus death toll surpasses 250,000 and the world scrambles to find a vaccine, a new scientific task force is headed to the wilderness to try and stop the next pandemic.After decades of patchy global investment into researching the linkages between animal and human health, more than 40 scientists will embark on an Australian government-funded programme that will teach veterinary surgeons in Southeast Asia and the Pacific how to detect infectious diseases – before they make the leap…




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A blast of winter accompanied by heavy winds

Prague Daily Monitor

Tuesday saw a small return of winter to the Czech Republic. Temperatures dropped during the morning as clouds cleared. Soon heavy winds followed and reaped destruction on infrastructure. At the height of the destruction there were almost 18,000 households across the country with electricity outages during the day. The worst outages were felt in Southern Moravia according to E.ON. Meteorologists are also warning people to be safe in the mountains as wet snow can break branches and fell trees.

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Pandemic fuels historic US job losses, EU wants borders kept shut

In the United States, 20.5 million jobs were wiped out in April -- the most ever reported .




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Drones disinfect Indian pandemic hotspot city after clashes

Ahmedabad, a city of 5.5 million, has become a major concern for authorities.




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Thwake Dam project continues as Covid-19 pandemic bites

Contractor expresses confidence about project but notes effects of the pandemic.




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Coronavirus: Cathay Pacific eyes ‘structural change’ to see the Hong Kong carrier through pandemic crisis and its aftermath

Cathay Pacific is looking at “structural change” as it investigates how to downscale its business in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Post has learned.Hong Kong’s flag carrier is mulling scenarios that could reduce staff headcount, routes served and planes flown, as well as the possible consolidation of its airline brands, in drastic steps that would mirror those taken by rivals in recent weeks.“We are currently working with colleagues from across the airline to model varying degrees…




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Coronavirus: Hong Kong researchers find three-drug combination suppresses virus nearly twice as fast as drug held up as major hope against pandemic

A combination of three drugs suppressed the coronavirus within seven days when used on patients in Hong Kong, nearly twice as fast as a single medicine did, in a result seen as a leading hope in the fight against the pandemic, a study has found.The findings of the research, led by University of Hong Kong academics and published in The Lancet on Saturday, could signal progress in the search for a standard form of therapy for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the Covid-19 disease.It discovered…




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A different kind of Ramadan: Hong Kong Muslims observe fasting month at home, as pandemic measures halt mosque gatherings

It is about 7pm when Muslim community leader Raheel Ahmed, 57, gathers with his wife, two sons and daughter for a home-made meal of dates, rice and spicy curried chicken, salad, fresh fruit and juice.For this Hong Kong family of Pakistani origin, it is their first meal after fasting for more than 12 hours, as this is the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.The world’s 1.8 billion Muslims mark the month by abstaining from food or drink from sunrise to sunset, and gathering as a community in mosques to…




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Press Freedom Needs Protection from Pandemic too

Farhana Haque Rahman is Senior Vice President of IPS Inter Press Service; a journalist and communications expert, she is a former senior official of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

The post Press Freedom Needs Protection from Pandemic too appeared first on Inter Press Service.




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The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Reinvention of the Spirit of Solidarity and Cooperation

Manssour Bin Mussallam, is Secretary General-elect of the Organisation of Educational Cooperation (OEC)

The post The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Reinvention of the Spirit of Solidarity and Cooperation appeared first on Inter Press Service.




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The Unseen Link Between Clean Cooking and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and revealed to what extent current economic models are not sustainable. It has also shown that most countries are not equipped to cope with a health crisis. The World Food Program is warning that the lives and livelihoods of 265 million people in low and middle-income countries will be […]

The post The Unseen Link Between Clean Cooking and the COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on Inter Press Service.




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COVID-19 Pandemic Vulnerable to Exploitation by Proliferators, Terrorists & Criminals

Richard Cupitt is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention program at Stimson. His areas of expertise include WMD nonproliferation, export controls, and foreign policy.

The post COVID-19 Pandemic Vulnerable to Exploitation by Proliferators, Terrorists & Criminals appeared first on Inter Press Service.




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Donald Trump wanted his own two-hour radio show during the pandemic

The US President said he envisioned a show running two hours a day, according to White House officials, and would do it were it not for the risk of encroaching on Rush Limbaugh, the conservative host.




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China didn't warn public of likely pandemic for six key days

China's attempt to walk a line between alerting the public and avoiding panic set the stage for a pandemic that has infected more than 2 million people.




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One in seven US workers jobless as pandemic shock to economy hits

Conservative economist Steven Moore, a Trump ally, said there will be 30 million people out of work in the country if the economy doesn't open back up soon.




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'Everything has shifted': How a pandemic is reshaping the US election

As a rule, if the economy is going well then US presidents get re-elected. If it's going badly, they lose. But will that hold in a global health emergency?




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Europe is emerging from the pandemic with beds and ventilators to spare

All across Europe, the numbers are coming down. There is finally good news to share.




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Coronavirus infection surge threatens to collapse Japan's hospitals

Two Japanese medical associations warn that the country's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse.




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Pandemic gives Arthur Sinodinos 'baptism of fire' as US ambassador

Our man in Washington is making new friends at a safe distance.




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'A stroke of luck': Passenger glad to be on global cruise during pandemic

The virus-free bubble that the Costa Deliziosa cruise ship became on its 15-week odyssey is coming to an end.




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Coronavirus pandemic: South Koreans return to work, malls and golf courses

As the number of new coronavirus infections drops below 20 a day, big firms start social distancing back at the office.




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WHO chief warns worst of coronavirus pandemic is still ahead

The World Health Organisation chief has revived the alarm just as many countries ease restrictive measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus.




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US state of Missouri sues China over coronavirus pandemic

Lawsuits against other countries are typically fruitless because US law generally prohibits them with rare exceptions, said one international law expert.




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Half of Spaniards will see lockdown eased from Monday

Spain’s daily death toll from the coronavirus fell to its second lowest since mid-March on Saturday, as half the country prepared to move to the next phase of an exit from one of Europe’s strictest lockdowns. Spain began to loosen its lockdown this week, but Phase 1 will include a...

The post Half of Spaniards will see lockdown eased from Monday appeared first on Cyprus Mail.




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Arjun Kapoor nostalgic about shooting for movies during global pandemic

Arjun Kapoor shared a gut-wrenching post, wherein he reminisced about his life as an actor




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Farhan Akhtar donates over 1,000 PPE kits to hospitals all over India amid pandemic

Farhan Akhtar recently won the hearts of fans as a result of his generous donation to hospitals in India




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Ananya Panday, James McVey to face off against gruesome outcomes of online bullying

Ananya Panday joined James McVey to spread awareness against online bullying's detrimental impact