🌎 Yesterday, the global death toll from Coronavirus reached 210,000.



Oxford Group is now leading the race for a vaccine, saying first doses could be available as early as September. As scientists at the Jenner Institute prepare for mass clinical trials, new tests show their vaccine to be effective in monkeys. The Oxford scientists now say that with an emergency approval from regulators, the first few million doses of their vaccine could be available by September — at least several months ahead of any of the other announced efforts — if it proves to be effective.



Donald Trump has said the US will conduct “serious investigations” into China’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak and could pursue the country for billions in damages because China “could have stopped” the coronavirus. Yesterday, in a call with governors, Trump also suggested that some states should reopen schools before the end of the academic year.

New York officials canceled the state’s Democratic presidential primary, calling the vote, which had been set for June 23, “essentially a beauty contest” that the state could not afford in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.



In France, unemployment increased by +7.1% in March (historic high), prompting the government to announce changes to rules of unemployment insurance.

Singapore struggles to slash coronavirus infections. Singapore has overtaken Japan to become the Asian country with the third-highest number of coronavirus infections.

Many shops outside shopping malls are reopening in the Czech Republic after the government brought forward its five-stage lockdown exit plan, amid reports that the British government is closely watching the country’s back-to-business strategy.

In Japan, medical experts say holding the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 will be ‘difficult’. “Unless an effective vaccine is developed I think it will be difficult to hold the Olympics next year,” JMA president Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.



New Zealand and Australia continue to ease their lockdowns. In New Zealand, around 75% of the economy is now operational, but workers were told to work from home if they could. There was much excitement at the reopening of restaurants and cafes for takeaway. Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, said it would allow up to two adults to visit any house from Friday. Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach re-opened for the first time in weeks for swimming and surfing.