Amazon forest fires could increase risk of serious coronavirus infections
An intense season of fires in the Amazon rainforest this year could overwhelm health systems and lead to unnecessary deaths, including of coronavirus, as pollution worsens respiratory conditions, public health experts said on Wednesday.
Britain removes protection from Churchill statue for Macron visit
Workmen began removing protective hoarding around a statue of Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill on Wednesday ahead of a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron, after the monument was covered up during racial equality protests.
Lithuania mints ‘coin of hope’ to remember year of pandemic
Lithuania began minting a collector’s coin, dubbed a “coin of hope”, on Wednesday to mark the year of the new coronavirus and pay tribute to doctors, nurses and others who helped the country weather the pandemic.
WHO says steroid should be for serious coronavirus cases only
A cheap steroid that can help save the lives of patients with severe COVID-19 should be reserved for serious cases in which it has been shown to provide benefits, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
EU chief executive: no post-Brexit deal without ‘level playing field’
The European Union’s chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday that the bloc will do its best to seal an agreement on new ties with Britain by the end of the year but will not compromise its core values, notably on fair competition.
Cocaine hotline: police bust elaborate Madrid drug ring
Spanish police have dismantled an elaborate cocaine distribution ring in Madrid which had more than 2,000 customers, delivery time guarantees and a loyalty reward system, and adapted tactics to keep running during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Bosnia’s rival ethnic parties seal a deal on Mostar after a decade
Bosnia’s largest Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) parties agreed on Wednesday, under international mediation, on the way the southern town of Mostar should be governed, paving the way for the first local vote there in 12 years.
Germany bans big events until October despite COVID decline
Germany will extend a ban on large events until at least the end of October to try to avoid a new wave of coronavirus infections, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.
Canada to present fiscal snapshot on July 8, too early for full update, PM Trudeau says
The Canadian government will unveil a “fiscal and economic snapshot” on July 8 to show much money it has spent combating the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday.
Kayapó chief Payakan dies from COVID-19, led protest against Amazon dam
Brazil’s indigenous people lost one of their pioneering leaders to COVID-19 on Wednesday with the death of Paulinho Payakan, a Kayapó chief who led protests against the Belo Monte hydro-electric dam in the 1980s.
