Asia Pacific Daily News - Focus on Asia-Pacific Development, Daily News Express, Scholar Creation Center

TOP HEADLINES

•The total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths passed 400,000 worldwide .

• The British laboratory at ** Imperial College London, UK, is creating a company in partnership with Morningside Ventures to sidestep the drug industry and be able to sell its potential vaccine at the lowest cost possible** . Trials will begin this month and if effective and safe, the vaccine could be available early next year.

•Greece extends the lockdown on migrant camps for another two weeks , while the rest of the country reopens to tourism.

•France increases fine on face masks discarded on the streets to $150 .

•All across Europe huge crowds have participated in protests in solidarity with demonstrations in the U.S. over the killing of George Floyd . Health experts worry the gatherings may cause a quicker spread of the virus.

•UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that Black Lives Matter protests in the country may risk the spread of the infection and urged people not to gather in groups of more than six.

•A rally by far-right extremists in Rome, Italy, demanding the government resign over its response to the coronavirus turned violent , with protesters throwing bottles, stones and smoke bombs and the police responding with water cannon and tear gas.

**•Brazil's government has removed online data on the pandemic, **a move critics say is designedto hide the rising number of deaths and new cases in the country.

•60 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by Covid-19 , according to the World Bank.

• Japanese company Fujifilm says its research on Avigan as a potential treatment for COVID-19 might be delayed until July or later due to a lack of patients for the necessary trials.

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ACROSS EUROPE

By Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

There are concerns over a lack of social distancing at Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests in the UK.

On Sunday, a demonstration is set to take place outside the U.S. Embassy in London. The government has urged people not to gather at protests, saying they could accelerate the spread of COVID-19. But the turnout at the protest is expected to be high, after thousands across the UK joined the demonstrations on Saturday.

In other news, places of worship will be reopened for private worship as Britain continues to ease its lockdown. 15 June is the date when the latest major changes will come into effect. Faith leaders have been working with the government to allow the likes of churches, mosques and synagogues to reopen their doors safely. But mass worship and services like weddings will still not be allowed.

Black Lives Matter protests in Trafalgare Square in central London on 6 June. Credits: Tolga AKMEN / AFP

By Toni Waterman in Brussels

Thousands of demonstrators are expected to join Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in Brussels on Sunday. Organizers say they are standing in solidarity with their American counterparts, who have been protesting since George Floyd was killed in late May. They are also demanding an end to police brutality in Belgium. There are no official records on police killings in Belgium, but the most recent report from the police watchdog Comité P shows 2,965 lodged complaints against the police in 2018, the highest number since at least 2010.

Sunday's BLM protest will be the first mass gathering since the coronavirus outbreak and there are concerns the event could lead to a round of infections. Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes had asked organizers to find an alternative way to demonstrate, but the city's mayor approved a 'static' protest. Organizers have asked all participants to respect COVID-19 hygiene measures, to wear a face mask and to maintain social distance.