News in Brief
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ended her self-quarantine and returned to the chancellery on Friday after testing negative for coronavirus several times, her spokesman said. Merkel had been self-quarantining and working from home after receiving a vaccination on March 20 from a doctor who was later found to have coronavirus. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was remaining in isolation on Friday as he still had mild symptoms of the coronavirus including a high temperature seven days after he tested positive for the virus. "Although I’m feeling better and I’ve done my seven days of isolation, alas I still have one of the symptoms, a minor symptom, I still have a temperature so in accordance with government advice I must continue my self-isolation until that symptom itself goes,” Johnson said in a video message. Johnson announced a week ago that he had tested positive and would be isolating in Downing Street.
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PARIS (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Paris says no one from the federal government bought masks destined for France. The statement Friday denied that the U.S. government was responsible after allegations by multiple French officials that Americans paid exorbitant amounts in cash for planeloads of surgical masks that the French had already ordered. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was looking into similar reports of masks destined for Canada. Governors of multiple U.S. states have described a chaotic competition for gear that pits states and even hospitals against each other for protective gear and medical equipment in the fight against coronavirus. In one case, the New England Patriots owner sent the team’s private plane to fetch an order of 1 million masks for Massachusetts. Masks destined for other countries appear to be going to three states — Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.
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TOKYO (AP) — At least 30 countries have asked Japan about anti-flu drug Avigan that was developed several years ago by a subsidiary of FujiFilm. It is believed Avigan might mitigate COVID-19. The Japanese government approved the drug in 2014 for use in Japan and has a stockpile of Avigan tablets. But the pills were never distributed to market or to hospitals. Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Friday that Japan is interested in working with other nations to further test Avigan and will ship them for free if asked. FujiFilm Toyama Chemical Co. stepped up production of Avigan last month and has been carrying out more tests to ensure the drug’s safety and effectiveness. Favipiravir, the active pharmaceutical ingredient of Avigan, prevents the propagation of viruses. The coronavirus is similar in type to the flu virus.
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LONDON (AP) — Google has started releasing location data to help public health officials track how people are responding to lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. tech giant said Friday that it’s publishing aggregated, anonymized data for 131 countries and regions to highlight movement trends over time. The information is gathered from Google Maps or the search giant’s other services, but no personal details, such as an individual’s location, contacts or movement, is disclosed. Google plans to update the reports regularly, with a lag of two to three days. The reports chart whether more or less people are flowing into shops, parks, grocery stores, pharmacies, subway stations and offices. The company said it has heard from health officials who say the readings could be helpful for making critical decisions on how to fight the virus.
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BERLIN (DW) -- A Venezuelan Navy patrol boat purposefully collided with a German cruise ship in international waters off the South American country, German media reported on Friday. The Resolute cruise ship had a crew of 32 but no passengers on board at the time of the incident, just after midnight on March 30. The Hamburg-based Colombia Cruise Services said the vessel was the target of "an act of aggression” by the Venezuelan Navy as it was traveling to Isla de Tortuga for routine maintenance. In a statement, the firm said the incident took place in international waters, around 13.3 nautical miles from the island. The company said the navy vessel ANBV Naiguata accused the Resolute’s captain of violating the country’s territorial waters and ordered the ship to follow it another island, Isla De Margarita.
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NEW DELHI (Dispatches) -- India is considering a proposal by Russia to supply the Indian navy with three refurbished submarines, capable of launching cruise missiles. The Indian Navy is considering the proposal made by a Russian shipbuilding company to provide India with three refurbished ‘Kilo’ class diesel-electric submarines, local media reported. The company — JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) —offered a $1.8-2 billion "three plus three” package, which also includes upgrade work on India’s existing Kilo fleet of three. The submarines on offer are reportedly about 30 years old. According to a naval expert, these Russian submarines "are equipped with the Russian supplied 3M-14E Club-S missile which is roughly similar to the American Tomahawk.” The offer comes months after Russia confirmed that the Indian Air Force was planning to "urgently buy” 21 ‘mothballed’ MiG-29 fighters.
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PARIS (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Paris says no one from the federal government bought masks destined for France. The statement Friday denied that the U.S. government was responsible after allegations by multiple French officials that Americans paid exorbitant amounts in cash for planeloads of surgical masks that the French had already ordered. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was looking into similar reports of masks destined for Canada. Governors of multiple U.S. states have described a chaotic competition for gear that pits states and even hospitals against each other for protective gear and medical equipment in the fight against coronavirus. In one case, the New England Patriots owner sent the team’s private plane to fetch an order of 1 million masks for Massachusetts. Masks destined for other countries appear to be going to three states — Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.
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TOKYO (AP) — At least 30 countries have asked Japan about anti-flu drug Avigan that was developed several years ago by a subsidiary of FujiFilm. It is believed Avigan might mitigate COVID-19. The Japanese government approved the drug in 2014 for use in Japan and has a stockpile of Avigan tablets. But the pills were never distributed to market or to hospitals. Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Friday that Japan is interested in working with other nations to further test Avigan and will ship them for free if asked. FujiFilm Toyama Chemical Co. stepped up production of Avigan last month and has been carrying out more tests to ensure the drug’s safety and effectiveness. Favipiravir, the active pharmaceutical ingredient of Avigan, prevents the propagation of viruses. The coronavirus is similar in type to the flu virus.
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LONDON (AP) — Google has started releasing location data to help public health officials track how people are responding to lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. tech giant said Friday that it’s publishing aggregated, anonymized data for 131 countries and regions to highlight movement trends over time. The information is gathered from Google Maps or the search giant’s other services, but no personal details, such as an individual’s location, contacts or movement, is disclosed. Google plans to update the reports regularly, with a lag of two to three days. The reports chart whether more or less people are flowing into shops, parks, grocery stores, pharmacies, subway stations and offices. The company said it has heard from health officials who say the readings could be helpful for making critical decisions on how to fight the virus.
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BERLIN (DW) -- A Venezuelan Navy patrol boat purposefully collided with a German cruise ship in international waters off the South American country, German media reported on Friday. The Resolute cruise ship had a crew of 32 but no passengers on board at the time of the incident, just after midnight on March 30. The Hamburg-based Colombia Cruise Services said the vessel was the target of "an act of aggression” by the Venezuelan Navy as it was traveling to Isla de Tortuga for routine maintenance. In a statement, the firm said the incident took place in international waters, around 13.3 nautical miles from the island. The company said the navy vessel ANBV Naiguata accused the Resolute’s captain of violating the country’s territorial waters and ordered the ship to follow it another island, Isla De Margarita.
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NEW DELHI (Dispatches) -- India is considering a proposal by Russia to supply the Indian navy with three refurbished submarines, capable of launching cruise missiles. The Indian Navy is considering the proposal made by a Russian shipbuilding company to provide India with three refurbished ‘Kilo’ class diesel-electric submarines, local media reported. The company — JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) —offered a $1.8-2 billion "three plus three” package, which also includes upgrade work on India’s existing Kilo fleet of three. The submarines on offer are reportedly about 30 years old. According to a naval expert, these Russian submarines "are equipped with the Russian supplied 3M-14E Club-S missile which is roughly similar to the American Tomahawk.” The offer comes months after Russia confirmed that the Indian Air Force was planning to "urgently buy” 21 ‘mothballed’ MiG-29 fighters.