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Here are today’s picks from our editors.
Global leaders promise $8 billion to fight COVID-19, EU says
Global leaders have promised $8 billion to fund research into vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics to tackle COVID-19.
World leaders are taking part in a virtual international conference on Monday to thrash out a battle plan to fight the pandemic.
Aside from the EU, other co-hosts include Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and the UK.
Dozens of other countries will also be attending the summit, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
"This is the funding that is needed right now to ramp up work on vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (CGTN)
First coronavirus case in France appeared in December: expert
The novel coronavirus first appeared in France on December 27, 2019, said Yves Cohen, an intensive care chief from Avicenne Hospital in Paris, during an interview with BFMTV on Sunday.
The patient was tested on December 27, a month before the first French cases were confirmed, Cohen said.
The expert said the man might be "patient zero." (CGTN)
US to rein in flood of virus blood tests after lax oversight
US regulators Monday pulled back a decision that allowed scores of coronavirus blood tests to hit the market without first providing proof that they worked.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it took action because some sellers have made false claims about the tests and their accuracy.
Under pressure to increase testing options, the FDA in March essentially allowed companies to begin selling tests as long as they notified the agency of their plans and provided disclaimers, including that they were not FDA approved. (AP)
Over 46,000 arrested in Sri Lanka for violating curfew
Sri Lankan Police said Monday that over 46,000 people had been arrested nationwide for curfew violations since March 20.
Police officials said 46,284 people had been arrested for loitering on streets, gathering and consuming alcohol in public, traveling by vehicle, keeping restaurants open, unruly behavior while intoxicated, and illegal trading.
Over 12,000 vehicles have been seized since the curfew was implemented. (Xinhua)
100 million travelers spark China's Labor Day tourism surge
The Labor Day holiday saw a recovery in China's tourism sector, with public attractions receiving over 100 million visitors in four days, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Monday.
Although there is still one day remaining, revenue generated over the past four days reached over 43 billion yuan.
The data also revealed 19.3 million visits were made to domestic attractions on Monday, generating 8.8 billion yuan in revenue for the market. (Xinhua)
Expo 2020 Dubai postponed to October 2021
Expo 2020 Dubai has been postponed to October 1, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, event organizers said Monday.
The announcement by the Bureau International des Expositions came just hours after police in Kuwait dispersed what they described as a riot by stranded Egyptians unable to return home amid the pandemic.
The riot was the first reported sign of unrest from the region’s vast population of foreign workers who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. (AP)
'Murder Hornets,' with sting that can kill, lands in US
The world’s largest hornet, a 2-inch killer with an appetite for honeybees, has been found in Washington state where entomologists are making plans to wipe it out.
It was dubbed the “Murder Hornet” in Japan, where it is known to kill people.
The hornet can sting through most beekeeper suits, deliver nearly seven times the amount of venom as a honeybee, and sting multiple times, said the US Department of Agriculture. (AP)
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And now for the Question of the Day:
Great Whites and hammerheads are what type of animals?
(Answer: Sharks.)
Today's quote is from English poet John Gay (1685-1732).
"Tell me, and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me, and I understand."
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Elaine Yue Lin. Music by Eugene Loner.)