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U.K.’s Javid Has Covid; Vaccine Protests in France: Virus Update Bloomberg 57 mins ago (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive, two days before England lifts almost all Covid-19 curbs. In France, thousands took to the streets to protest President Emmanuel Macron’s move to pressure people into getting Covid-19 vaccinations. The Tokyo Olympics registered its first case at the athletes’ village, less than a week before the opening ceremony. Sydney authorities tigh...

How Vaccine Chaos Left a Covid-Zero Haven Locked Down and Exposed Bloomberg 22 hrs ago Jason Scott (Bloomberg) -- Just a few months ago, Australia’s virtually Covid-free status made it the envy of the world. Then the delta variant flipped the script. © Bloomberg Inside A Covid-19 Vaccination Center In Melbourne After about half a year of relatively normal daily life, Australia’s biggest city is now in the third week of a strict lockdown that on Wednesday was extended un...

Pfizer Curbs Severe Covid; Philippine Vaccinations: Virus Update Bloomberg 41 mins ago Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) -- Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine appears to be less effective in halting the spread of the delta strain, though it shields well against severe illness, Israeli government data show. Several cities in the Philippine capital region, including Makati City, have halted their first-dose vaccination programs as supply from the national government runs out. Japan is planning to...

Pfizer Curbs Severe Covid; Germany Eases Travel: Virus Update Bloomberg 2 hrs ago Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) -- Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine appears to be less effective in halting the spread of the delta strain, though it shields well against severe illness, Israeli government data show. Germany is easing travel rules for people arriving from the U.K., Portugal and other nations, while three more islands in Thailand are preparing to welcome fully inoculated tourists. Sydney’s ou...

U.K. infections continued to rise, posing a dilemma for Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of a crunch decision Monday on whether to proceed with the final stage of reopening the economy later this month. Data released Friday showed an estimated 1 in 560 people in England had the virus in the week to June 4, up from 1 in 640 a week earlier and 1 in 1,340 in the week through May 8.

U.K. infections continued to rise, posing a dilemma for Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of a crunch decision Monday on whether to proceed with the final stage of reopening the economy later this month. Data released Friday showed an estimated 1 in 560 people in England had the virus in the week to June 4, up from 1 in 640 a week earlier and 1 in 1,340 in the week through May 8.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed his Chinese counterpart in a phone call Friday to allow a new expert-led study into the origins of Covid-19. But China’s top diplomat called theories that the virus leaked from a Wuhan lab an absurd story, according to readouts from both sides.

President Joe Biden’s blueprint for the U.S. semiconductor industry marks an ambitious effort to set industrial policy for a critical sector of the economy, but the strategy will need more money and global support to take back chip supremacy and preempt a rival effort from China.

Biden Will Need More Than $52 Billion for Chip Effort Bloomberg 1 hr ago Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden’s blueprint for the U.S. semiconductor industry marks an ambitious effort to set industrial policy for a critical sector of the economy, but the strategy will need more money and global support to take back chip supremacy and preempt a rival effort from China. The White House on Tuesday outlined a sweeping plan to secure the conduits for critical product...

IMF Head Sees G-7 Giving Tens of Billions to Vaccine Finance Bloomberg 2 hrs ago (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @economics and subscribe to our podcast. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said she expects the Group of Seven economies to provide “tens of billions” of dollars in financing for vaccinating the world. “My suspicion is that we’ll see this in the tens of billions, not in the couple of billions,” G...