Coronavirus

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported that the Council of Ministers approved for the SOE, which had been due to end on Monday, to be extended for another 30 days.

Cabinet's decision followed a request from the National Disaster Management Office for an extension.

Cyclone Harold hit Vanuatu as a category five storm a month ago, but the delivery of relief to affected communities had only gathered pace recently due to restrictions on travel as part of the pandemic response, as well as damaged infrastructure.

India's unemployment rate is now at a record high of 27.1%, according to the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE).

The new data shows India's unemployment figures are four times that of the US.

India doesn’t release official jobs data, but CMIE data is widely accepted.

The country has been in lockdown since 25 March to curb Covid-19 infections, causing mass layoffs and heavy job losses.

India currently has close to 50,000 reported infections.

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the teams would start to leave on Thursday, according to Interfax news agency.

Russia sent equipment and 100 soldiers in March as the outbreak threatened to overwhelm northern Italy.

The deployment provoked controversy in Italy, as many saw it as a big propaganda move by Russia and questioned its practical use.

However, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte approved the operation - dubbed "From Russia With Love" by Moscow - after speaking with President Vladimir Putin.

There have been 29,427 deaths recorded across the UK - a figure Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said was "a massive tragedy".

The latest total for Italy, previously the highest in Europe, now stands at 29,315.

But experts say it could be months before full global comparisons can be made.

Both Italy and the UK record the deaths of people who have tested positive for coronavirus.

BBC head of statistics Robert Cuffe said Britain reached this figure faster in its epidemic than Italy.

Speaking at a two-hour virtual "town hall", Mr Trump also denied that his administration had acted too slowly.

More than 67,000 people have already died with Covid-19 in the US.

But Mr Trump expressed optimism about the development of a vaccine, saying one would be ready by the end of this year - although public health experts believe it will take 12 to 18 months.

The increase brings Russia's total number of coronavirus cases to 134,686, the seventh highest tally in the world.

But Russia's mortality rate remains low relative to other countries, such as the US, Italy and Spain.

On Sunday, a further 58 coronavirus-related deaths were announced, bringing the total to 1,280 in Russia.

Moscow has been hit particularly hard by the virus, leaving its healthcare system struggling to cope.

Mimika now has 51 cases, the most of any single regency in Papua region.

Indonesia's Health Ministry said the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in West Papua province was 37, and 189 in neighbouring Papua province, with seven deaths overall.

Cities near the border with PNG, Jayapura and Merauke, were among the hotspots.

But of particular concern to provincial health officials was the surge in cases over recent weeks in Mimika where the major Freeport gold and copper mine was located.

The NRL is moving ahead with plans to restart its season next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It had been reported the Warriors would be granted an exemption to enter Australia.

But Morrison said that decision was yet to be made and a May 28 resumption for the NRL was not yet locked in.

"That still hasn't been determined. The commonwealth has made no decision about the access by the Warriors into Australia, that hasn't happened," he told a news conference on Wednesday.

With no income and no idea when they'll be allowed to return, some of those in Australia fear they may be left homeless if officials don't act soon.

When news broke last month of governments closing their borders, Dublin City University student Tristina Karae immediately booked a flight home to Vanuatu from Ireland.

“The situation was just getting a bit panicked … and my family were a bit worried of having me out there by myself in Europe,” Karae said.

The journey home for Karae meant transiting through two other countries, Abu Dhabi and then Australia.

The country says it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.

Lowering its alert level from four to three means that some non-essential business, healthcare and schools were able to resume this morning.

Around 400,000 people headed back to work, some schools and childcare facilities are open, and people are allowed to get takeout food again.

New Zealand, partly thanks to its isolation and easily-closed borders, managed to contain the virus early on.