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Covid-19 wrap: Polish draft bill allows breaking law to fight virus, UK in deepest ever recession

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Reuters reports that Polish officials who break the law with the intention of containing the coronavirus pandemic could go unpunished, according to a bill proposed by ruling party lawmakers.

Praised for their implementation of a swift lockdown in the early stages of the pandemic, some government ministers have since come under criticism for issues surrounding the purchase of medical equipment or preparations for a presidential election in May which in the end could not go ahead.

The draft bill says it is not a crime to break laws with the intention of counteracting Covid-19, if you are doing so in the interests of society and if the action taken to fight the virus would be seriously impeded or impossible if you did not break the law. Critics say it could let people in power off the hook.

UK experiences deepest recession

AFP reports that the global coronavirus pandemic pushed Britain into its deepest-ever recession, data showed Wednesday.

The British economy - the world's seventh in size - contracted by an unprecedented 20.4% in the period from April to June, far worse than any of its European neighbours and also well below the so-called Group of Seven richest countries in the world.

By comparison, France's economy contracted by 13.9% in the second quarter, Canada by 12%, Germany 10.1%, the United States 9.5% and Japan 7.6%.

The news that the virus has knocked down a fifth of its economy came as Britain continues to grapple with one of the highest death tolls in the world from the pandemic, which some observers blame on the government's early dithering over the imposition of strict confinement measures.

Nevertheless, the subsequent lockdown brought activity shuddering to a halt particularly in the key services, production and construction sectors.

"It is clear that the UK is in the largest recession on record," said the Office for National Statistics, which compiles the data.

Even if some experts are still predicting a "V-shaped" rebound, Britain's economic woes could not come at a worse time as it still has to reach a trade deal with the EU following its exit from the 27-country bloc.

Experts agree that the absence of any trade deal with the EU would only further exacerbate Britain's problems.

New Zealand fears second wave

On the other side of the world, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the upcoming election in September could be postponed as the coronavirus seems to have re-entered the Pacific country, AFP reports.

With 1.5 million people under stay-at-home orders, and millions more at risk of a wider outbreak, Ardern said she was seeking advice on delaying the election currently scheduled for 19 September.

Parliament was due to be dissolved on Wednesday to allow the election to take place, but the centre-left leader held off the move until Monday to monitor how the crisis evolves.

"At this stage, it's too early to make any decision but this means there is some flexibility if required," said Ardern, who is well ahead in opinion polls and expected to win a second term.

Belgium makes masks compulsory

Belgium, which is battling one of the most serious coronavirus outbreaks in Europe, authorities made the wearing of face masks in public compulsory in the Brussels region from Wednesday, AFP reports.

Belgium has one of the highest per capita death rates from Covid-19 in the world and infections are again rising after earlier success in bringing the epidemic under control.

Meanwhile, in Italy, too, regions have begun to order new quarantines for people returning from higher-risk European countries such as Spain as they hope to stem new outbreaks of coronavirus.

Phillipine president to be a 'guinea pig' for Russia's vaccine

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will be a guinea pig for a controversial Russian coronavirus vaccine, his spokesperson said on Wednesday, as the Southeast Asian nation emerged as a frontrunner for overseas clinical trials, AFP reports.

On Tuesday, Russia had claimed it had developed the world's first vaccine offering "sustainable immunity" against the coronavirus, despite mounting scepticism about its effectiveness.

President Vladimir Putin insisted the vaccine was safe and that one of his own daughters had received the inoculation, dubbed "Sputnik" after the pioneering 1950s Soviet satellite.

But western scientists are worried that Russian researchers could be cutting corners.

The WHO's spokesperson in Geneva Tarik Jasarevic said it was in "close contact" with Russian health authorities but that it was too soon for the global health body to give its stamp of approval without a rigorous review.

The WHO says that 165 candidate vaccines are being worked on around the world, with six reaching Phase 3 clinical trials, the last step before regulatory approval.

Indonesia is launching a Phase 3 human trial of a vaccine candidate from China's Sinovac Biotech.

Swiss see $23 billion deficit 

Reuters reports that the Swiss federal government expects a deficit of 20.9 billion Swiss francs ($22.87 billion) for 2020, it said on Wednesday, as the country's coffers are hurt by lower receipts and costly programmes to offset the new coronavirus's hit to the economy.

The shortfall results from an ordinary budget deficit of 3.1 billion francs, as well as extraordinary spending to combat the Covid-19 pandemic projected at 17.8 billion francs, the government said.

The extraordinary outlays would be less than the 30.8 billion parliament had approved for supporting short-time working schemes, compensating self-employed workers, buying medical materials and covering losses from state-backed emergency loans to business.

"It currently appears that the extraordinary expenditure provided for...will not be fully used," Bern said. "Overall, this will result in a financing deficit of 20.9 billion francs."

In May, 890 890 people worked shorter hours, down 17% from April, while nearly 110 000 companies were using the measure, down 16%.

More than 37 000 people in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein have tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 1 700 have died of the respiratory disease the coronavirus causes, Swiss health authorities said.

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