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International News

Brazil pharma flags ‘retaliation’ risk over bill to drop vaccine patents

In a joint statement, five of Brazil’s leading pharmaceutical associations sided with his administration.

“The approval of a bill that allows for the weakening of intellectual property could lead to international retaliation and reduce the supply of pharmaceutical inputs.We cannot support measures that could generate more instability and scenarios that may have irreversible consequences, in the short, medium and long term for Brazil,”it said. 

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Germany pledges to adjust climate law after court verdict

Germany’s Constitutional Court said Thursday that the government must set clear goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2030. The verdict was a victory for campaigners, who had argued that the measures put forward so far are insufficient to meet the Paris climate accord’s goal of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally no more than 1.5 C (2.7 F) by 2100.

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Liberty Mutual puts Australian coal project on hold

“As part of our investment processes, we’ve been evaluating alternatives for our Baralaba investment for some time and will not be submitting an environmental impact assessment for the South Mine at this stage,” a Liberty Mutual spokeswoman said. “We remain committed to collaborating with all stakeholders,” she added in emailed comments.

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AM Best places credit ratings of Singapore Re under review with developing implications

This Credit Rating (rating) action follows an announcement made on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on 21 April 2021 that Fairfax Asia Limited’s (Fairfax Asia) recent voluntary cash offer to purchase all issued and paid-up ordinary shares in the capital of Singapore Re, other than those already held by Fairfax Asia and other Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax group) companies, has been declared unconditional.

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Chubb and Marsh partnership to provide $150 million cover for the COVAX Program for 92 low and middle-income countries

Through Chubb’s and Marsh’s collaboration, up to $150 million in insurance is provided for the COVAX No Fault Compensation Program to cover compensation payments to eligible individuals in the 92 lower-income countries and economies, known as the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) eligible economies.

Insurance broker Marsh led the global placement of the bespoke solution. Chubb is the lead insurer, supported by a further 10 insurers located in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and Bermuda.

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1 in 4 global Covid-19 deaths occurred in Americas: Pan American Health Organization

“One in four Covid deaths reported worldwide last week took place right here, in the Americas. Nearly every country in Central America is reporting a rise in infections,” said Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa Etienne..

For the first time, Canada’s infection rates have surpassed the US Covid-19 infection rates, the PAHO director informed.

The surge of infections is being led by new Covid-19 variants, which slow vaccination rollouts, due to lack of vaccine availability, are also providing major setbacks for a number of countries in the Americas.

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India’s COVID-19 emergency is wake-up call to Africa -AU health chief

African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are watching with total disbelief…What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent,” he told reporters.

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