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International News

India and South Africa ask WTO to waive rules to aid COVID-19 drug production

In their letter dated Oct. 2 the two countries called on the global trade body to waive parts of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which governs patents, trademarks, copyright and other intellectual property rules globally.“As new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-19 are developed, there are significant concerns (over) how these will be made available promptly, in sufficient quantities and at (an) affordable price to meet global demand,” the letter posted on the Geneva-based WTO’s website says.

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Global stocks rise as signs of Trump’s improving health calm markets

Doctors treating Trump say they are pleased with his progress. Relief about his health could fuel a rally in equities and other risky assets as investors prepare for the run-up to next month’s U.S. presidential election.

Investors around the world were stunned late Thursday after Trump announced that he and the first lady had tested positive for coronavirus.

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London transport regulator strips Ola’s operating licence over public safety failings

Transport for London (TfL) said in a statement that it refused to grant Ola, a Softbank-backed operator, a new London private hire vehicle (PHV) operator’s licence as it “cannot find it fit and proper to hold one after discovering a number of failures that could have risked public safety.”

TfL’s decision came days after Uber won a legal bid to restore its London operating licence, which was taken away over safety concerns, after a judge ruled that the company was a fit and proper operator despite “historical failings”.

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Coal baron seeks US benefits to treat his black lung disease:Report

Murray, an ally of President Donald Trump, filed a claim with the Department of Labor seeking to access federal benefits to treat his disease, which is caused by prolonged exposure to coal dust, Ohio Valley ReSource,  a National Public Radio affiliate, reported on Thursday.

The Black Lung Disability Trust Fund is funded through a $1.10 per ton excise-tax on production of underground coal but runs a massive debt and is at risk of insolvency, according to the U.S. General Accountability Office.

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Headwinds for Google as rivals, customers criticise Fitbit concessions

Alphabet’s Google last week offered to restrict the use of Fitbit data for Google ads and to monitor the process closely.

It also offered to make it easier for rival makers of wearables to connect to the Android platform by offering them access to Android software (API), and said third parties would continue to have access to Fitbit users’ data with their consent.

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Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine could be rolled out within 6 months: Report

Under a protocol developed by the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, any approved vaccine will then be given to all over 65s, followed by younger adults at higher risk, which could include those from ethnic minorities as well as those with serious health issues based on their higher risk from the deadly virus. People over 50 will be next in line, with younger adults at the back of the queue.

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Over 7,500 finance jobs have left UK for Europe

The EU has said it will only offer selective access for the City of London’s range of financial services under its “equivalence” system, under which access is only allowed if Britain’s finance regulations are equivalent to the EU’s.

“The time has now passed for firms to rely on short term equivalence assessments that would align to EU rules, and the sector’s attention is increasingly focused on the longer-term outlook,” Ali said.

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White Mountains to acquire majority stake in Lloyd’s insurer Ark

Ark is a leading Lloyd’s platform well positioned to take advantage of the hardening market in property & casualty insurance.  Founded in 2007 by Ian Beaton and Nick Bonnar, Ark manages the underwriting of syndicates 4020 and 3902 at Lloyd’s. The syndicates underwrite a diversified and balanced portfolio of reinsurance and insurance, including property, accident & health, energy, marine and political risks.

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COVID-19 vaccine rollout unlikely before fall 2021, experts say

“Experts in our survey offered forecasts on vaccine development that were generally less optimistic than the timeline of early 2021 offered by US public officials,” Jonathan Kimmelman, a professor at McGill University, said in a statement.

“In general they seem to believe that a publicly available vaccine next summer is the best-case scenario with the possibility that it may take until 2022,” said Kimmelman, the senior author on the paper published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

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