By Hope NewsroomTuesday 20 Apr 2021NewsReading Time: 2 minutes
Today’s headlines from the Hope News team. You can listen to hourly bulletin updates at hopenews.com.au.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said it’s important to remember that each COVID-19 death is a tragedy for families, communities and nations.
The number of deaths from coronavirus has increased for the fifth week in a row, surpassing three million.
The World Health Organization said last week saw the largest increase in the number of coronavirus infections – 5.2 million cases.
View the WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard for more information.
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The Prime Minister is pushing to give Australians over the age of 50 early access to the AstraZeneca vaccine, in an effort to speed up the rollout.
National Cabinet has agreed-in-principle to the move, but will discuss it in more detail at the next meeting on Thursday.
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Trial results show the abandoned University of Queensland coronavirus vaccine would have been among the best in the world, generating an immune response in 99 per cent of patients tested.
The vaccine was abandoned four months ago when a HIV protein in the formula meant a person would give a false-positive reading to the AIDS virus.
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The Prime Minister says workers in regional areas will benefit, not be penalised, by government climate change policies.
Scott Morrison says Australia can’t achieve net zero emissions by taxing the life out of industries.
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Homicide detectives trying to solve a cold-case murder are returning to the Hunter region after a reward offer led to a tip-off.
Melissa Hunt’s body was found in a dam at Stockrington 27 years ago.
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Overseas, the US city of Minneapolis is on edge, as the jury in the George Floyd murder trial begins considering its verdict.
Former police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for killing Mr Floyd during an arrest.
The death sparked worldwide protests on racial inequality.
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Human Rights Watch has released a report accusing China of human rights abuses.
It says Beijing is responsible for mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution against Muslim minorities – claims the Chinese Government denies.
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NASA is celebrating the first powered, controlled flight on the surface of Mars
The mission to fly the Ingenuity helicopter had been in the making for the past six years.