Headlines
• New York vaccinates 70% of residents and lift restrictions
• South Africa imposes new restrictions
• Japan to lift state of emergency on 20 June
• J&J to miss EU vaccine delivery targets
• UK inflation rose to 2.1% in the year to May, ONS
World news
• New York has declared 70% of adults in the state have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, leading to a further lifting of restrictions. Movie theatres no longer have to leave empty seats between patrons, restaurants are no longer forced to sit parties at least 2m apart, and stores do not have to limit how many customers they admit.
• Japan is to lift the state of emergency on 20 June for nine prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka.
• South Africa has imposed new restrictions. A nationwide curfew has been increased to 22:00 local time, while alcohol sales have been limited to Mondays through to Thursdays. Public gatherings have also been limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
• Vaccinations are to become compulsory for staff in care homes for older people in England. Workers are expected to be given 16 weeks to have the vaccine or face being redeployed away from front-line care, or potentially lose their job.
• Vaccines are now being offered to all people over 21 in England.
• Melbourne is to allow residents to travel more than 15 miles from home and end mandatory mask wearing outdoors from Friday.
• Spain has approved vaccinations for children from the age of 12.
• India is reopening the Taj Mahal and thousands of other monuments, in the latest stage of restrictions being lifted.
• UK inflation rose to 2.1% in the year to May according to the latest ONS data.
• The number of children and young people with an eating disorder has risen under lockdown. The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland said referrals for under-18s have almost tripled from 217 in 2018/19 to 456 in 2019/20 and 615 in 2020/21.
• The total number of payments made by consumers last year fell by 13% YoY to 31 billion, according to the UK Finance report. Contactless payments accounted for 27% of last year's transactions, while cash payments dropped by 35% and accounted for 17% of all payments.
• Slovenia ended its state of emergency today after eight months, lifting most remaining restrictions. Cultural and sports events can reopen at 75% capacity for people who can demonstrate they have been vaccinated, tested negative, or recovered from a previous Covid-19 infection.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned about possible food shortages and called for his people to brace for extended restrictions.
• Johnson & Johnson expects to miss its vaccine supply target to the EU for the second quarter, after millions of doses were banned for use in Europe over safety concerns.
• Authorities in Moscow are making vaccination compulsory for 60% of employees in the services sector.
• France is to end the obligation to wear masks outside and bring forward the lifting of a night-time curfew by 10 days.
