Greece remained on alert over the long Easter weekend with its coast guard and navy on standby, due to concerns that Turkey may escalate tensions either in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean or at the Evros land border in order to divert attention from the domestic problems faced by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. Source Ekathimerini
An NHS worker who organised a protest over the government’s 1 per cent pay offer in Manchester city centre has been fined £10,000. Karen Reissmann, a mental health worker and Unison rep, was among those who turned up for the demonstration in St Peter’s Square at midday on Sunday. All attendees were wearing masks and cones were marked out on the floor to help maintain social distancing. Source Manchester Evening News
Scientists claimed the WHO mission was unable to act free of ‘political influence’, ahead of the publication of a final report this month. More than two dozen scientists have called for a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, amid concerns it was “all but impossible” for a World Health Organization-led team to operate free of political influence. Source Telegraph
Last week 745,000 people filed for first time unemployment benefits according to the Department of Labor. The high numbers reflect the severe effects the pandemic had on the economy and job market. With the recent data, roughly 80.4 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits since the start of the covid outbreak last March. Source Forbes