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Saudi minister defends volume limit on mosque loudspeakers

RIYADH (AFP) – Saudi Arabia’s Islamic affairs minister on Monday (May 31) defended a contentious order restricting the volume of mosque loudspeakers, saying it was prompted by complaints in the conservative Muslim nation about excessive noise. In a major policy last week in a country home to the holiest Muslim sites, the Islamic affairs ministry said the speakers should be set at no more than one-third of their maximum volume. The order, which also limited the use of loudspeakers mainly to issue the call to prayer rather than broadcasting full sermons, triggered a conservative backlash on social media. Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullatif al-Sheikh said the order was in response to citizens’ complaints that the loud volume was causing disturbance to children as well as the elderly. “Those who want to pray do not need to wait for… the imam’s” call to prayer, Mr Sheikh said in a video published by state television. “They should be at the mosque beforehand,” he added. Several television channels also broadcast prayers and koran recitals, Mr Sheikh said, suggesting the loudspeakers served a limited purpose. In a country home to tens of thousands of mosques, many welcomed the move

Sinovac shot controls Covid-19 in Brazilian town after 75% covered

RIO DE JANEIRO (BLOOMBERG) – The vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech was effective in controlling Covid-19 in a mass-inoculation study in a small Brazilian town after 75 per cent of adults were covered with a second shot, preliminary numbers show. The study carried out by the Sao Paulo state government in the small town of Serrana – population 45,000 – may offer clues for other developing nations on how much of the public needs to be vaccinated in order to begin moving past the pandemic that continues to wreak havoc in Latin America and beyond. While infection rates improved after first doses were administered, Covid-19 was not properly controlled in the town until after a second shot was given. A complete study will be published soon. The study was led by the Butantan Institute, which produces Sinovac’s so-called CoronaVac in Brazil. Almost two-thirds of Serrana’s inhabitants got the vaccine between February and April with another third ineligible to receive the shot if they were under 18 years old or pregnant. About 95 per cent of the targeted adult population received the required two doses in the study. “This is the first study of its kind in the

Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. Grants Incentive Stock Options

SASKATOON, SK, May 31, 2021 /CNW/ – Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. (TSXV: OMM) (“Omineca” or the “Company”) has approved the grant of 400,000 stock options pursuant to the Company’s Stock Option Plan. All the options were granted to consultants retained by the Company. The options are exercisable at $0.25 per share and, if not exercised, expire May 31, 2026, subject to earlier expiration in accordance with the Stock Option Plan and the applicable policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.About Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd.Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd.’s flagship Wingdam gold exploration and placer recovery project is located along the Barkerville Highway 45 km east of the town of Quesnel. The property includes hard-rock tenures totaling over 50,000 hectares (500 square kms) and in excess of 15 linear kilometers of placer claims, both encompassing the Lightning Creek valley where topographic conditions created a thick overburden which preserved a large portion of an underground channel with placer gold-bearing gravels. Omineca also has a diamond drill program currently underway exploring for the potential multiple hard rock sources of the placer gold at Wingdam.Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture

UK expert warns of third Covid-19 wave as another 3,383 cases reported

LONDON (XINHUA) – A British government advisory scientist warned on Monday (May 31) that Britain could be in the early stages of a third Covid-19 wave as the country reported another 3,383 cases. Professor Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge, said although new cases were “relatively low”, the variant first detected in India had fuelled “exponential growth”. “Of course the numbers of cases are relatively low at the moment – all waves start with low numbers of cases that grumble in the background and then become explosive, so the key here is that what we are seeing here are the signs of an early wave,” he told the BBC. However, he said the progress of the vaccine rollout in Britain meant this wave would probably take longer to emerge than previous ones. “There may be a false sense of security for some time, and that’s our concern,” said Prof Gupta, a member of the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag). The plan to end coronavirus restrictions in England on June 21 should be postponed, he said. “If you look at the costs and benefits of getting it wrong, I think

Iran enriched record uranium stockpile amid Vienna talks

TEHERAN (BLOOMBERG) – Iran produced a record volume of highly enriched uranium that could quickly be turned into fuel for a nuclear weapon, underscoring the urgency with which diplomats are moving to restore an agreement that would rein in the Persian Gulf nation’s programme. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors circulated a confidential assessment of Iran’s atomic programme on Monday (May 31) as envoys hunkered down for an eighth week of negotiations in Vienna. Diplomats are trying to orchestrate a United States return and Iranian compliance with a landmark nuclear agreement that curtailed Teheran’s production of nuclear fuel in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran managed to produce 2.4kg of highly enriched uranium in the six weeks since saboteurs struck the country’s primary enrichment facility in Natanz, according to a 13-page restricted IAEA report seen by Bloomberg. The April 11 attack prompted Iran to begin enriching uranium to levels of 60 per cent purity, just below the threshold normally used in bombs. Iran blamed Israel for the sabotage, while Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility. “The agency’s verification and monitoring activities have been affected as a result of Iran’s decision to stop implementation of its nuclear-related commitments,” read

While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 1

WHO switches to Greek alphabet for coronavirus variant names Covid-19 variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatising nations where they were first detected, the World Health Organisation announced Monday (May 31). The new system applies to variants of concern – the most troubling of which four are in circulation – and the second-level variants of interest being tracked. “They will not replace existing scientific names, but are aimed to help in public discussion,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead. READ MORE HERE Peru leads global mortality rate after adjusting Covid-19 toll Peru on Monday (May 31) more than doubled its official coronavirus death toll, becoming the country with the highest Covid-19 mortality per capita anywhere in the world. The government said it had raised the count from 69,342 to 180,764 on the advice of a panel of health experts, which found there had been an undercount. With the adjustment, Peru now has the highest coronavirus mortality per capita of any country, with 5,484 deaths per million inhabitants, according to an AFP count. READ MORE HERE In Memorial Day speech, Biden defends ‘imperfect’ democracy

Horizons ETFs Announces Methodology Update for the North American Psychedelics Index

TORONTO, May 31, 2021 /CNW/ – Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. (“Horizons ETFs”) is announcing that the index methodology for the North American Psychedelics Index (the “Index”), is being changed effective June 7, 2021.The Index, which is owned and operated by Horizons ETFs and calculated by Solactive AG, is designed to provide a measure of the performance of North American publicly-listed life sciences companies focused on psychedelic medicines, and other companies with business activities in the psychedelics industry. The Index provides a diversified approach to the psychedelics industry, at weights that can easily and cost effectively be replicated, while at the same time reflecting the evolution of the industry in a timely fashion.The changes to the Index methodology are being made in order to enhance diversification, while improving the size and liquidity of the relevant selected constituents. A summary of the Index methodology changes are as follows: An increase in the minimum Float Market-Capitalization requirement from CAD $25 million to CAD $40 million for new Index entrants with a decrease in minimum Float Market-Capitalization requirement for existing Index constituents from CAD $20 million to CAD $15 million;An increase in the minimum 3-Month Average Daily Traded Value from CAD $125,000 to CAD

Peru leads global mortality rate after adjusting Covid-19 toll

LIMA (AFP) – Peru on Monday (May 31) more than doubled its official coronavirus death toll, becoming the country with the highest Covid-19 mortality per capita anywhere in the world. The government said it had raised the count from 69,342 to 180,764 on the advice of a panel of health experts, which found there had been an undercount. With the adjustment, Peru now has the highest coronavirus mortality per capita of any country, with 5,484 deaths per million inhabitants, according to an Agence France-Presse count. The country of about 33 million people previously ranked 13th in the world with 2,103 deaths per million, according to AFP’s data. Hungary is in a distant second place with 3,077 deaths per million. Peru has registered more than 1.9 million infections to date, and has in recent months suffered acute shortages of oxygen to treat coronavirus patients. Prime Minister Violeta Bermudez said the toll was adjusted on the advice of a panel which suggested modifying Peru’s record-keeping criteria. Change in methodology The panel said in a report the existing methodology generated “an under-representation in the number of deaths due to Covid-19”. The criteria were broadened beyond people who

EU to kick off coronavirus pandemic plan with 10 bln euro bond issue: French minister

PARIS (REUTERS) – The European Union plans to kick off its 750 billion euro (S$1.211 trillion) pandemic recovery package with an initial 10 billion euro bond issue, France’s junior minister for European affairs, Clement Beaune, said on Monday (May 31). In an interview with French financial daily Les Echos, Beaune also said that more than 100 billion euros would be injected into the European economy from this year. Beaune said the European Commission would launch the debt issuance process on June 1 by calling on big European and international banks, and the securities would be issued in June. “The market appetite should be very major and the interest rates very favourable,” he told Les Echos. Asked whether the new bonds would be called corona-bonds, he said “let’s avoid this radioactive term”, and added that with the recovery package an embryonic European Union treasury was taking shape. Proceeds of the issue would be spent from July onwards and by the end of the year Europe will inject more than 100 billion euros into its economy to finance the recovery of its member states, he said. Asked about a G7 initiative for a minimum corporate tax

Real Luck Group Ltd. Files 2021 Q1 Financial Results

CALGARY, AB and ISLE OF MAN, May 31, 2021 /CNW/ – Real Luck Group Ltd. (TSXV: LUCK) (OTCQB: LUKEF) (“Real Luck Group” or the “Company”) and its subsidiary companies doing business as “Luckbox” (the “Group”), an award-winning provider of legal, real-money esports and sports betting, today filed financial results for the three months ending March 31 on SEDAR. Unless otherwise stated, all dollar amounts are denominated in Canadian dollars.Company Chief Executive Officer Thomas Rosander said: “We spent the first quarter of 2021 building a solid foundation from which Luckbox can grow. We closed a Private Placement of Special Warrants for gross proceeds of $17.8 million, giving us the capital to execute on our growth goals through the rest of this year and beyond. We are focused on optimizing our product platform and customer acquisition funnel to increase ROI ahead of scaling up our marketing spend. In addition, we are strengthening our team and working with carefully selected partners as we continue to strive toward offering a world-leading esports betting product. I look forward to updating investors with more information in the months to come.”Subsequent events to 2021 Q1Milestones achieved by the Company in 2021 Q1: Appointment of former Dunder