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As COVID-19 Cases'¯'¯Rise Worldwide, Some Governments Offer Subsidies

VOA News

   With an ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases, the Australian
   government has announced a $1.4 billion package to counter the nation's
   rising unemployment rate.

   Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Thursday the government will
   spend more than $1 billion on a current wage subsidy program that will
   pay half of all wages for apprentices employed by small businesses,
   while the remaining $400 million will fund new courses for thousands of
   future workers to prepare them for the skills that will be in demand
   during a post-pandemic economy.

   The financial aid package is being introduced as Australia's official
   unemployment rate rose to 7.4%, or nearly 1 million people, the highest
   rate in 22 years.

   Australia has nearly 11,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections,
   according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker.

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