Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme. 
 
The request is a turnaround for Bolsonaro, who last year ignored offers of vaccines from Pfizer, according to testimony to a Senate commission investigating delays in vaccinating the country with the world's second-deadliest outbreak. 
 
Bolsonaro, his chief of staff and ministers of health and foreign affairs, held a conference call with Pfizer Brasil Chief Executive Marta Diez and Pfizer Latin America Chief Executive Carlos Murillo, the president's office said on social media. 
 
Bolsonaro asked the Pfizer executives if deliveries for later this year could be brought forward to June, from the fourth quarter, a government official with knowledge of the matter said. 
 
Pfizer Brasil declined to comment on the meeting. 
 
Almost half a million Brazilians have died from COVID-19, yet only 10.3% of the country's 210 million people have received a first vaccine dose, and just 25% have been fully vaccinated, mainly with vaccines developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and AstraZeneca Plc. 
 
Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic, who opposed lockdown and social distancing, has advocated the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 patients, even though there is no evidence that it is effective. 
 
The far-right leader's government is being investigated by a Senate commission for delays in a vaccination plan that lags behind many other countries. The commission heard testimony that the government never replied to letters from Pfizer last year offering to sell vaccines. 
 
Brazil signed a deal with Pfizer in March to purchase 100 million doses, and the first doses arrived in late April. A second contract in May provided for another 100 million doses to be delivered in the fourth quarter. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday asked Pfizer Inc to bring forward planned delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, a government source said, aiming to speed up a slow national inoculation programme. The request is a turnaround for Bolsonaro, who last year ignored offers of vaccines from Pfizer, according to testimony to a Senate commission investigating delays in vaccinating the country with the world's second-deadliest outbreak. Bolsonaro, his chief of staff and ministers of health and foreign affairs, held a conference call with Pfizer Brasil Chief Executive Marta Diez and Pfizer Latin America Chief Executive Carlos Murillo, the president's office said on social media. Bolsonaro asked the Pfizer executives if deliveries for later this year could be brought forward to June, from the fourth quarter, a government official with knowledge of the matter said. Pfizer Brasil declined to comment on the meeting. Almost half a million Brazilians have died from COVID-19, yet only 10.3% of the country's 210 million people have received a first vaccine dose, and just 25% have been fully vaccinated, mainly with vaccines developed by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and AstraZeneca Plc. Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic, who opposed lockdown and social distancing, has advocated the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 patients, even though there is no evidence that it is effective. The far-right leader's government is being investigated by a Senate commission for delays in a vaccination plan that lags behind many other countries. The commission heard testimony that the government never replied to letters from Pfizer last year offering to sell vaccines. Brazil signed a deal with Pfizer in March to purchase 100 million doses, and the first doses arrived in late April. A second contract in May provided for another 100 million doses to be delivered in the fourth quarter. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazilian President asks Pfizer to speed up COVID-19 vaccine delivery

The UN General Assembly elected Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations Security Council on Friday for a two-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2022.

All five countries ran unopposed for a spot on the 15-member body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. They will replace Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam.

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To ensure geographical representation, seats are allocated to regional groups. But even if candidates are running unopposed in their group, they still need to win the support of more than two-thirds of the UN&nbsp;General Assembly.

Ghana received 185 votes, Gabon 183 votes, UAE 179 votes, Albania 175 votes and Brazil 181 votes.

The Security Council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions and authorizing use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.

The UN General Assembly elected Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations Security Council on Friday for a two-year term starting on Jan.

The UN General Assembly elected Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations Security Council on Friday for a two-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2022. All five countries ran unopposed for a spot on the 15-member body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. They will replace Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam. Also read | In a first, Indian diplomat Nagaraj Naidu to be UNGA President's Chef de Cabinet To ensure geographical representation, seats are allocated to regional groups. But even if candidates are running unopposed in their group, they still need to win the support of more than two-thirds of the UN General Assembly. Ghana received 185 votes, Gabon 183 votes, UAE 179 votes, Albania 175 votes and Brazil 181 votes. The Security Council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions and authorizing use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.

Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, UAE elected to UN Security Council

Musicians in Brazil beat lockdown restrictions on mass gatherings by taking their instruments onto the streets for a mobile concert in Rio de Janeiro.

Mobile orchestra from favela plays throughout Rio

Marinho made up for missing a first-half penalty by scoring in the second half to help Santos to a 3-1 victory over Ceara in Brazil's Serie A on Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-man-citys-ruben-dias-named-pl-player-of-season-pep-guardiola-wins-managers-award-389660" hreflang="en">Football: Man City's Ruben Dias named PL Player of Season, Pep Guardiola wins manager's award</a>

The tricky winger pulled his spot-kick wide after just eight minutes, but Jean Mota managed to give Santos an early lead when he smashed a 25-meter drive into the top corner of the net after 19 minutes.

Vinicius equalized from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime, but Marinho took advantage of slack defending 18 minutes into the second half to restore Santos’ lead.

Kaio Jorge sealed the win for the home side nine minutes later when he headed home from a corner.

The result leaves both clubs with three points from their first two games of this season’s Serie A.

Marinho made up for missing a first-half penalty by scoring in the second half to help Santos to a 3-1 victory over Ceara in Brazil's Serie A on Saturday. ALSO READ: Football: Man City's Ruben Dias named PL Player of Season, Pep Guardiola wins manager's award The tricky winger pulled his spot-kick wide after just eight minutes, but Jean Mota managed to give Santos an early lead when he smashed a 25-meter drive into the top corner of the net after 19 minutes.

Marinho made up for missing a first-half penalty by scoring in the second half to help Santos to a 3-1 victory over Ceara in Brazil's Serie A on Saturday. ALSO READ: Football: Man City's Ruben Dias named PL Player of Season, Pep Guardiola wins manager's award The tricky winger pulled his spot-kick wide after just eight minutes, but Jean Mota managed to give Santos an early lead when he smashed a 25-meter drive into the top corner of the net after 19 minutes. Vinicius equalized from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime, but Marinho took advantage of slack defending 18 minutes into the second half to restore Santos’ lead. Kaio Jorge sealed the win for the home side nine minutes later when he headed home from a corner. The result leaves both clubs with three points from their first two games of this season’s Serie A.

Football: Marinho misses penalty but scores to help Santos to 3-1 win

The captain of Brazil’s soccer team said the players will wait until next week to comment on reports they are opposed to Brazil hosting the Copa America, with Casemiro saying any decision would be made jointly by the players and coach.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympic-100m-hurdles-champ-brianna-mcneal-banned-for-5-years-for-doping-violation-aiu-389506" hreflang="en">Olympic 100m hurdles champ Brianna McNeal banned for 5 years for doping violation: AIU</a>

Brazil was unexpectedly chosen to host the Copa America after Argentina withdrew because of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Multiple news reports in Brazil have said the players are upset at not being consulted about the decision as well as the possible public health consequences.

"We can’t talk about the issue (but) everyone knows what our position is regarding the Copa America," Casemiro said after Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying game in Porto Alegre.

"It's impossible to be clearer. We want to express our opinion after the game against Paraguay.

"There are hierarchies that we have to respect. Of course we want to give out opinion, lots of things have happened, but respect exists."

Brazil have won all five of their World Cup qualifiers so far and are top of the 10-team South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022.

“We don’t want to lose our focus because this for us is the World Cup,” Casemiro said after Richarlison and Neymar scored in Porto Alegre. “Today we won a World Cup match.”

Far-right president Jair Bolsonaro announced on Monday that Brazil would host all 28 games between June 13 and July 10. Over 460,000 people have died from the virus in Brazil, more than anywhere outside the United States.

The captain of Brazil’s soccer team said the players will wait until next week to comment on reports they are opposed to Brazil hosting the Copa America, with Casemiro saying any decision would be made jointly by the players and coach.

The captain of Brazil’s soccer team said the players will wait until next week to comment on reports they are opposed to Brazil hosting the Copa America, with Casemiro saying any decision would be made jointly by the players and coach. ALSO READ: Olympic 100m hurdles champ Brianna McNeal banned for 5 years for doping violation: AIU Brazil was unexpectedly chosen to host the Copa America after Argentina withdrew because of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Multiple news reports in Brazil have said the players are upset at not being consulted about the decision as well as the possible public health consequences. "We can’t talk about the issue (but) everyone knows what our position is regarding the Copa America," Casemiro said after Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying game in Porto Alegre. "It's impossible to be clearer. We want to express our opinion after the game against Paraguay. "There are hierarchies that we have to respect. Of course we want to give out opinion, lots of things have happened, but respect exists." Brazil have won all five of their World Cup qualifiers so far and are top of the 10-team South American qualifying group for Qatar 2022. “We don’t want to lose our focus because this for us is the World Cup,” Casemiro said after Richarlison and Neymar scored in Porto Alegre. “Today we won a World Cup match.” Far-right president Jair Bolsonaro announced on Monday that Brazil would host all 28 games between June 13 and July 10. Over 460,000 people have died from the virus in Brazil, more than anywhere outside the United States.

Football: Brazil captain says to delay formal comment on Copa America controversy

Brazilian police carried out raids Wednesday targeting top officials suspected of embezzling pandemic emergency funds in Amazonas state, where there have been gruesome scenes of overflowing hospitals and COVID-19 patients left to suffocate.

"Investigations uncovered evidence that high-ranking officials in the Amazonas state health ministry used a fraudulent tender process to favor a group of local business owners to build a field hospital, under the orders of the highest levels of the state government," federal police said in a statement.

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Police did not say who was targeted in the 19 search and seizure operations, but Brazilian media reports said officers had searched the home of Governor Wilson Lima, an ally of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and had a warrant to arrest state health minister Marcellus Campelo.

Police said they had six arrest warrants in all.

The field hospital in question was shoddily built and "failed to meet the basic needs of the population affected by COVID-19," police said.

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The Amazonas state capital, Manaus, has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has claimed more than 465,000 lives in&nbsp;Brazil, second only to the United States.

Manaus, dubbed the "capital of the Amazon rainforest," saw haunting scenes last year and early this year of overflowing hospitals, mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks.

Severe shortages of medical oxygen left dozens of COVID-19 patients to suffocate to death.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brazil-thousands-protest-against-president-bolsonaros-covid-response-388332/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

here have been allegations of massive corruption with pandemic emergency funds in several Brazilian states, including Rio de Janeiro, whose former governor Wilson Witzel was impeached over the charges.

Bolsonaro meanwhile faces mounting criticism and a Senate inquiry into his government's controversial coronavirus response.

The president has fought lockdown measures, snubbed face masks, refused offers of vaccines and touted ineffective medications such as chloroquine against COVID-19.

Brazilian police carried out raids Wednesday targeting top officials suspected of embezzling pandemic emergency funds in Amazonas state, where there have been gruesome scenes of overflowing hospitals and COVID-19 patients left to suffocate.

Brazilian police carried out raids Wednesday targeting top officials suspected of embezzling pandemic emergency funds in Amazonas state, where there have been gruesome scenes of overflowing hospitals and COVID-19 patients left to suffocate. "Investigations uncovered evidence that high-ranking officials in the Amazonas state health ministry used a fraudulent tender process to favor a group of local business owners to build a field hospital, under the orders of the highest levels of the state government," federal police said in a statement. Also Read | Mass vaccination creates healthy oasis in Brazilian city Police did not say who was targeted in the 19 search and seizure operations, but Brazilian media reports said officers had searched the home of Governor Wilson Lima, an ally of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and had a warrant to arrest state health minister Marcellus Campelo. Police said they had six arrest warrants in all. The field hospital in question was shoddily built and "failed to meet the basic needs of the population affected by COVID-19," police said. Also Read | Brazilians stage nationwide protests against President Bolsonaro's Covid response The Amazonas state capital, Manaus, has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has claimed more than 465,000 lives in Brazil, second only to the United States. Manaus, dubbed the "capital of the Amazon rainforest," saw haunting scenes last year and early this year of overflowing hospitals, mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks. Severe shortages of medical oxygen left dozens of COVID-19 patients to suffocate to death. here have been allegations of massive corruption with pandemic emergency funds in several Brazilian states, including Rio de Janeiro, whose former governor Wilson Witzel was impeached over the charges. Bolsonaro meanwhile faces mounting criticism and a Senate inquiry into his government's controversial coronavirus response. The president has fought lockdown measures, snubbed face masks, refused offers of vaccines and touted ineffective medications such as chloroquine against COVID-19.

Brazil raids target top officials for embezzling Covid funds in Amazonas

Pot-banging protests erupted across several cities in&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;on Wednesday evening as President Jair Bolsonaro addressed the nation, just days after protestors took to the streets across the country over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed almost half a million people here.

The last few days have been rocky for the government of the right-wing leader, whose popularity had already been flagging amid persistently high daily <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> deaths and cases.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilians-stage-nationwide-protests-against-president-bolsonaros-covid-response-388301">Brazilians stage nationwide protests against President Bolsonaro's Covid response</a>

On Wednesday alone, almost 100,000&nbsp;Brazilians came down with the coronavirus and 2,507 died, according to government data. Earlier in the day, the nation's Supreme Court authorized a criminal investigation into Bolsonaro's environment minister for allegedly interfering with a police probe into illegal logging.

In the televised speech, Bolsonaro briefly summarized some of his government's recent accomplishments and pledged strong economic growth going forward, but presented no new information.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brazil-thousands-protest-against-president-bolsonaros-covid-response-388332/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On Saturday, thousands participated in protests in at least 16 cities across the country, which were organized by leftist political parties, unions and student associations.

In Sao Paulo,&nbsp;Brazil's largest city, thousands of mask-wearing people blocked one of the largest city's avenues, while a large balloon depicted Bolsonaro as a vampire.

Some protests, like the one in Rio de Janeiro, included images of former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has emerged as Bolsonaro's main challenger in the nation's 2022 election, wearing the presidential sash.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaro-visits-indigenous-lands-in-amazon-despite-protests-388142">Bolsonaro visits indigenous lands in Amazon despite protests</a>

In the brief Wednesday evening speech, Bolsonaro, who has ridiculed masks and vaccines in the past, said all&nbsp;Brazilians who wanted a vaccine would be able to get one by the end of the year.

Also in the evening, the nation's Health Ministry revised down the number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19 vaccines</a> it will receive in June by about 4 million doses.

Pot-banging protests erupted across several cities in Brazil on Wednesday evening as President Jair Bolsonaro addressed the nation, just days after protestors took to the streets across the country over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed almost half a million people here.

Pot-banging protests erupted across several cities in Brazil on Wednesday evening as President Jair Bolsonaro addressed the nation, just days after protestors took to the streets across the country over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed almost half a million people here. The last few days have been rocky for the government of the right-wing leader, whose popularity had already been flagging amid persistently high daily COVID-19 deaths and cases. Also Read | Brazilians stage nationwide protests against President Bolsonaro's Covid response On Wednesday alone, almost 100,000 Brazilians came down with the coronavirus and 2,507 died, according to government data. Earlier in the day, the nation's Supreme Court authorized a criminal investigation into Bolsonaro's environment minister for allegedly interfering with a police probe into illegal logging. In the televised speech, Bolsonaro briefly summarized some of his government's recent accomplishments and pledged strong economic growth going forward, but presented no new information. On Saturday, thousands participated in protests in at least 16 cities across the country, which were organized by leftist political parties, unions and student associations. In Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, thousands of mask-wearing people blocked one of the largest city's avenues, while a large balloon depicted Bolsonaro as a vampire. Some protests, like the one in Rio de Janeiro, included images of former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has emerged as Bolsonaro's main challenger in the nation's 2022 election, wearing the presidential sash. Also Read | Bolsonaro visits indigenous lands in Amazon despite protests In the brief Wednesday evening speech, Bolsonaro, who has ridiculed masks and vaccines in the past, said all Brazilians who wanted a vaccine would be able to get one by the end of the year. Also in the evening, the nation's Health Ministry revised down the number of COVID-19 vaccines it will receive in June by about 4 million doses.

Brazilians bang pots in protest against Bolsonaro as another 2,500 die of COVID-19

Heavy rains in the Amazon Rainforest are causing rivers to reach record levels in the rainy cross-section of the Amazon river. The Brazilian geological service confirmed that the water levels are set to reach a record 30 meters, the highest level since records began in 1902.

Amazon rivers in Brazil are swelling to record levels

Brazil posted a trade surplus of $9.3 billion in May as record exports for that month helped fuel the second largest overall surplus ever. It is the second-highest on record following April's $10.3 billion surpluses.

World Business Watch: Brazil posts May trade surplus of $9.3 billion as exports hit historic high

CONMEBOL has tapped Brazil to host the 2021 Copa America, inviting criticism from the Brazilian public. Why can't organisers cancel big-ticket events to protect fans and players from the virus?

Gravitas: Copa America shrugs off pandemic fears

Brazilian artist Eduardo Srur reproduces works by renowned masters without using a drop of paint - just recycled shreds of plastic picked up from city streets and rivers.

Brazilian conjures works of art from plastic bags

A study in a Brazilian city has proved that mass vaccination does help in bringing down COVID-19 cases. Serrana city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo saw a 95% drop in COVID-19 deaths after it vaccinated almost all of its adult population.

Brazilian city Serrana sees 95% drop in COVID-19 deaths after mass vaccination

Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro has promised a Yanomani community that he will keep mining out of their reservation in the Amazon. However, he has said that he will seek access to other indigenous lands for commercial agriculture and mining.

Bolsonaro was seen in a video listening to local indigenous leader in Maturaca, an Amazon village in the Yanomami reservation.

In the meeting, which took place on Thursday, the leaders asked Bolsonaro to protect their lands from the threat of mining. A Yanomami warrior presented him with a bunch of long arrows that the president held as he spoke to the community.

"Your wishes will be respected. If you do not want mining, there will be no mining," Bolsonaro said.

But he added that other indigenous people in the Amazon and outside the Amazon wanted to mine their land and grow crops, "and we will respect that right of theirs."

Bolsonaro promised Yanomami people that they wouldn't be forced by law to accept mining on their lands.

"It was very good. He made a speech saying that our territory is not threatened by mining," Jose Mario Goes, head of the Yanomami Association of the River Cauaburi and Tributaries, told Reuters by phone.

Bolsonaro did not discuss the gold rush happening at the eastern end of the Yanomami reservation, in the state of Roraima, where more than 20,000 wildcat miners have invaded protected indigenous lands, bringing in malaria and the risk of COVID-19 infections, as well as incidents of violence.

Bolsonaro visited two indigenous reservations in the Amazon on Thursday for the first time since he became head of state.

But some indigenous leaders had asked him not to visit their lands, complaining that he only met with unrepresentative chiefs in what they said was a photo opportunity for his re-election campaign next year.

Bolsonaro also inaugurated a 20-meter wooden bridge built by the Brazilian army on the Balaio reservation where the Tukano indigenous people live and where major reserves of niobium have been found.

The metal is used to make light-weight steel for jet engines and other special applications. Bolsonaro has regularly mentioned its value in speeches about the untapped riches of the Amazon that he argues Brazil must exploit.

(With inputs from agencies)

Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro has promised a Yanomani community that he will keep mining out of their reservation in the Amazon. However, he has said that he will seek access to other indigenous lands for commercial agriculture and mining.

Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro has promised a Yanomani community that he will keep mining out of their reservation in the Amazon. However, he has said that he will seek access to other indigenous lands for commercial agriculture and mining. Bolsonaro was seen in a video listening to local indigenous leader in Maturaca, an Amazon village in the Yanomami reservation. In the meeting, which took place on Thursday, the leaders asked Bolsonaro to protect their lands from the threat of mining. A Yanomami warrior presented him with a bunch of long arrows that the president held as he spoke to the community. "Your wishes will be respected. If you do not want mining, there will be no mining," Bolsonaro said. But he added that other indigenous people in the Amazon and outside the Amazon wanted to mine their land and grow crops, "and we will respect that right of theirs." Bolsonaro promised Yanomami people that they wouldn't be forced by law to accept mining on their lands. "It was very good. He made a speech saying that our territory is not threatened by mining," Jose Mario Goes, head of the Yanomami Association of the River Cauaburi and Tributaries, told Reuters by phone. Bolsonaro did not discuss the gold rush happening at the eastern end of the Yanomami reservation, in the state of Roraima, where more than 20,000 wildcat miners have invaded protected indigenous lands, bringing in malaria and the risk of COVID-19 infections, as well as incidents of violence. Bolsonaro visited two indigenous reservations in the Amazon on Thursday for the first time since he became head of state. But some indigenous leaders had asked him not to visit their lands, complaining that he only met with unrepresentative chiefs in what they said was a photo opportunity for his re-election campaign next year. Bolsonaro also inaugurated a 20-meter wooden bridge built by the Brazilian army on the Balaio reservation where the Tukano indigenous people live and where major reserves of niobium have been found. The metal is used to make light-weight steel for jet engines and other special applications. Bolsonaro has regularly mentioned its value in speeches about the untapped riches of the Amazon that he argues Brazil must exploit. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil President Bolsonaro to keep mining out of indigenous lands in Amazon

Thousands of people in Brazil staged another day of protest against President Jair Bolsonaro, in particular for his chaotic handling of the pandemic.

Brazil: Thousands protest against President Bolsonaro's COVID response

Brazilians staged protests against President Jair Bolsonaro`s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in at least 16 cities across the country on Saturday, carrying signs such as "Out with Bolsonaro" and "Impeachment now." 
 
Bolsonaro`s popularity has plummeted during the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 460,000 Brazilians as the far-right leader played down its severity, dismissed mask wearing and cast doubt on the importance of vaccines. 
 
Organized by leftist political parties, unions and student associations, Saturday`s protests in the capital Brasilia and in Rio de Janeiro were peaceful, but in the northeastern city of Recife, police threw tear gas and shot rubber bullets. 
 
In Sao Paulo, Brazil`s largest city, thousands of mask-wearing people blocked one the largest city`s avenues. One large balloon depicted Bolsonaro as a vampire. 
 
Some protests, like the one in Rio, included images of former leftist president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva wearing the presidential sash. 
 
Earlier in May, Lula met centrist Fernando Henrique Cardoso, also a two-term former president, for lunch in a public show of their common purpose to block Bolsonaro from gaining a second term in next year`s presidential election.

Brazilians staged protests against President Jair Bolsonaro`s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in at least 16 cities across the country on Saturday, carrying signs such as "Out with Bolsonaro" and "Impeachment now.

Brazilians staged protests against President Jair Bolsonaro`s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in at least 16 cities across the country on Saturday, carrying signs such as "Out with Bolsonaro" and "Impeachment now." Bolsonaro`s popularity has plummeted during the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 460,000 Brazilians as the far-right leader played down its severity, dismissed mask wearing and cast doubt on the importance of vaccines. Organized by leftist political parties, unions and student associations, Saturday`s protests in the capital Brasilia and in Rio de Janeiro were peaceful, but in the northeastern city of Recife, police threw tear gas and shot rubber bullets. In Sao Paulo, Brazil`s largest city, thousands of mask-wearing people blocked one the largest city`s avenues. One large balloon depicted Bolsonaro as a vampire. Some protests, like the one in Rio, included images of former leftist president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva wearing the presidential sash. Earlier in May, Lula met centrist Fernando Henrique Cardoso, also a two-term former president, for lunch in a public show of their common purpose to block Bolsonaro from gaining a second term in next year`s presidential election.

Brazilians stage nationwide protests against President Bolsonaro's Covid response

Brazil`s President Jair Bolsonaro visited two indigenous reservations in the Amazon on Thursday for the first time as head of state, despite protests from some tribal leaders against his drive to open up their protected lands to commercial mining. 
 
Bolsonaro, flanked by army officers and wearing a feather head-dress, watched members of the local Tukano community perform a ritual dance at the Balaio reservation, where he inaugurated a bridge. 
 
Regional indigenous leaders from the upper reaches of the Rio Negro river said they were not invited to see Bolsonaro and that he only met with unrepresentative chiefs in a photo opportunity for his re-election campaign next year. 
 
"Our institution is three decades old but we were not included in the president`s agenda or any dialogue on public polices for the region," the Federation of Rio Negro Indigenous Organizations said in a statement. "He met with self-proclaimed leaders to produce fake news." 
 
The president`s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
The wooden bridge that Bolsonaro inaugurated was built by the Brazilian army on a road that runs to the border with Venezuela, passing through the Balaio reservation, where major reserves of niobium have been found. 
 
The metal is used to make light-weight steel for jet engines and other special applications. Bolsonaro has regularly mentioned its value in speeches about the untapped riches of the Amazon that Brazil must exploit. 
 
The Balaio reservation is above the Rio Negro at the north-western tip of Brazil bordering Colombia and Venezuela. 
 
Bolsonaro later visited and stayed overnight at a military frontier post in Maturacá, which is located at the western end of the Yanomami reservation, the largest in Brazil. 
 
The reservation`s eastern section in the state of Roraima has been invaded by more than 20,000 illegal gold miners, who have been emboldened by Bolsonaro`s support for the legalization of wildcat mining in Brazil. 
 
Yanomami leaders deplored the far-right president`s visit to their reservation and repeated their calls for authorities to expel the miners. 
 
"The government must urgently remove the invaders from our territories to safeguard our health and that of Mother Earth," they said in a letter to Bolsonaro. 
 
"We do not accept the legalization of mining activities on our lands, because it will not bring the Yanomami any benefit," the letter signed by leaders from Maturacá said. 
 
Bolsonaro`s visit came the day after gold miners illegally prospecting on indigenous lands along the Tapajos river in the Amazon shot at a Munduruku village and burned down the house of one of its leaders. 
 
The lower house of Brazil`s Congress, where Bolsonaro supporters have a majority, is currently considering legislation proposed by the government that would open the door to commercial mining and agriculture on indigenous reservations. 
&nbsp;

Brazil`s President Jair Bolsonaro visited two indigenous reservations in the Amazon on Thursday for the first time as head of state, despite protests from some tribal leaders against his drive to open up their protected lands to commercial mining.

Brazil`s President Jair Bolsonaro visited two indigenous reservations in the Amazon on Thursday for the first time as head of state, despite protests from some tribal leaders against his drive to open up their protected lands to commercial mining. Bolsonaro, flanked by army officers and wearing a feather head-dress, watched members of the local Tukano community perform a ritual dance at the Balaio reservation, where he inaugurated a bridge. Regional indigenous leaders from the upper reaches of the Rio Negro river said they were not invited to see Bolsonaro and that he only met with unrepresentative chiefs in a photo opportunity for his re-election campaign next year. "Our institution is three decades old but we were not included in the president`s agenda or any dialogue on public polices for the region," the Federation of Rio Negro Indigenous Organizations said in a statement. "He met with self-proclaimed leaders to produce fake news." The president`s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The wooden bridge that Bolsonaro inaugurated was built by the Brazilian army on a road that runs to the border with Venezuela, passing through the Balaio reservation, where major reserves of niobium have been found. The metal is used to make light-weight steel for jet engines and other special applications. Bolsonaro has regularly mentioned its value in speeches about the untapped riches of the Amazon that Brazil must exploit. The Balaio reservation is above the Rio Negro at the north-western tip of Brazil bordering Colombia and Venezuela. Bolsonaro later visited and stayed overnight at a military frontier post in Maturacá, which is located at the western end of the Yanomami reservation, the largest in Brazil. The reservation`s eastern section in the state of Roraima has been invaded by more than 20,000 illegal gold miners, who have been emboldened by Bolsonaro`s support for the legalization of wildcat mining in Brazil. Yanomami leaders deplored the far-right president`s visit to their reservation and repeated their calls for authorities to expel the miners. "The government must urgently remove the invaders from our territories to safeguard our health and that of Mother Earth," they said in a letter to Bolsonaro. "We do not accept the legalization of mining activities on our lands, because it will not bring the Yanomami any benefit," the letter signed by leaders from Maturacá said. Bolsonaro`s visit came the day after gold miners illegally prospecting on indigenous lands along the Tapajos river in the Amazon shot at a Munduruku village and burned down the house of one of its leaders. The lower house of Brazil`s Congress, where Bolsonaro supporters have a majority, is currently considering legislation proposed by the government that would open the door to commercial mining and agriculture on indigenous reservations.

Bolsonaro visits indigenous lands in Amazon despite protests

Brazilian architect and urban planner Jaime Lerner, who helped develop the "bus rapid transit" (BRT) system that changed the face of public transportation in cities around the world, died Thursday. He was 83.

Lerner rose to prominence in the 1970s when he was elected mayor of his native Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil, and launched an ambitious plan to overhaul the transportation system.

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BRT is based on the idea that buses — the transportation of the poor in many places — can operate with the speed and capacity of much more expensive-to-build subway systems, using dedicated lanes, priority for buses at intersections and innovative bus stop design.

Under Lerner, Curitiba rolled out what would become a model for cities worldwide, the Integrated Transport Network.

Its vertebrae are its iconic tubular bus stops, with elevated platforms that make it easy for passengers to get on and off and a pre-payment system to maximize efficiency.

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It has been imitated in more than 250 cities including Bogota, Brisbane, Johannesburg and Marrakesh.

Lerner is also remembered for making Curitiba a model of sustainable planning, creating numerous green spaces and an advanced recycling program.

He served three terms as mayor (1971-1974, 1979-1983 and 1989-1992), and two as governor of Parana state, of which Curitiba is the capital (1995-2002).

In between, he wrote numerous books on urban planning.

In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Lerner died of a chronic kidney condition, said the Mackenzie Evangelical University Hospital.

His death comes four days after that of another iconic Brazilian architect, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 92, who won the 2006 Pritzker Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of architecture.

Brazilian architect and urban planner Jaime Lerner, who helped develop the "bus rapid transit" (BRT) system that changed the face of public transportation in cities around the world, died Thursday.

Brazilian architect and urban planner Jaime Lerner, who helped develop the "bus rapid transit" (BRT) system that changed the face of public transportation in cities around the world, died Thursday. He was 83. Lerner rose to prominence in the 1970s when he was elected mayor of his native Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil, and launched an ambitious plan to overhaul the transportation system. Also read | Albert Einstein's letter with famous E=mc2 equation sold for $1.3 million BRT is based on the idea that buses — the transportation of the poor in many places — can operate with the speed and capacity of much more expensive-to-build subway systems, using dedicated lanes, priority for buses at intersections and innovative bus stop design. Under Lerner, Curitiba rolled out what would become a model for cities worldwide, the Integrated Transport Network. Its vertebrae are its iconic tubular bus stops, with elevated platforms that make it easy for passengers to get on and off and a pre-payment system to maximize efficiency. Also read | Stephen Hawking's office and archive to be preserved in UK It has been imitated in more than 250 cities including Bogota, Brisbane, Johannesburg and Marrakesh. Lerner is also remembered for making Curitiba a model of sustainable planning, creating numerous green spaces and an advanced recycling program. He served three terms as mayor (1971-1974, 1979-1983 and 1989-1992), and two as governor of Parana state, of which Curitiba is the capital (1995-2002). In between, he wrote numerous books on urban planning. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Lerner died of a chronic kidney condition, said the Mackenzie Evangelical University Hospital. His death comes four days after that of another iconic Brazilian architect, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 92, who won the 2006 Pritzker Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of architecture.

Brazil's Jaime Lerner, urban transport pioneer, dies at 83

A traveller who had arrived in Brazil has tested positive for the B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus, which was first detected by health officials in India.

On Wednesday, Sao Paulo health officials reported that the traveller had been detected with the variant which has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ by WHO.

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The traveller is a 32-year-old local who had landed at the Guarulhos International Airport near Sao Paulo on May 22 and is a resident of Campos dos Goytacazes in Rio de Janeiro state.

This has raised concerns about another possible outbreak in the country due to this variant. The health officials worry that a similar tragedy such as India’s second wave can happen in Brazil too if the variant spreads in the country.

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The health authorities have now asked for a full list of the passengers who have travelled from India to Brazil in the last few days, including details of the airport staff and other people who might have come in contact with the travellers.

These people will be asked to isolate themselves and will be monitored for symptoms of the deadly coronavirus.

As of now, Brazil has lost more than 450,000 people to the deadly virus, which is one of the worst death tolls in the world. The figure has also been caused due to the domestic variant of the virus.

(With inputs from agencies)

A traveller who had arrived in Brazil has tested positive for the B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus, which was first detected by health officials in India. On Wednesday, Sao Paulo health officials reported that the traveller had been detected with the variant which has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ by WHO.

A traveller who had arrived in Brazil has tested positive for the B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus, which was first detected by health officials in India. On Wednesday, Sao Paulo health officials reported that the traveller had been detected with the variant which has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ by WHO. Also read | Vaccines can be redesigned to avoid blood clots, German scientists claim The traveller is a 32-year-old local who had landed at the Guarulhos International Airport near Sao Paulo on May 22 and is a resident of Campos dos Goytacazes in Rio de Janeiro state. This has raised concerns about another possible outbreak in the country due to this variant. The health officials worry that a similar tragedy such as India’s second wave can happen in Brazil too if the variant spreads in the country. Also read | Australia: Victoria orders snap-lockdown for 7 days as covid cases double The health authorities have now asked for a full list of the passengers who have travelled from India to Brazil in the last few days, including details of the airport staff and other people who might have come in contact with the travellers. These people will be asked to isolate themselves and will be monitored for symptoms of the deadly coronavirus. As of now, Brazil has lost more than 450,000 people to the deadly virus, which is one of the worst death tolls in the world. The figure has also been caused due to the domestic variant of the virus. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil reports case of B.1.617.2 variant of coronavirus; health officials sound alarm

Despite the rage in Coronavirus Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro lead a motorcade rally in Rio de Janeiro amid harsh criticism over his management of the pandemic.

Bolsonaro leads motorcade rally in Rio de Janeiro amid Coronavirus surge

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentina-pushes-back-mid-term-elections-as-covid-19-rages-383651">Argentina</a> President Alberto Fernandez announced the country will enter into a lockdown for nine days amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brazils-fight-against-covid-19-hampered-by-heavy-rainfall-385515/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The country recorded 435 fatalities on Thursday over 35,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 500 fatalities per day for the last 7 days. The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentina-people-take-to-streets-in-buenos-aires-to-protest-lockdown-378480"> lockdown</a> is set to begin on May 22 with only essential supply shops allowed to remain open.

"We must accept that we are in a critical moment," the Argentinian PM said, adding,"We must come together to overcome this catastrophe," PM Fernandez said, adding, "Social, economic, educational, religious and sports activities will be suspended in person."

Argentina's vaccination drive hasn't gone according to plan with just 4.7 per cent of the population inoculated so far and just over 18 per cent having received the first dose, according to reports.

"I am very aware, fully aware that these restrictions create difficulties. Faced with this reality, there is no choice but to choose the preservation of life," Fernandez said.

Argentina has reported over 3.45 million cases including 72,699 deaths since the pandemic last year.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus crisis continues to wreak havoc in neighbouring <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-struggles-to-vaccinate-as-covid-toll-spirals-385318">Brazil</a> with a rising number of youngsters contracting the infection.

Brazil recorded over 82,000 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours over 2,400 deaths. The country has recorded over 15 million cases and over 444,000 deaths since the pandemic began last year.&nbsp;

Amid the crisis, former health minister Eduardo Pazuello denied that Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has overturned his efforts to buy China's coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unvaccinated-us-lawmakers-a-danger-to-congress-pelosi-says-386507">vaccine </a>made by China's Sinovac biotech.

The Sinovac vaccine reportedly accounted for five out of every six shots given last month in Brazil.&nbsp;

A Senate committee is currently investigating the handling of the pandemic and the slow start of the inoculation drive.

Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced the country will enter into a lockdown for nine days amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Watch: The country recorded 435 fatalities on Thursday over 35,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 500 fatalities per day for the last 7 days.

Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced the country will enter into a lockdown for nine days amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Watch: The country recorded 435 fatalities on Thursday over 35,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 500 fatalities per day for the last 7 days. The lockdown is set to begin on May 22 with only essential supply shops allowed to remain open. "We must accept that we are in a critical moment," the Argentinian PM said, adding,"We must come together to overcome this catastrophe," PM Fernandez said, adding, "Social, economic, educational, religious and sports activities will be suspended in person." Argentina's vaccination drive hasn't gone according to plan with just 4.7 per cent of the population inoculated so far and just over 18 per cent having received the first dose, according to reports. "I am very aware, fully aware that these restrictions create difficulties. Faced with this reality, there is no choice but to choose the preservation of life," Fernandez said. Argentina has reported over 3.45 million cases including 72,699 deaths since the pandemic last year. Meanwhile, the coronavirus crisis continues to wreak havoc in neighbouring Brazil with a rising number of youngsters contracting the infection. Brazil recorded over 82,000 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours over 2,400 deaths. The country has recorded over 15 million cases and over 444,000 deaths since the pandemic began last year. Amid the crisis, former health minister Eduardo Pazuello denied that Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has overturned his efforts to buy China's coronavirus vaccine made by China's Sinovac biotech. The Sinovac vaccine reportedly accounted for five out of every six shots given last month in Brazil. A Senate committee is currently investigating the handling of the pandemic and the slow start of the inoculation drive.

'We are in a critical moment': Argentina enters lockdown amid surge in COVID-19 cases

The Wuhan Virus is now infecting children. Singapore says virus is 'attacking' children more. Brazil is reporting a rise in 'child deaths' & Taiwan has shut down all schools. Palki Sharma tells you why India can't ignore these global trends.

Gravitas: Wuhan virus is now infecting children

Health workers have been forced to take to boats to deliver vaccines to vulnerable residents who have been stranded by the deluge.

Brazil's fight against COVID-19 hampered by heavy rainfall

Four months into a&nbsp;Covid-19 vaccination campaign marred by shortages and delays, hard-hit&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;is still struggling to find enough doses, as political and diplomatic blunders prolong its pandemic nightmare.

Around 33 million people -- 15 percent of the population -- have received at least one vaccine dose in&nbsp;Brazil, a proportion still too small to have a substantial impact on the virus' spread.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women">Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women</a>

Targeted by a Senate inquiry over its handling of the pandemic, President Jair Bolsonaro's government is facing criticism for failing to secure more vaccines, including its refusal of offers to purchase millions of doses and diplomatic tension with China that may be slowing the import of vaccine ingredients.

'We don't have enough doses right now to&nbsp;vaccinate&nbsp;as fast as we should,'&nbsp;said Margareth Dalcolmo, a pulmonologist and researcher at leading public health institute Fiocruz.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon">Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon</a>

"We ought to be vaccinating younger people already, especially given that younger demographic groups are currently driving transmission," she told AFP.

But first,&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;still has to&nbsp;vaccinate&nbsp;80 million people from high-priority groups, including the elderly, indigenous people and health workers.

Vaccine doses meanwhile continue to arrive in a trickle -- although the government maintains it will be able to&nbsp;vaccinate&nbsp;all adults by the end of the year.

Brazil&nbsp;has lost more lives to&nbsp;Covid-19 than any country except the United States -- &nbsp;more than 430,000 -- and has one of the highest death tolls per capita in the world.

Though the current wave has eased somewhat since April, the virus is still killing a staggeringly high number of people in the country -- nearly 2,000 a day.

Despite its huge size, the South American country is known for executing turbo-charged vaccination campaigns.

In 2010,&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;vaccinated more than 80 million people against H1N1 -- the swine flu virus -- in less than three months.

'We need to be vaccinating two million people a day,'&nbsp;said Dalcolmo.

As it stands,&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;has rarely managed more than one million&nbsp;Covid-19 shots a day.

'We've gotten better since the start of the year, but we're still a long way from where we need to be,'&nbsp;said Joao Viola, president of the Brazilian Immunological Society's scientific committee.

Brazil&nbsp;started out using two vaccines, Oxford/AstraZeneca's and Chinese-developed CoronaVac, both of which it has licenses to produce locally.

The drive got a boost last month with the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine. But only about two million of the 100 million doses&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;has ordered have been delivered so far.

All three shots require two doses.

Brazil&nbsp;could have secured more Pfizer doses faster, but Bolsonaro's government refused an offer last August to purchase more than 70 million of them.

The far-right president, who has persistently snubbed expert advice on handling the pandemic, joked that the vaccine could 'turn you into an alligator'&nbsp;-- only to change course months later and allow a deal with the US pharmaceutical giant.

"Worldwide demand for vaccines is very high, so those who were slow to sign deals are receiving their orders later," said Viola.

Bolsonaro, whose government often has strained relations with China, also refused to purchase CoronaVac, calling it the vaccine from 'that other country.'

But a political opponent, Joao Doria, governor of&nbsp;Brazil's most populous state, Sao Paulo, pursued a deal for CoronaVac anyway.

The vaccine now accounts for more than 70 percent of the doses administered in&nbsp;Brazil.

However, the public health center manufacturing it in&nbsp;Brazil, the Butantan Institute, announced Friday it would have to halt production because it had run out of the active ingredient, which has to be imported from China.

Brazil&nbsp;is due to start producing the active ingredient for CoronaVac itself, but only in September.

The Butantan Institute said 'diplomatic problems'&nbsp;could prevent it from delivering new doses in June.

Last week, Bolsonaro provoked China by saying it may have created the novel coronavirus in a lab to wage 'germ warfare.'

"There are 10,000 liters (of active ingredient for CoronaVac) ready, just waiting for the Chinese government to authorize shipment," said Doria.

'But every time someone here makes a disparaging remark about China, that clearly makes it more difficult.'

Four months into a Covid-19 vaccination campaign marred by shortages and delays, hard-hit Brazil is still struggling to find enough doses, as political and diplomatic blunders prolong its pandemic nightmare.

Four months into a Covid-19 vaccination campaign marred by shortages and delays, hard-hit Brazil is still struggling to find enough doses, as political and diplomatic blunders prolong its pandemic nightmare. Around 33 million people -- 15 percent of the population -- have received at least one vaccine dose in Brazil, a proportion still too small to have a substantial impact on the virus' spread. Also read: Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women Targeted by a Senate inquiry over its handling of the pandemic, President Jair Bolsonaro's government is facing criticism for failing to secure more vaccines, including its refusal of offers to purchase millions of doses and diplomatic tension with China that may be slowing the import of vaccine ingredients. 'We don't have enough doses right now to vaccinate as fast as we should,' said Margareth Dalcolmo, a pulmonologist and researcher at leading public health institute Fiocruz. Also read: Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon "We ought to be vaccinating younger people already, especially given that younger demographic groups are currently driving transmission," she told AFP. But first, Brazil still has to vaccinate 80 million people from high-priority groups, including the elderly, indigenous people and health workers. Vaccine doses meanwhile continue to arrive in a trickle -- although the government maintains it will be able to vaccinate all adults by the end of the year. Brazil has lost more lives to Covid-19 than any country except the United States -- more than 430,000 -- and has one of the highest death tolls per capita in the world. Though the current wave has eased somewhat since April, the virus is still killing a staggeringly high number of people in the country -- nearly 2,000 a day. Despite its huge size, the South American country is known for executing turbo-charged vaccination campaigns. In 2010, Brazil vaccinated more than 80 million people against H1N1 -- the swine flu virus -- in less than three months. 'We need to be vaccinating two million people a day,' said Dalcolmo. As it stands, Brazil has rarely managed more than one million Covid-19 shots a day. 'We've gotten better since the start of the year, but we're still a long way from where we need to be,' said Joao Viola, president of the Brazilian Immunological Society's scientific committee. Brazil started out using two vaccines, Oxford/AstraZeneca's and Chinese-developed CoronaVac, both of which it has licenses to produce locally. The drive got a boost last month with the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine. But only about two million of the 100 million doses Brazil has ordered have been delivered so far. All three shots require two doses. Brazil could have secured more Pfizer doses faster, but Bolsonaro's government refused an offer last August to purchase more than 70 million of them. The far-right president, who has persistently snubbed expert advice on handling the pandemic, joked that the vaccine could 'turn you into an alligator' -- only to change course months later and allow a deal with the US pharmaceutical giant. "Worldwide demand for vaccines is very high, so those who were slow to sign deals are receiving their orders later," said Viola. Bolsonaro, whose government often has strained relations with China, also refused to purchase CoronaVac, calling it the vaccine from 'that other country.' But a political opponent, Joao Doria, governor of Brazil's most populous state, Sao Paulo, pursued a deal for CoronaVac anyway. The vaccine now accounts for more than 70 percent of the doses administered in Brazil. However, the public health center manufacturing it in Brazil, the Butantan Institute, announced Friday it would have to halt production because it had run out of the active ingredient, which has to be imported from China. Brazil is due to start producing the active ingredient for CoronaVac itself, but only in September. The Butantan Institute said 'diplomatic problems' could prevent it from delivering new doses in June. Last week, Bolsonaro provoked China by saying it may have created the novel coronavirus in a lab to wage 'germ warfare.' "There are 10,000 liters (of active ingredient for CoronaVac) ready, just waiting for the Chinese government to authorize shipment," said Doria. 'But every time someone here makes a disparaging remark about China, that clearly makes it more difficult.'

Brazil struggles to vaccinate as Covid toll spirals

Favelas in Rio de Janeiro are tapping into green energy, with homes in the Brazilian city's slums fitted with solar panels. This solar project is called Revolu Solar and was launched in 2015 with the objective of providing homes in Rio's favelas with clean, reliable and affordable energy. So far, homes in Babilonia and Chapeu Mangueira have received panels.

Green favelas! Solar energy lights up Rio de Janeiro's slums

Several Brazilian states have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a> for pregnant women after the national health regulator expressed concerns over a reported death.

As of now, it has not been established whether or not the vaccine was the cause of the death. However, the states have decided to suspend the use till the health ministry establishes a cause of death.

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The decision has been taken by a team of experts and is based "exclusively on technical criteria". Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga told a news conference.

"It is not clear that the vaccine caused this blood clot. We are analysing the details of the whole case to reach a conclusion and clarify what happened," Jorge Kalil, consultant for the National Vaccination Programme, said.

States that have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca include Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, among others.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-is-black-fungus-or-mucormycosis-384376">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-is-black-fungus-or-mucormycosis-384376/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This decision was announced in the late hours of Monday by the country’s health regulator, Anvisa, after its "constant monitoring of adverse events with anti-Covid vaccines used in the country".

The women who have already been administered the first shot should hold off getting the second dose and wait for further orders by the health ministry.

AstraZeneca, meanwhile, has said in a statement that pregnant women and nursing mothers were not included in the vaccine tests as "there were no adverse effects related to pregnancy observed in studies on animals".

Several Brazilian states have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for pregnant women after the national health regulator expressed concerns over a reported death.

Several Brazilian states have suspended the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for pregnant women after the national health regulator expressed concerns over a reported death. As of now, it has not been established whether or not the vaccine was the cause of the death. However, the states have decided to suspend the use till the health ministry establishes a cause of death. Also read | Risk for erectile dysfunction six-fold higher in men with COVID-19 The decision has been taken by a team of experts and is based "exclusively on technical criteria". Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga told a news conference. "It is not clear that the vaccine caused this blood clot. We are analysing the details of the whole case to reach a conclusion and clarify what happened," Jorge Kalil, consultant for the National Vaccination Programme, said. States that have suspended the use of the AstraZeneca include Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, among others. Watch | This decision was announced in the late hours of Monday by the country’s health regulator, Anvisa, after its "constant monitoring of adverse events with anti-Covid vaccines used in the country". The women who have already been administered the first shot should hold off getting the second dose and wait for further orders by the health ministry. AstraZeneca, meanwhile, has said in a statement that pregnant women and nursing mothers were not included in the vaccine tests as "there were no adverse effects related to pregnancy observed in studies on animals".

Following a death, Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for pregnant women

Several Brazilian states have suspended the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women after an expectant mother in Rio de Janeiro died from a stroke possibly related to the inoculation.

Brazil suspends use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women

Brazil's arabica harvest kicked off symbolically this weekend with volunteers picking through one of the world's largest urban coffee farms at Sao Paulo's Instituto Biológico, a hub of agricultural research in the middle of the metropolis.

Brazil coffee harvest starts in the heart of its biggest city

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for&nbsp;Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;de Janeiro's deadliest&nbsp;police&nbsp;raid&nbsp;in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists.

The shootout killed a&nbsp;police&nbsp;officer and 24 others in&nbsp;Rio's Jacarezinho neighborhood on Thursday.&nbsp;Police&nbsp;said it was the deadliest operation in&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;state since a 2005&nbsp;raid&nbsp;on the city's northern outskirts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon">Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon</a>

"The facts reported seem grave and, in one of the videos, there are indications of acts that, in theory, could amount to arbitrary execution," said&nbsp;Judge&nbsp;Edson Fachin.

Last year, Fachin issued an order for&nbsp;Rio&nbsp;police&nbsp;to suspend operations during the coronavirus pandemic in the informal shantytowns known as favelas - "except in absolutely exceptional cases" that had been pre-approved by prosecutors.

The United Nations human rights office called on Friday for an independent probe of the latest deadly operation in a history of "disproportionate and unnecessary"&nbsp;police&nbsp;force.

Rio's&nbsp;police&nbsp;are among the most deadly in the world, but right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has argued that if anything they need fewer restrictions on lethal force.

Asked about those killed in Jazarezinho on Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said they were "all bandits."

Jacarezinho residents and activists marched outside a&nbsp;police&nbsp;station on Friday with a banner demanding, "Stop killing us."

"They would have surrendered, but the&nbsp;police&nbsp;came in to kill, kill, kill. Twenty-five mothers crying. I want my son," said Adriana Santana Araújo, 36, mourning the loss of her 23-year-old son.

Daniele dos Santos said her 32-year-old husband had gone out to buy bread and was caught in the crossfire.

"He got a bullet in the leg and the cop ended up executing him. He was alive. He wasn't armed. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said.

Police&nbsp;said everyone killed but the officer were suspected drug traffickers reacting violently to&nbsp;police&nbsp;presence.

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate Rio de Janeiro's deadliest police raid in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists.

A Supreme Court justice called on Friday for Brazil's top prosecutor to investigate Rio de Janeiro's deadliest police raid in over a decade, which has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, human rights groups and local activists. The shootout killed a police officer and 24 others in Rio's Jacarezinho neighborhood on Thursday. Police said it was the deadliest operation in Rio state since a 2005 raid on the city's northern outskirts. Also read | Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon "The facts reported seem grave and, in one of the videos, there are indications of acts that, in theory, could amount to arbitrary execution," said Judge Edson Fachin. Last year, Fachin issued an order for Rio police to suspend operations during the coronavirus pandemic in the informal shantytowns known as favelas - "except in absolutely exceptional cases" that had been pre-approved by prosecutors. The United Nations human rights office called on Friday for an independent probe of the latest deadly operation in a history of "disproportionate and unnecessary" police force. Rio's police are among the most deadly in the world, but right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has argued that if anything they need fewer restrictions on lethal force. Asked about those killed in Jazarezinho on Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao said they were "all bandits." Jacarezinho residents and activists marched outside a police station on Friday with a banner demanding, "Stop killing us." "They would have surrendered, but the police came in to kill, kill, kill. Twenty-five mothers crying. I want my son," said Adriana Santana Araújo, 36, mourning the loss of her 23-year-old son. Daniele dos Santos said her 32-year-old husband had gone out to buy bread and was caught in the crossfire. "He got a bullet in the leg and the cop ended up executing him. He was alive. He wasn't armed. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. Police said everyone killed but the officer were suspected drug traffickers reacting violently to police presence.

Brazil judge sees signs of 'arbitrary execution' in Rio police raid

Deforestation&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;hit a&nbsp;record&nbsp;last month, the government reported Friday with figures that belie President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge to crack down on such destruction.

The area of the rainforest that was destroyed -- 580 square kilometers (225 square miles) -- marked a new high for the month of&nbsp;April&nbsp;and a 42.5 per cent on-year rise, according to satellite monitoring by the&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;space agency INPE. Its data goes back to 2015.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Deforestation in world's largest rainforest Amazon rose 17% in 'dire' 2020">Deforestation in world's largest rainforest Amazon rose 17% in 'dire' 2020</a>

The level for March was also higher than 12 months earlier, and followed two months of decline in the rainy season when logging activity decreases.

From January through&nbsp;April&nbsp;29, however, the cutting of trees to provide lumber and clear land for agriculture was down 3.9 percent compared to the same period in 2020, INPE said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Tropical forest destruction accelerated in 2020">Tropical forest destruction accelerated in 2020</a>

The dry season, which peaks in July and August, is when most&nbsp;deforestation&nbsp;happens.

Records have been set in the past three dry seasons, INPE said.

The&nbsp;Amazon, the world's biggest rainforest, is considered vital to curbing climate change because of the carbon dioxide it absorbs from the atmosphere.

About 60 per cent of the rainforest is in Brazil.

"Right now it is not possible to say what will happen but in 2021 there could be a fourth straight&nbsp;deforestation&nbsp;record," said the Climate Observatory, a group of 63 NGOs and social organisations.

Bolsonaro, a far-right climate change skeptic, came to power in 2019 encouraging commercial exploitation of the rainforest and calling conservation groups "cancer."

However, last month he pledged to "eliminate illegal&nbsp;deforestation&nbsp;in Brazil by 2030," 10 years earlier than initially planned.&nbsp;

Environmental NGOs have expressed doubt that Brazil under Bolsonaro will live up to this pledge.

"In 2021 there is no federal effort to control&nbsp;deforestation," the Climate Observatory said.&nbsp;

The government agency that carries out inspections in the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;"is doing nothing" and the process of punishing violators has been halted, it added.

A study published last week by the journal Nature Climate Change said the&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;released nearly 20 percent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed.

This report shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb man-made carbon pollution.&nbsp;

Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon hit a record last month, the government reported Friday with figures that belie President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge to crack down on such destruction.

Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon hit a record last month, the government reported Friday with figures that belie President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge to crack down on such destruction. The area of the rainforest that was destroyed -- 580 square kilometers (225 square miles) -- marked a new high for the month of April and a 42.5 per cent on-year rise, according to satellite monitoring by the Brazilian space agency INPE. Its data goes back to 2015. Also read | Deforestation in world's largest rainforest Amazon rose 17% in 'dire' 2020 The level for March was also higher than 12 months earlier, and followed two months of decline in the rainy season when logging activity decreases. From January through April 29, however, the cutting of trees to provide lumber and clear land for agriculture was down 3.9 percent compared to the same period in 2020, INPE said. Also read | Tropical forest destruction accelerated in 2020 The dry season, which peaks in July and August, is when most deforestation happens. Records have been set in the past three dry seasons, INPE said. The Amazon, the world's biggest rainforest, is considered vital to curbing climate change because of the carbon dioxide it absorbs from the atmosphere. About 60 per cent of the rainforest is in Brazil. "Right now it is not possible to say what will happen but in 2021 there could be a fourth straight deforestation record," said the Climate Observatory, a group of 63 NGOs and social organisations. Bolsonaro, a far-right climate change skeptic, came to power in 2019 encouraging commercial exploitation of the rainforest and calling conservation groups "cancer." However, last month he pledged to "eliminate illegal deforestation in Brazil by 2030," 10 years earlier than initially planned. Environmental NGOs have expressed doubt that Brazil under Bolsonaro will live up to this pledge. "In 2021 there is no federal effort to control deforestation," the Climate Observatory said. The government agency that carries out inspections in the Amazon "is doing nothing" and the process of punishing violators has been halted, it added. A study published last week by the journal Nature Climate Change said the Brazilian Amazon released nearly 20 percent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed. This report shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb man-made carbon pollution.

Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon hits record in April

Hundreds of protesters in Brazil's Rio De Janeiro took to the streets against the police action which killed 27 drug traffickers.

Brazil: Protesters accuse cops of attacking black majority slum

2020 was not just the year of pandemic, it was also an infodemic, which mainstreamed conspiracy theories.

It amplified hard-to-digest narratives. With the new year, we thought we had left all this behind. But, just like the virus, the conspiracy theories are back too.

The person to set the conspiracy ball rolling this year is the Brazil&nbsp;President&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro. Throughout 2020, downplaying the severity of the COVID-19 virus, he refused to wear a mask in public, rejected calls for a lockdown, questioned the efficacy of vaccines and advised his supporters to do the same.

The result of this today&nbsp;is that Brazil, a country with just a quarter of India’s population, is the third-worst Covid-hit country in the world. Brazil now has more than 14 million cases and more than 400,000 deaths to date.

Over Brazil’s current state of affairs, Bolsonaro faces a criminal investigation and a possible impeachment. With this, the Brazilian president has suddenly come to the realisation that this virus, i.e.&nbsp;coronavirus, is in fact quite lethal, and according to him can very well be part of a biological war.

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“It's a new virus, nobody knows if it was born in a lab or because a human ate some animal they shouldn't have. But it is there. And the military knows all about this chemical, biological and radiological warfare. Could we be fighting a new war? I guess. Which country's GDP has grown the most? I am not going to tell you,” said Bolsonaro.

There have been similar conspiracy theories earlier as well. Theories that this virus is not natural and was made in a lab, or that it is a bio-weapon or that 5G can be used to spread this virus.

While entertaining, these theories remain to be merely theories. According to scientists, there is no evidence to back these claims. While trying to counter scientists, some theories claim that thanks to China’s control on the flow of information, maybe these scientists just haven’t come across the evidence yet. 
 
Scientists addressing the lab and biowarfare theory say that if the virus was indeed engineered, there would have been the evidence of any additions or deletions in the virus’s original genetic code or DNA.

Last year, at the onset of this pandemic, there were numerous reports on supposedly how the virus escaped from The Wuhan Institute of Virology. To address these rumours and to probe the origins of COVID-19, a team from WHO travelled to China but were unable to find any proof backing these claims.

Was this because they didn’t get there in time? &nbsp;The team went to China in January this year, more than 13 months after the first case of coronavirus was reported. Instead of answering some of the long-standing questions, this team by WHO came back with more questions. According to them, while the institute at Wuhan had many strains of coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, which has at times been referred to as “Wuhan Virus,” is not among them.

However on March 31, calling for a deeper probe into the lab theory, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said that he does not believe his team's assessment of the lab leak possibility was extensive enough.

It’s been a month since Dr Tedros’s statement, and WHO is still evaluating how to move forward with its probe.

Now, President Bolsonaro can do two things; either ask his military to show the world whatever proof they have to support his claims, or wait for WHO to once again travel to China, and conduct another probe.

But whether this would solve the mystery or not, remains doubtful.

2020 was not just the year of pandemic, it was also an infodemic, which mainstreamed conspiracy theories. It amplified hard-to-digest narratives. With the new year, we thought we had left all this behind.

2020 was not just the year of pandemic, it was also an infodemic, which mainstreamed conspiracy theories. It amplified hard-to-digest narratives. With the new year, we thought we had left all this behind. But, just like the virus, the conspiracy theories are back too. The person to set the conspiracy ball rolling this year is the Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro. Throughout 2020, downplaying the severity of the COVID-19 virus, he refused to wear a mask in public, rejected calls for a lockdown, questioned the efficacy of vaccines and advised his supporters to do the same. The result of this today is that Brazil, a country with just a quarter of India’s population, is the third-worst Covid-hit country in the world. Brazil now has more than 14 million cases and more than 400,000 deaths to date. Over Brazil’s current state of affairs, Bolsonaro faces a criminal investigation and a possible impeachment. With this, the Brazilian president has suddenly come to the realisation that this virus, i.e. coronavirus, is in fact quite lethal, and according to him can very well be part of a biological war. “It's a new virus, nobody knows if it was born in a lab or because a human ate some animal they shouldn't have. But it is there. And the military knows all about this chemical, biological and radiological warfare. Could we be fighting a new war? I guess. Which country's GDP has grown the most? I am not going to tell you,” said Bolsonaro. There have been similar conspiracy theories earlier as well. Theories that this virus is not natural and was made in a lab, or that it is a bio-weapon or that 5G can be used to spread this virus. While entertaining, these theories remain to be merely theories. According to scientists, there is no evidence to back these claims. While trying to counter scientists, some theories claim that thanks to China’s control on the flow of information, maybe these scientists just haven’t come across the evidence yet. Scientists addressing the lab and biowarfare theory say that if the virus was indeed engineered, there would have been the evidence of any additions or deletions in the virus’s original genetic code or DNA. Last year, at the onset of this pandemic, there were numerous reports on supposedly how the virus escaped from The Wuhan Institute of Virology. To address these rumours and to probe the origins of COVID-19, a team from WHO travelled to China but were unable to find any proof backing these claims. Was this because they didn’t get there in time? The team went to China in January this year, more than 13 months after the first case of coronavirus was reported. Instead of answering some of the long-standing questions, this team by WHO came back with more questions. According to them, while the institute at Wuhan had many strains of coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, which has at times been referred to as “Wuhan Virus,” is not among them. However on March 31, calling for a deeper probe into the lab theory, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said that he does not believe his team's assessment of the lab leak possibility was extensive enough. It’s been a month since Dr Tedros’s statement, and WHO is still evaluating how to move forward with its probe. Now, President Bolsonaro can do two things; either ask his military to show the world whatever proof they have to support his claims, or wait for WHO to once again travel to China, and conduct another probe. But whether this would solve the mystery or not, remains doubtful.

Faced with the possibility of impeachment, Brazil President calls COVID-19 a bio-weapon

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