A group of British airlines and airports on Tuesday lost a court bid to force the government to reveal how it draws up its coronavirus rules on international travel.

The complaint was filed in June by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which manages Manchester and London's Stansted airport; the International Airline Group (IAG) that owns British Airways; airlines Ryanair, EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic and the tour operator TUI.

They wanted to force the British government to explain how it establishes the "green", "orange" and "red" lists of countries, which classify their Covid-19 status and govern international travel rules from the UK.&nbsp;

But the High Court in London ruled that forcing the government to explain these choices "would impose an unreasonable burden" and "risk slowing the decision-making process."

The groups behind the complaint issued a joint statement standing behind their case.&nbsp;

"The way decisions have been taken to date has not been transparent and has created huge confusion and uncertainty for the British public," they said.&nbsp;

"The most recent changes including to the status of travellers from France...were shambolic and made it even harder for consumers and businesses to plan," they added.

The industry leaders are pushing for the US and countries in the EU to be added to the green list, which allows travellers in those locations to return to Britain without quarantine.&nbsp;

"The UK has already fallen behind the EU's reopening and our overly cautious approach to international travel will further impact our economic recovery," they warned, even though cases are currently surging in Britain.

EasyJet, which unveiled its April-June business report on Tuesday, said that constant changes in guidelines were pushing travellers to book last minute.&nbsp;

Many Britons were simply not bothering, so the airline will focus mostly on intra-European flights over the summer, it added.

A group of British airlines and airports on Tuesday lost a court bid to force the government to reveal how it draws up its coronavirus rules on international travel.

A group of British airlines and airports on Tuesday lost a court bid to force the government to reveal how it draws up its coronavirus rules on international travel. The complaint was filed in June by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which manages Manchester and London's Stansted airport; the International Airline Group (IAG) that owns British Airways; airlines Ryanair, EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic and the tour operator TUI. They wanted to force the British government to explain how it establishes the "green", "orange" and "red" lists of countries, which classify their Covid-19 status and govern international travel rules from the UK. But the High Court in London ruled that forcing the government to explain these choices "would impose an unreasonable burden" and "risk slowing the decision-making process." The groups behind the complaint issued a joint statement standing behind their case. "The way decisions have been taken to date has not been transparent and has created huge confusion and uncertainty for the British public," they said. "The most recent changes including to the status of travellers from France...were shambolic and made it even harder for consumers and businesses to plan," they added. The industry leaders are pushing for the US and countries in the EU to be added to the green list, which allows travellers in those locations to return to Britain without quarantine. "The UK has already fallen behind the EU's reopening and our overly cautious approach to international travel will further impact our economic recovery," they warned, even though cases are currently surging in Britain. EasyJet, which unveiled its April-June business report on Tuesday, said that constant changes in guidelines were pushing travellers to book last minute. Many Britons were simply not bothering, so the airline will focus mostly on intra-European flights over the summer, it added.

UK aviation group loses bid for transparency on Covid rules

Japan’s economy rebounded sharply in the last three months of 2020, government data showed Monday, extending its recovery from the coronavirus’ devastating effect in the first half of the year.

But the growth was fragile and could be easily disrupted, analysts warned, at least in the short term. A second state of emergency declared at the end of last year is likely to drag the economy down again, and — as with many countries — it will most likely take years for certain business sectors, such as tourism, and consumer confidence to recover.

Japan’s economy, the world’s third largest after the United States and China, grew 3% during the October to December period, for an annualized growth rate of 12.7%. It was the country’s second consecutive quarter of growth.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japans-economy-performed-better-than-expected-in-last-quarter-363682">WATCH|</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japans-economy-performed-better-than-expected-in-last-quarter-363682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The economy had jumped 5.3% in the fiscal third quarter as the country emerged from a national emergency and regained a semblance of normalcy.

“The biggest drivers of this quarter’s growth were exports and consumer spending,” said Toshihiro Nagahama, senior economist at the Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute, as economies released pent-up demand for Japanese goods that had built up during the early months of the pandemic.

Japan’s growth last quarter was “a bit of a mechanical rebound from an unnatural sort of drop” created by global lockdowns and skittish consumers, said Izumi Devalier, the chief Japan economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

But the surge in exports over the past months, driven by growth in capital goods and the tech sector, has “been incredible” she said.

The Japanese economy had entered 2020 in a weakened state brought about by a rise in the national consumption tax, a stark drop in trade with China and a devastating typhoon. The pandemic then struck a major blow. As other economies crashed, Japan’s shrank in its worst performance since 1955, when the country began using gross domestic product to measure its economy.

But thanks in large part to the country’s efforts to keep the pandemic under control, Japan avoided the worst of the economic damage that savaged the United States and much of Europe.

This fall, while many consumers in the West sheltered in place, people in Japan were traveling, eating out and going to movies. One film, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” set a domestic box-office record, outpacing the former champion in a few short months. Government subsidies for travel lifted domestic tourism, although such travel may have also spread the virus.

At the same time, huge government stimulus efforts helped keep people in jobs and companies in business. Japan’s unemployment rate stood at just 2.9% by the end of December versus 2.1% at the same time the year before. Bankruptcies actually dropped 6.5% in 2020, according to Teikoku Databank, a credit research company.

In contrast to the economic damage, the country’s stock market is riding high, benefiting from monetary policies that have kept interest rates ultra low and pumped money into equities markets. On Monday morning, the Nikkei hit 30,000 for the first time since Japan’s economic bubble burst 30 years ago.

Still, the past two quarters of growth did not make up for the damage wreaked by the pandemic. The economy ended down 4.8% for the year, the first annual contraction since 2009, when the country was suffering from the fallout of the global financial crisis.

While people in Japan are not facing the same level of short-term economic peril as those in the United States, growth is expected to contract again in the first three months of this year.

After a steep rise in daily infection counts, Japan declared a second, albeit more limited, state of emergency at the beginning of January. Initially announced for one month, the edict was extended through early March partly in response to the appearance of new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus.

“Because of the emergency declaration, consumer spending, particularly on services, is going to fall” in the first three months of the year, said Akane Yamaguchi, an economist at the Daiwa Institute of Research.

But, she said, the damage will not be nearly as severe as last spring, when lockdowns destroyed demand for exports and Japan’s national emergency extended across the whole country.

In the longer term, as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, there will likely be “repeated shocks on consumption” as case numbers rise and fall while exports will stay strong, said Devalier, of Bank of America.

“I think it’s almost going to be a tale of two economies in 2021,” she said.

Further complicating the economic picture for 2021, Japan has been slow to start vaccinations.

On Sunday, the Pfizer shot became the first to receive approval from Japanese regulators. Frontline health care workers are expected to receive their first doses this week, but it will be months before the public is eligible.

The pandemic’s effects have been much less severe in Japan than in the West. Total deaths are under 7,000, and daily infection levels peaked in early January at around 8,000. But a robust vaccination program could give more people the confidence to return to shops and restaurants, said Nagahama, of Dai-Ichi Life Research.

To get the economy back on track in the long run, “increasing vaccination rates is the only option,” he said. “Without that, any monetary or fiscal measures you take are pointless.”

Japan’s economy rebounded sharply in the last three months of 2020, government data showed Monday, extending its recovery from the coronavirus’ devastating effect in the first half of the year.

Japan’s economy rebounded sharply in the last three months of 2020, government data showed Monday, extending its recovery from the coronavirus’ devastating effect in the first half of the year. But the growth was fragile and could be easily disrupted, analysts warned, at least in the short term. A second state of emergency declared at the end of last year is likely to drag the economy down again, and — as with many countries — it will most likely take years for certain business sectors, such as tourism, and consumer confidence to recover. Japan’s economy, the world’s third largest after the United States and China, grew 3% during the October to December period, for an annualized growth rate of 12.7%. It was the country’s second consecutive quarter of growth. WATCH| The economy had jumped 5.3% in the fiscal third quarter as the country emerged from a national emergency and regained a semblance of normalcy. “The biggest drivers of this quarter’s growth were exports and consumer spending,” said Toshihiro Nagahama, senior economist at the Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute, as economies released pent-up demand for Japanese goods that had built up during the early months of the pandemic. Japan’s growth last quarter was “a bit of a mechanical rebound from an unnatural sort of drop” created by global lockdowns and skittish consumers, said Izumi Devalier, the chief Japan economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. But the surge in exports over the past months, driven by growth in capital goods and the tech sector, has “been incredible” she said. The Japanese economy had entered 2020 in a weakened state brought about by a rise in the national consumption tax, a stark drop in trade with China and a devastating typhoon. The pandemic then struck a major blow. As other economies crashed, Japan’s shrank in its worst performance since 1955, when the country began using gross domestic product to measure its economy. But thanks in large part to the country’s efforts to keep the pandemic under control, Japan avoided the worst of the economic damage that savaged the United States and much of Europe. This fall, while many consumers in the West sheltered in place, people in Japan were traveling, eating out and going to movies. One film, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” set a domestic box-office record, outpacing the former champion in a few short months. Government subsidies for travel lifted domestic tourism, although such travel may have also spread the virus. At the same time, huge government stimulus efforts helped keep people in jobs and companies in business. Japan’s unemployment rate stood at just 2.9% by the end of December versus 2.1% at the same time the year before. Bankruptcies actually dropped 6.5% in 2020, according to Teikoku Databank, a credit research company. In contrast to the economic damage, the country’s stock market is riding high, benefiting from monetary policies that have kept interest rates ultra low and pumped money into equities markets. On Monday morning, the Nikkei hit 30,000 for the first time since Japan’s economic bubble burst 30 years ago. Still, the past two quarters of growth did not make up for the damage wreaked by the pandemic. The economy ended down 4.8% for the year, the first annual contraction since 2009, when the country was suffering from the fallout of the global financial crisis. While people in Japan are not facing the same level of short-term economic peril as those in the United States, growth is expected to contract again in the first three months of this year. After a steep rise in daily infection counts, Japan declared a second, albeit more limited, state of emergency at the beginning of January. Initially announced for one month, the edict was extended through early March partly in response to the appearance of new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus. “Because of the emergency declaration, consumer spending, particularly on services, is going to fall” in the first three months of the year, said Akane Yamaguchi, an economist at the Daiwa Institute of Research. But, she said, the damage will not be nearly as severe as last spring, when lockdowns destroyed demand for exports and Japan’s national emergency extended across the whole country. In the longer term, as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, there will likely be “repeated shocks on consumption” as case numbers rise and fall while exports will stay strong, said Devalier, of Bank of America. “I think it’s almost going to be a tale of two economies in 2021,” she said. Further complicating the economic picture for 2021, Japan has been slow to start vaccinations. On Sunday, the Pfizer shot became the first to receive approval from Japanese regulators. Frontline health care workers are expected to receive their first doses this week, but it will be months before the public is eligible. The pandemic’s effects have been much less severe in Japan than in the West. Total deaths are under 7,000, and daily infection levels peaked in early January at around 8,000. But a robust vaccination program could give more people the confidence to return to shops and restaurants, said Nagahama, of Dai-Ichi Life Research. To get the economy back on track in the long run, “increasing vaccination rates is the only option,” he said. “Without that, any monetary or fiscal measures you take are pointless.”

Japan’s growth rebounds, but virus-related weakness looms

About 12 million people in Britain are likely to face difficulties in paying bills and loans due to economic challenges caused by coronavirus pandemic, a Financial Conduct Authority survey said on Thursday.

The survey to track consumer's financial resilience found that 12 million Britons had low financial resilience and one-sixth out of these people had become financially vulnerable since February when lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 led to cut in income levels and thousands of lay-offs.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-coronavirus-ever-be-eradicated-top-british-scientist-says-its-unlikely-336895">Will coronavirus ever be eradicated? Top British scientist says it's unlikely</a>

As many as 7,000 people participated in the study that was conducted in July, which also revealed that nearly one-third of adults' income has been cut and households income declined by 25 per cent on an average.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spains-regions-tighten-covid-19-measures-as-1-million-case-milestone-looms-336528">Spain's regions tighten COVID-19 measures as 1 million case milestone looms</a>

It also showed that black and minority ethnic respondents have been affected the most with 37 per cent of respondents' incomes taking a toll.&nbsp;

At least 36 per cent of respondents feared falling behind on loan and credit card repayments.&nbsp;

Over a third of people who are already facing financial woes and had a mortgage said they were likely to lag behind on mortgage payments.

As many as 42 per cent of renters also said they would fall behind their commitments.&nbsp;

"We want to remind consumers, especially those who are newly in financial difficulty that lenders are able to provide you with support," said Sheldon Mills, the FCA's Interim Executive Director of Strategy and Competition, as quoted by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;

About 12 million people in Britain are likely to face difficulties in paying bills and loans due to economic challenges caused by coronavirus pandemic, a Financial Conduct Authority survey said on Thursday.

About 12 million people in Britain are likely to face difficulties in paying bills and loans due to economic challenges caused by coronavirus pandemic, a Financial Conduct Authority survey said on Thursday. The survey to track consumer's financial resilience found that 12 million Britons had low financial resilience and one-sixth out of these people had become financially vulnerable since February when lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 led to cut in income levels and thousands of lay-offs. Also read | Will coronavirus ever be eradicated? Top British scientist says it's unlikely As many as 7,000 people participated in the study that was conducted in July, which also revealed that nearly one-third of adults' income has been cut and households income declined by 25 per cent on an average. Also read | Spain's regions tighten COVID-19 measures as 1 million case milestone looms It also showed that black and minority ethnic respondents have been affected the most with 37 per cent of respondents' incomes taking a toll. At least 36 per cent of respondents feared falling behind on loan and credit card repayments. Over a third of people who are already facing financial woes and had a mortgage said they were likely to lag behind on mortgage payments. As many as 42 per cent of renters also said they would fall behind their commitments. "We want to remind consumers, especially those who are newly in financial difficulty that lenders are able to provide you with support," said Sheldon Mills, the FCA's Interim Executive Director of Strategy and Competition, as quoted by news agency Reuters.

Britain: 12 million people will likely struggle in paying bills, says watchdog

Airline workers at risk of layoffs were given hope of a possible reprieve on Friday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed another round of aid for the beleaguered sector.

Pelosi's statement helped boost shares of airlines that have already announced layoffs. But the prospect for the legislation still looked uncertain late Friday afternoon after House Republicans blocked an effort to fast track a proposal.

Pelosi called on US carriers to hold off on furloughs, signaling her endorsement of more payroll support, either as a standalone bill or as part of an overall relief package.

"The massive furloughs and firings of America's airline workers jeapordize the livelihoods of tens of thousands and threaten to accelerate the devastating economic crisis facing our nation," Pelosi said.

"Today, I am calling upon the airlines to delay their devastating job cuts as relief for airline workers is being advanced in Congress."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/layoffs-loom-for-beleaguered-us-airline-industry-331626">Also read:&nbsp;Layoffs loom for beleaguered US airline industry</a>

Pelosi had previously resisted a narrow bill focused only on airlines as she pressed for a broad economic package, but that was before major carriers announced more than 30,000 job cuts this week.

The first day of October concluded the period when US carriers that received billions in aid from Congress promised to refrain from laying off workers.

On Wednesday night, American and United airlines said they would begin furloughing 19,000 and 13,000 workers, while indicating the moves could be walked back if there is a breakthrough in Congress.

But an effort by Oregon Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio to advance a proposal to extend the Payroll Support Program was blocked by Republicans who refused to allow the bill to proceed by unanimous consent.

An irate DeFazio took to the House floor to blast Republicans for allowing layoffs.

"They've lost their jobs, they've lost their health care, some of them are going to lose their homes," DeFazio said. "All because the Republicans in the House of Representatives would not agree."

American Airlines reiterated Friday that it would rehire staff if a congressional bills comes through, pointing to a message from Chief Executive Doug Parker that pledged to "reverse our furlough process and recall any impacted team members" if additional aid is approved in the next few days.

United said it is "eager to reverse the furlough process once Congress has passed legislation to extend the Cares Act Payroll Support Program."&nbsp;

United's share price jumped 2.4 percent to $36.01 and American rose 3.3 percent to $13.00

Airline workers at risk of layoffs were given hope of a possible reprieve on Friday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed another round of aid for the beleaguered sector.

Airline workers at risk of layoffs were given hope of a possible reprieve on Friday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed another round of aid for the beleaguered sector. Pelosi's statement helped boost shares of airlines that have already announced layoffs. But the prospect for the legislation still looked uncertain late Friday afternoon after House Republicans blocked an effort to fast track a proposal. Pelosi called on US carriers to hold off on furloughs, signaling her endorsement of more payroll support, either as a standalone bill or as part of an overall relief package. "The massive furloughs and firings of America's airline workers jeapordize the livelihoods of tens of thousands and threaten to accelerate the devastating economic crisis facing our nation," Pelosi said. "Today, I am calling upon the airlines to delay their devastating job cuts as relief for airline workers is being advanced in Congress." Also read: Layoffs loom for beleaguered US airline industry Pelosi had previously resisted a narrow bill focused only on airlines as she pressed for a broad economic package, but that was before major carriers announced more than 30,000 job cuts this week. The first day of October concluded the period when US carriers that received billions in aid from Congress promised to refrain from laying off workers. On Wednesday night, American and United airlines said they would begin furloughing 19,000 and 13,000 workers, while indicating the moves could be walked back if there is a breakthrough in Congress. But an effort by Oregon Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio to advance a proposal to extend the Payroll Support Program was blocked by Republicans who refused to allow the bill to proceed by unanimous consent. An irate DeFazio took to the House floor to blast Republicans for allowing layoffs. "They've lost their jobs, they've lost their health care, some of them are going to lose their homes," DeFazio said. "All because the Republicans in the House of Representatives would not agree." American Airlines reiterated Friday that it would rehire staff if a congressional bills comes through, pointing to a message from Chief Executive Doug Parker that pledged to "reverse our furlough process and recall any impacted team members" if additional aid is approved in the next few days. United said it is "eager to reverse the furlough process once Congress has passed legislation to extend the Cares Act Payroll Support Program." United's share price jumped 2.4 percent to $36.01 and American rose 3.3 percent to $13.00

Pelosi urges US airlines to stop layoffs, backs aid

It will be an understatement to say that "there are no jobs". The coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge economic collapse with millions of layoffs and jobs at risk.&nbsp;

Companies which seemed to weather this storm are now downsizing. The billionaires are getting richer, while the unemployment rates are at&nbsp;a record high.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whats-the-importance-of-tourism-to-the-worlds-economy-298834">What's the importance of tourism to the world's economy?</a> 
&nbsp; 
The United States has the most number of billionaires (more than 700), which together control a wealth of more than 3,000 billion dollars. &nbsp;

Watch&nbsp;|

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-unemployment-biggest-casualty-of-the-pandemic-303720/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">In the 11 weeks of lockdown in the US, they have grown richer by half a trillion dollars, which is an increase of nearly 20 per cent.&nbsp;</div>

On the other hand, in the last three months, more than 42 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits, excluding the millions of self-employed workers.&nbsp;

The jobs that were added since the 2008 financial crisis were wiped out in these three months.&nbsp;

In April alone, more than 20 million jobs were lost in the US. During that time, the unemployment rate stood at 14.7 per cent.&nbsp;Now all the 50 states in the US have begun to open up economy due to which 2.5 million jobs were created in May alone. The unemployment rate fell to 13 per cent, which is still historically high.

Still, US President Donald Trump could not stop to praise himself even more.&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic is still very much here and more companies are planning job cuts as they are witnessing their savings getting depleted each day.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that most jobs would be lost in the Americas, both North, and South. It says that 300 million jobs will be lost due to coronavirus outbreak&nbsp;

In April, the jobless rate, stood at 6.6 per cent, thanks to the short-time work programs. These programs are more common in Europe than in the US. The program lets struggling companies retain employees while reducing their working hours. The government then contributes to a part of their salary.&nbsp;

In the United Kingdom, the auto industry is the worst hit with job losses close to 6,000.&nbsp;

Iconic car-makers are cutting off the workforce. Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and Bentley laid off 2,000, 3,000, and 1,000 people.&nbsp;

Globally, there are nearly 3.3 billion workers, of which 2 billion work in the informal sector. In the first month of the pandemic, most of these two billion workers in the informal sector witness an income drop of 60 per cent.&nbsp;

The numbers from the developing countries are even more worrying.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Mass unemployment is the new normal in South East Asia. In Vietnam, who is rising as a manufacturing hub, five million workers have lost their jobs in the first three months of the year.

In Thailand, six million jobs will be lost in the tourism sector alone and a similar story is that of Africa, where 50 per cent jobs will be lost.&nbsp;

In India, over 20 million jobs were added in May, however, the unemployment rate still stands at 23.5 per cent, according to the Centre of Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).&nbsp;

As India eases lockdown restrictions, most of the small traders and daily wage labourers are returning to work. They make up a third of the total population employed.&nbsp;

So as India gears up to open economy a lot more in the coming weeks, more jobs could be added.&nbsp;

It will be an understatement to say that "there are no jobs". The coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge economic collapse with millions of layoffs and jobs at risk.

It will be an understatement to say that "there are no jobs". The coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge economic collapse with millions of layoffs and jobs at risk. Companies which seemed to weather this storm are now downsizing. The billionaires are getting richer, while the unemployment rates are at a record high. Also read | What's the importance of tourism to the world's economy? The United States has the most number of billionaires (more than 700), which together control a wealth of more than 3,000 billion dollars. Watch | In the 11 weeks of lockdown in the US, they have grown richer by half a trillion dollars, which is an increase of nearly 20 per cent. On the other hand, in the last three months, more than 42 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits, excluding the millions of self-employed workers. The jobs that were added since the 2008 financial crisis were wiped out in these three months. In April alone, more than 20 million jobs were lost in the US. During that time, the unemployment rate stood at 14.7 per cent. Now all the 50 states in the US have begun to open up economy due to which 2.5 million jobs were created in May alone. The unemployment rate fell to 13 per cent, which is still historically high. Still, US President Donald Trump could not stop to praise himself even more. The coronavirus pandemic is still very much here and more companies are planning job cuts as they are witnessing their savings getting depleted each day. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has estimated that most jobs would be lost in the Americas, both North, and South. It says that 300 million jobs will be lost due to coronavirus outbreak In April, the jobless rate, stood at 6.6 per cent, thanks to the short-time work programs. These programs are more common in Europe than in the US. The program lets struggling companies retain employees while reducing their working hours. The government then contributes to a part of their salary. In the United Kingdom, the auto industry is the worst hit with job losses close to 6,000. Iconic car-makers are cutting off the workforce. Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and Bentley laid off 2,000, 3,000, and 1,000 people. Globally, there are nearly 3.3 billion workers, of which 2 billion work in the informal sector. In the first month of the pandemic, most of these two billion workers in the informal sector witness an income drop of 60 per cent. The numbers from the developing countries are even more worrying. Mass unemployment is the new normal in South East Asia. In Vietnam, who is rising as a manufacturing hub, five million workers have lost their jobs in the first three months of the year. In Thailand, six million jobs will be lost in the tourism sector alone and a similar story is that of Africa, where 50 per cent jobs will be lost. In India, over 20 million jobs were added in May, however, the unemployment rate still stands at 23.5 per cent, according to the Centre of Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). As India eases lockdown restrictions, most of the small traders and daily wage labourers are returning to work. They make up a third of the total population employed. So as India gears up to open economy a lot more in the coming weeks, more jobs could be added.

Amid coronavirus pandemic, billionaires get richer as Americans lose jobs

A priest in Mexico's best-known border city Tijuana is driven around town to bless parishioners who haven't been able to attend Mass for weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tijuana priest rides around city blessing people from the back of a pickup truck