US Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris hit out at US President Donald Trump and said that he has called it a hoax and minimised the seriousness of it.

"From the beginning of this pandemic, he has called it a hoax. He has muzzled the public health experts - he has minimised the seriousness of it. If he had listened to the scientists and the experts, he would have understood the gravity of it," Harris told CNN. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-again-defends-himself-blasts-media-over-report-stating-he-disparaged-us-troops-325596">Also read | Trump again defends himself, blasts media over report stating he disparaged US troops</a> 
 
"We have a President of the United States who made this a partisan issue. The virus could care less who you voted for in the last election or who you plan to vote for in the next election," the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate said.

Yesterday, Kamala Harris had said that she would not take President Donald Trump's word on covid vaccine's safety and efficacy.

"I would not trust Donald Trump and it would have to be a credible source of information that talks about the efficacy and the reliability of (a vaccine)," Harris told CNN.

A shot against the virus that has killed over 188,000 in the US and hobbled the world's largest economy has become another flashpoint ahead of the November 3 vote.

As per the latest update, US - the worst affected country by the COVID-19 pandemic - has 6,270,950 cases and 188,810 deaths due to the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris hit out at US President Donald Trump and said that he has called it a hoax and minimised the seriousness of it. "From the beginning of this pandemic, he has called it a hoax.

US Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris hit out at US President Donald Trump and said that he has called it a hoax and minimised the seriousness of it. "From the beginning of this pandemic, he has called it a hoax. He has muzzled the public health experts - he has minimised the seriousness of it. If he had listened to the scientists and the experts, he would have understood the gravity of it," Harris told CNN. Also read | Trump again defends himself, blasts media over report stating he disparaged US troops "We have a President of the United States who made this a partisan issue. The virus could care less who you voted for in the last election or who you plan to vote for in the next election," the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate said. Yesterday, Kamala Harris had said that she would not take President Donald Trump's word on covid vaccine's safety and efficacy. "I would not trust Donald Trump and it would have to be a credible source of information that talks about the efficacy and the reliability of (a vaccine)," Harris told CNN. A shot against the virus that has killed over 188,000 in the US and hobbled the world's largest economy has become another flashpoint ahead of the November 3 vote. As per the latest update, US - the worst affected country by the COVID-19 pandemic - has 6,270,950 cases and 188,810 deaths due to the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. (With inputs from agencies)

‘From beginning of pandemic, he called it hoax’: Kamala Harris on Trump

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani castigated Iran's friends on Saturday for not standing up to the United States and ignoring U.S. sanctions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Iran, with over 380,000 registered cases and over 22,000 deaths from coronavirus, is one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic in the Middle East.

"Over the past months since the coronavirus arrived in our country... no one came to our help," President Rouhani said in remarks broadcast live on state television.

If the United States "had a bit of humanity and brain", he said, it would have offered to "lift the sanctions for a year because of the coronavirus".

But the United States "is far more heartless and evil than those things," he added. Instead, it "imposed new sanctions and pressures on us over these past seven months of coronavirus".

At the same time, "Not a single friendly country told us that in this time of coronavirus and hardship and for the sake of humanity 'we will stand up to America'" and do business with Iran despite threats of U.S. retaliation, President Rouhani said.

In March, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a U.S. offer to help Iran in its fight against the pandemic, and denounced U.S. leaders as "charlatans and liars".

The sanctions are part of a U.S. effort to slash Iranian revenues after President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies are exempt from the sanctions but the trading bans have deterred several foreign banks from doing business with Iran, including financing humanitarian deals, provoking shortages of some drugs.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani castigated Iran's friends on Saturday for not standing up to the United States and ignoring U.S. sanctions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani castigated Iran's friends on Saturday for not standing up to the United States and ignoring U.S. sanctions during the coronavirus pandemic. Iran, with over 380,000 registered cases and over 22,000 deaths from coronavirus, is one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic in the Middle East. "Over the past months since the coronavirus arrived in our country... no one came to our help," President Rouhani said in remarks broadcast live on state television. If the United States "had a bit of humanity and brain", he said, it would have offered to "lift the sanctions for a year because of the coronavirus". But the United States "is far more heartless and evil than those things," he added. Instead, it "imposed new sanctions and pressures on us over these past seven months of coronavirus". At the same time, "Not a single friendly country told us that in this time of coronavirus and hardship and for the sake of humanity 'we will stand up to America'" and do business with Iran despite threats of U.S. retaliation, President Rouhani said. In March, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a U.S. offer to help Iran in its fight against the pandemic, and denounced U.S. leaders as "charlatans and liars". The sanctions are part of a U.S. effort to slash Iranian revenues after President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies are exempt from the sanctions but the trading bans have deterred several foreign banks from doing business with Iran, including financing humanitarian deals, provoking shortages of some drugs.

Friends should have defied US sanctions during pandemic: Iran president 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked state public health officials to prepare to distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine to high-risk groups as soon as late October, documents published by the agency showed on Wednesday.

US CDC tells states to prep for COVID-19 vaccine distribution

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 47 million women and girls into extreme poverty by 2021 in South Asia.

The report, "From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the wake of COVID-19", said that the gender poverty gap will worsen further still in South Asia.

According to new data released by the UN, the female poverty rate in South Asia will increase in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more women than men in the 25-34 age group will be poorer in the next decade.

"The expected rise of poverty in South Asia as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic showcases the vulnerability of women and girls living in households that have only recently been able to escape poverty, the report released on Wednesday said.

The pre-pandemic female poverty rate in South Asia was projected to be 10 per cent in 2021 but is now expected to reach 13 per cent.

"Moreover, before the pandemic, projections for the region suggested that by 2030 only 15.8 per cent of the world's poor women and girls would be living in South Asia.

In the 25-34 age group, there will be 118 poor women for every 100 poor men in South Asia, and that ratio will increase to 129 women for every 100 men by 2030.

Meanwhile, the Washington-based development lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to COVID-19, but the new estimate puts the deterioration at 70 to 100 million, and he said "that number could go higher" if the pandemic worsens or drags on.

The situation makes it "imperative" that creditors reduce the amount of debt held by poor countries at risk, going beyond the commitment to suspend debt payments, Malpass said in an interview with AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 47 million women and girls into extreme poverty by 2021 in South Asia. The report, "From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the wake of COVID-19", said that the gender poverty gap will worsen further still in South Asia.

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 47 million women and girls into extreme poverty by 2021 in South Asia. The report, "From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the wake of COVID-19", said that the gender poverty gap will worsen further still in South Asia. According to new data released by the UN, the female poverty rate in South Asia will increase in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more women than men in the 25-34 age group will be poorer in the next decade. "The expected rise of poverty in South Asia as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic showcases the vulnerability of women and girls living in households that have only recently been able to escape poverty, the report released on Wednesday said. The pre-pandemic female poverty rate in South Asia was projected to be 10 per cent in 2021 but is now expected to reach 13 per cent. "Moreover, before the pandemic, projections for the region suggested that by 2030 only 15.8 per cent of the world's poor women and girls would be living in South Asia. In the 25-34 age group, there will be 118 poor women for every 100 poor men in South Asia, and that ratio will increase to 129 women for every 100 men by 2030. Meanwhile, the Washington-based development lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to COVID-19, but the new estimate puts the deterioration at 70 to 100 million, and he said "that number could go higher" if the pandemic worsens or drags on. The situation makes it "imperative" that creditors reduce the amount of debt held by poor countries at risk, going beyond the commitment to suspend debt payments, Malpass said in an interview with AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

Female poverty rate in South Asia projected to rise due to covid-19: UN 

US: CDC asks states to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine distribution

United States President Donald Trump has made crime and recent civil disturbances in the country a prime focus for his reelection campaign in the upcoming November presidential elections.&nbsp;

But a new poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos has found that majority of Americans do not perceive crime as the primary problem and are actually sympathetic towards the ongoing protests against systemic racism.

"Very" concerned

The poll found that 78 per cent Americans are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the virus. Almost 60 per cent respondents said that Trump was partly responsible for the spread of the virus, along with the business closures that came with it.&nbsp;

Over 6 million Americans have been infected with the virus, a figure higher than elsewhere in the world.

Majority of the Americans do not perceive crime as their primary concern and do not see it increasing in their communities, according to the poll.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/police-did-an-incredible-job-trump-cuts-off-black-pastors-when-asked-about-police-violence-324735" hreflang="en">'Police did an incredible job': Trump cuts off Black pastors when asked about police violence</a>

Only 8 per cent American adults listed crime as the primary concern for the country, while 30 per cent said it was the economy or jobs, while 16 per cent said it was the healthcare system.

62 per cent voters, including 62 per cent Democrats and 65 per cent Republicans said that crime was not increasing in their communities.

Additionally, 53 per cent respondents claimed they were sympathetic to the protesters, up by 1 per cent from July.

Protests have erupted in various parts after police shot down a black man in Wisconsin.&nbsp;

“No one will be safe in Biden’s America,” Trump said last week at the Republican national convention, while accusing Biden of attempting to defund the police.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-visits-kenosha-despite-requests-for-reconsideration-324644/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Online poll

The poll was conducted online throughout the US and recorded responses from 1,335 adults - 551 Democrats and 523 Republicans.

The poll, which was conducted on August 31 and September 1 revealed that 40 per cent of the voters extended support to the incumbent president, while 47 per cent said that they would vote for Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic opponent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/fake-news-there-were-no-mini-strokes-trump-lashes-out-over-health-reports-324641" hreflang="en">'Fake news, there were no mini-strokes': Trump lashes out over health reports</a>

Over the last three weeks, Biden’s edge over Trump has remained unchanged, even as both the parties conducted conventions officially nominating their presidential candidates.

Over 180,000 Americans have lost their lives to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and Trump has tried to frame his election campaign around the Black Lives Matter protests instead of his handling of the virus.

Trump has accused Biden of being weak on crime and has blamed protesters for violence across American cities

United States President Donald Trump has made crime and recent civil disturbances in the country a prime focus for his reelection campaign in the upcoming November presidential elections.

United States President Donald Trump has made crime and recent civil disturbances in the country a prime focus for his reelection campaign in the upcoming November presidential elections. But a new poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos has found that majority of Americans do not perceive crime as the primary problem and are actually sympathetic towards the ongoing protests against systemic racism. "Very" concerned The poll found that 78 per cent Americans are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the virus. Almost 60 per cent respondents said that Trump was partly responsible for the spread of the virus, along with the business closures that came with it. Over 6 million Americans have been infected with the virus, a figure higher than elsewhere in the world. Majority of the Americans do not perceive crime as their primary concern and do not see it increasing in their communities, according to the poll. Also read: 'Police did an incredible job': Trump cuts off Black pastors when asked about police violence Only 8 per cent American adults listed crime as the primary concern for the country, while 30 per cent said it was the economy or jobs, while 16 per cent said it was the healthcare system. 62 per cent voters, including 62 per cent Democrats and 65 per cent Republicans said that crime was not increasing in their communities. Additionally, 53 per cent respondents claimed they were sympathetic to the protesters, up by 1 per cent from July. Protests have erupted in various parts after police shot down a black man in Wisconsin. “No one will be safe in Biden’s America,” Trump said last week at the Republican national convention, while accusing Biden of attempting to defund the police. Online poll The poll was conducted online throughout the US and recorded responses from 1,335 adults - 551 Democrats and 523 Republicans. The poll, which was conducted on August 31 and September 1 revealed that 40 per cent of the voters extended support to the incumbent president, while 47 per cent said that they would vote for Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic opponent. Also read: 'Fake news, there were no mini-strokes': Trump lashes out over health reports Over the last three weeks, Biden’s edge over Trump has remained unchanged, even as both the parties conducted conventions officially nominating their presidential candidates. Over 180,000 Americans have lost their lives to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and Trump has tried to frame his election campaign around the Black Lives Matter protests instead of his handling of the virus. Trump has accused Biden of being weak on crime and has blamed protesters for violence across American cities

Trump's campaign in danger as most Americans see coronavirus, not crime as top issue: Poll

United Airlines is preparing for the biggest pilot furloughs of its history after announcing on Thursday the need to cut 2,850 pilot jobs.

United Airlines announces biggest pilot job cut in its history

The city of Berlin will put thousands of police on the streets at the weekend to enforce a ban on demonstrations opposing measures imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic after marchers at a recent rally failed to wear masks or keep their distance.

WION Dispatch: Berlin bans massive protest planned against virus curbs

The University of Arizona discovered early indications of coronavirus in a student hostel by testing the wastewater and regularly screening the sewage from each dorm. 
 
The authorities were successfully able to head off an outbreak there.

According to the media reports, the researchers prevented a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by asymptomatic individuals inside one of its dormitory by conducting a test program on wastewater coming from campus hostel.

“We did test — I think there are 311 individuals in that dorm — and we did the antigen test yesterday and found two positive cases there,” said campus President Robert Robbins to tucson.com.&nbsp;

“We’re running down contact tracing their contacts, and those two individuals have gone to isolation yesterday morning.”

The wastewater testing provides a way to monitor for potential cases, particularly asymptomatic ones, beyond individual tests for the virus, researchers said.

Meanwhile, US deaths from the novel coronavirus topped 180,000 on Thursday after a surge of new cases in June and July, many of them in hotspots like California, Florida, and Texas.

There were some signs of an improving outlook. Last week, deaths fell 17% from the prior week and below an average of 1,000 a day for the first time in weeks, according to a Reuters analysis.

(With inputs from agencies)

The University of Arizona discovered early indications of coronavirus in a student hostel by testing the wastewater and regularly screening the sewage from each dorm.

The University of Arizona discovered early indications of coronavirus in a student hostel by testing the wastewater and regularly screening the sewage from each dorm. The authorities were successfully able to head off an outbreak there. According to the media reports, the researchers prevented a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by asymptomatic individuals inside one of its dormitory by conducting a test program on wastewater coming from campus hostel. “We did test — I think there are 311 individuals in that dorm — and we did the antigen test yesterday and found two positive cases there,” said campus President Robert Robbins to tucson.com. “We’re running down contact tracing their contacts, and those two individuals have gone to isolation yesterday morning.” The wastewater testing provides a way to monitor for potential cases, particularly asymptomatic ones, beyond individual tests for the virus, researchers said. Meanwhile, US deaths from the novel coronavirus topped 180,000 on Thursday after a surge of new cases in June and July, many of them in hotspots like California, Florida, and Texas. There were some signs of an improving outlook. Last week, deaths fell 17% from the prior week and below an average of 1,000 a day for the first time in weeks, according to a Reuters analysis. (With inputs from agencies)

US university claims to stop Covid-19 outbreak with help of 'poop'

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 22 million people, with 7.93 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of&nbsp;22,683,769 confirmed coronavirus cases.

The death count has also surged to 793,773.

The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,745,520 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,505,097. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 22 million people, with 7.93 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 22 million people, with 7.93 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 22,683,769 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 793,773. The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,745,520 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,505,097. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases exceed 22 million; death toll at 793,773

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 24 million people, with 8.27 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 24,234,340 confirmed coronavirus cases.

The death count has also surged to 827,110.

The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,832,581 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,717,156 cases.

The US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said that the underlying US economy remains solid, but high unemployment could persist for years in the sectors most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"There's is still a healthy economy under here, except for this area that's been directly affected by COVID," Powell said in a discussion as part of the Jackson Hole central banking conference.

But millions of workers in travel, hotels and restaurants have been directly impacted, which means "a couple of years of... relatively high unemployment."

People in those industries are "really going to struggle to find work... We need to support them."

Meanwhile, the European Commission has made a 336 million euros ($396 million) down payment to British drug maker AstraZeneca to secure at least 300 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

The deal covers development, liability and other costs faced by the vaccine maker. The EU has also secured an option to buy 100 million additional doses of the vaccine under development.

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 24 million people, with 8.27 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 24 million people, with 8.27 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 24,234,340 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 827,110. The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,832,581 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,717,156 cases. The US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said that the underlying US economy remains solid, but high unemployment could persist for years in the sectors most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. "There's is still a healthy economy under here, except for this area that's been directly affected by COVID," Powell said in a discussion as part of the Jackson Hole central banking conference. But millions of workers in travel, hotels and restaurants have been directly impacted, which means "a couple of years of... relatively high unemployment." People in those industries are "really going to struggle to find work... We need to support them." Meanwhile, the European Commission has made a 336 million euros ($396 million) down payment to British drug maker AstraZeneca to secure at least 300 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine. The deal covers development, liability and other costs faced by the vaccine maker. The EU has also secured an option to buy 100 million additional doses of the vaccine under development. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases exceed 24 million; death toll at 827,110

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros says COVID-19 could be over in less than two years. Advances in technology can halt the virus in a shorter time. Dr. Tedros said corruption related to supplies of PPE kits during the pandemic is "unacceptable", describing it as "murder".

Coronavirus pandemic could be over within two years: WHO

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 100 million people back into extreme poverty, World Bank President David Malpass warned Thursday. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italy-records-highest-coronavirus-cases-since-may-322010">Also read: Italy records highest coronavirus cases since May</a> 
 
The Washington-based development lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to COVID-19, but the new estimate puts the deterioration at 70 to 100 million, and he said "that number could go higher" if the pandemic worsens or drags on. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/supply-nationalism-exacerbated-the-pandemic-many-countries-still-do-not-have-enough-who-chief-tedros-321964">Also Read:&nbsp;Supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic,&nbsp;says WHO chief Tedros</a>

The situation makes it "imperative" that creditors reduce the amount of debt held by poor countries at risk, going beyond the commitment to suspend debt payments, Malpass said in an interview with AFP.

Even so, more countries will be obliged to restructure their debt.

"The debt vulnerabilities are high, and the imperative of getting light at the end of the tunnel so that new investors can come in is substantial," Malpass said.

Advanced economies in the Group of 20 already have committed to suspending debt payments from the poorest nations through the end of the year, and there is growing support for extending that moratorium into next year.

But Malpass said that will not be enough, since the economic downturn means those countries, which already are struggling to provide a safety net for their citizens, will not be in a better position to deal with the payments.

The amount of debt reduction needed will depend on the situation in each country, he said, but the policy "makes a lot of sense."

"So I think the awareness of this will be gradually, more and more apparent" especially "for the countries with the highest vulnerability to the debt situation."

The World Bank has committed to deploying $160 billion in funding to 100 countries through June 2021 in an effort to addresses the immediate emergency, but even so, extreme poverty, defined as earning less than $1.90 a day, continues to rise.

Malpass said the deterioration is due to a combination of the destruction of jobs during the pandemic as well as supply issues that make access to food more difficult.

"All of this contributes to pushing people back into extreme poverty the longer the economic crisis persists."

Newly-installed World Bank Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart called the economic crisis a "pandemic depression," but Malpass was less concerned with terminology.

"We can start calling it a depression. Our focus is on how we help countries be resilient in working out on the other side."

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 100 million people back into extreme poverty, World Bank President David Malpass warned Thursday. Also read: Italy records highest coronavirus cases since May The Washington-based development lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to COVID-19, but the new estimate puts the deterioration at 70 to 100 million, and he said "that number could go higher" if the pandemic worsens or drags on.

The coronavirus pandemic may have driven as many as 100 million people back into extreme poverty, World Bank President David Malpass warned Thursday. Also read: Italy records highest coronavirus cases since May The Washington-based development lender previously estimated that 60 million people would fall into extreme poverty due to COVID-19, but the new estimate puts the deterioration at 70 to 100 million, and he said "that number could go higher" if the pandemic worsens or drags on. Also Read: Supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic, says WHO chief Tedros The situation makes it "imperative" that creditors reduce the amount of debt held by poor countries at risk, going beyond the commitment to suspend debt payments, Malpass said in an interview with AFP. Even so, more countries will be obliged to restructure their debt. "The debt vulnerabilities are high, and the imperative of getting light at the end of the tunnel so that new investors can come in is substantial," Malpass said. Advanced economies in the Group of 20 already have committed to suspending debt payments from the poorest nations through the end of the year, and there is growing support for extending that moratorium into next year. But Malpass said that will not be enough, since the economic downturn means those countries, which already are struggling to provide a safety net for their citizens, will not be in a better position to deal with the payments. The amount of debt reduction needed will depend on the situation in each country, he said, but the policy "makes a lot of sense." "So I think the awareness of this will be gradually, more and more apparent" especially "for the countries with the highest vulnerability to the debt situation." The World Bank has committed to deploying $160 billion in funding to 100 countries through June 2021 in an effort to addresses the immediate emergency, but even so, extreme poverty, defined as earning less than $1.90 a day, continues to rise. Malpass said the deterioration is due to a combination of the destruction of jobs during the pandemic as well as supply issues that make access to food more difficult. "All of this contributes to pushing people back into extreme poverty the longer the economic crisis persists." Newly-installed World Bank Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart called the economic crisis a "pandemic depression," but Malpass was less concerned with terminology. "We can start calling it a depression. Our focus is on how we help countries be resilient in working out on the other side."

Pandemic could cause extreme poverty to surge by 100 million: World Bank  

Local authorities in South Korea's capital Seoul announced a ban on gatherings in the city due to surging cases of the novel coronavirus. Due to which government is facing accusations of curbing religious freedom. The new outbreak is turning into a battle.

South Korea: COVID-19 forces ban on gatherings in Seoul Churches

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21.14 million people, with 7.78 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 22,148,472 confirmed coronavirus cases.

The death count has also surged to 781,139.

Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that "It's critical that countries don't repeat the same mistakes. We need to prevent vaccine nationalism. And for this reason, WHO is working with governments and the private sector to both accelerate the signs through the ACT accelerator and ensure that new innovations are available to everyone, everywhere, starting with those at highest risk," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21.14 million people, with 7.78 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21.14 million people, with 7.78 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 22,148,472 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 781,139. Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that "It's critical that countries don't repeat the same mistakes. We need to prevent vaccine nationalism. And for this reason, WHO is working with governments and the private sector to both accelerate the signs through the ACT accelerator and ensure that new innovations are available to everyone, everywhere, starting with those at highest risk," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO. (With inputs from agencies)

Global cases of COVID-19 reach 21.14 million, death toll tops 780,000

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21 million people, with 7.74 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. 
 
According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 21,891,107 confirmed coronavirus cases. 
 
The death count has also surged to 774,160. 
 
Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected, with 5,443,162 coronavirus cases and 170,548 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,359,570 cases and 108,536 deaths, and India (2,702,742 cases, 51,797 deaths). 
 
Meanwhile, The World Health Organization said it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. 
 
WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services.

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21 million people, with 7.74 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 21 million people, with 7.74 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 21,891,107 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 774,160. Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected, with 5,443,162 coronavirus cases and 170,548 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,359,570 cases and 108,536 deaths, and India (2,702,742 cases, 51,797 deaths). Meanwhile, The World Health Organization said it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases exceed 21 million; death toll at 774,160 

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups.

WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services.

"The epidemic is changing," WHO Western Pacific regional director, Takeshi Kasai, told a virtual briefing. "People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are increasingly driving the spread. Many are unaware they are infected."

"This increases the risk of spillovers to the more vulnerable," he added.

A surge in new cases has prompted some countries to re-impose curbs as companies race to find a vaccine for a virus that has battered economies, killed more than 770,000 people and infected nearly 22 million, according to a Reuters tally.

Surges were reported in countries that had appeared to have the virus under control, including Vietnam, which until recently went three months without domestic transmission due to its aggressive mitigation efforts.

"What we are observing is not simply a resurgence. We believe it's a signal that we have entered a new phase of pandemic in the Asia-Pacific," Kasai said.

He said countries were better able to reduce disruption to lives and economies by combining early detection and response to manage infections.

While mutations had been observed, the WHO still saw the virus as "relatively stable", Kasai said.

WHO also reminded drugmakers to follow all necessary research and development steps when creating a vaccine.

Socorro Escalante, its technical officer and medicines policy advisor, said the WHO was coordinating with Russia, which this month became the first country to grant regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine.

"We hope to get the response in terms of the evidence of this new vaccine," Escalante said.

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups.

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services. "The epidemic is changing," WHO Western Pacific regional director, Takeshi Kasai, told a virtual briefing. "People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are increasingly driving the spread. Many are unaware they are infected." "This increases the risk of spillovers to the more vulnerable," he added. A surge in new cases has prompted some countries to re-impose curbs as companies race to find a vaccine for a virus that has battered economies, killed more than 770,000 people and infected nearly 22 million, according to a Reuters tally. Surges were reported in countries that had appeared to have the virus under control, including Vietnam, which until recently went three months without domestic transmission due to its aggressive mitigation efforts. "What we are observing is not simply a resurgence. We believe it's a signal that we have entered a new phase of pandemic in the Asia-Pacific," Kasai said. He said countries were better able to reduce disruption to lives and economies by combining early detection and response to manage infections. While mutations had been observed, the WHO still saw the virus as "relatively stable", Kasai said. WHO also reminded drugmakers to follow all necessary research and development steps when creating a vaccine. Socorro Escalante, its technical officer and medicines policy advisor, said the WHO was coordinating with Russia, which this month became the first country to grant regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine. "We hope to get the response in terms of the evidence of this new vaccine," Escalante said.

WHO says people in 20s, 30s, 40s increasingly driving coronavirus pandemic

Violent crimes like murders and assault have witnessed a spike in many American cities during the global pandemic.&nbsp;

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According to a new data from the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) think tank, from May to June homicides in 20 major US cities have witnessed an increase by 37 per cent, led by Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.&nbsp;

Aggravated assaults jumped by 35 per cent over the same period, while other types of crime were down.

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According to Chicago police, nearly 30 people shot and three people killed in the city this weekend alone. The injured included a 12-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boys in separate shooting incidents.

New York City reported that over 40 people were shot in the 48 hours as of Sunday morning. In a data released by the NYPD, there were 20 victims after 12 shooting incidents Friday and 23 victims were the results of 20 shooting incidents on Sunday.&nbsp;

The think tank's data comes in light after Gallup released a new public opinion polling data that asks if Americans' confidence in law enforcement. The polling data has fallen to the lowest level in 27 years, with just 48 per cent of respondents indicating a positive view of the police force.&nbsp;

Violent crimes like murders and assault have witnessed a spike in many American cities during the global pandemic. Also read: A record number of aid workers were murdered in 2019 across the globe According to a new data from the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) think tank, from May to June homicides in 20 major US cities have witnessed an increase by 37 per cent, led by Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

Violent crimes like murders and assault have witnessed a spike in many American cities during the global pandemic. Also read: A record number of aid workers were murdered in 2019 across the globe According to a new data from the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) think tank, from May to June homicides in 20 major US cities have witnessed an increase by 37 per cent, led by Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Aggravated assaults jumped by 35 per cent over the same period, while other types of crime were down. Also read: Trump administration steps up sanctions against China's Huawei, blacklists 38 'affiliates' According to Chicago police, nearly 30 people shot and three people killed in the city this weekend alone. The injured included a 12-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boys in separate shooting incidents. New York City reported that over 40 people were shot in the 48 hours as of Sunday morning. In a data released by the NYPD, there were 20 victims after 12 shooting incidents Friday and 23 victims were the results of 20 shooting incidents on Sunday. The think tank's data comes in light after Gallup released a new public opinion polling data that asks if Americans' confidence in law enforcement. The polling data has fallen to the lowest level in 27 years, with just 48 per cent of respondents indicating a positive view of the police force.

Violent crimes witness steep rise in American cities during pandemic: Report

The economy has shrunk at its fastest rate on record as it battles the coronavirus pandemic.

World Economy nosedives in second quarter | Economic cost of Coronavirus pandemic

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 20 million people, with 7.59 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 20,924,603 confirmed coronavirus cases.

The death count has also surged to 759,716.

Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected, with 5,254,171 coronavirus cases and 167,113 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,224,876 cases and 105,463 deaths, and India (2,461,190 cases, 48,040 deaths).

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 1,449 to 221,413, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. The reported death toll rose by 14 to 9,225.

New Zealand Friday reported 12 new cases of coronavirus, as the country awaited an announcement from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on whether a lockdown in its biggest city, Auckland, will be eased or extended. Auckland, home to 1.7 million people, was put under lockdown on Wednesday, hours after four new cases were discovered.

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 20 million people, with 7.59 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 20 million people, with 7.59 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 20,924,603 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 759,716. Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected, with 5,254,171 coronavirus cases and 167,113 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,224,876 cases and 105,463 deaths, and India (2,461,190 cases, 48,040 deaths). The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 1,449 to 221,413, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. The reported death toll rose by 14 to 9,225. New Zealand Friday reported 12 new cases of coronavirus, as the country awaited an announcement from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on whether a lockdown in its biggest city, Auckland, will be eased or extended. Auckland, home to 1.7 million people, was put under lockdown on Wednesday, hours after four new cases were discovered. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases exceed 20 million; death toll at 759,716

The time is challenging and trying. Trying your patience and challenging your willpower. COVID-19 is not a normal flu as said by many global leaders instead the cases are now around 20.6 million which couldn't be the case for a normal influenza. In this report we are analysing, why people globally flout lockdown norms even if they knew that this could be catastrophic

Why do people flout lockdown norms? Analysis of rule-breaking amid pandemic

More than 12 million individuals have recovered from COVID-19 around the world, days after 20 million cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed globally, according to the most recent data available from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

The total number of cases stood at 20,624,316, while the fatalities increased to 749,421, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The total number of recovered patients stands at 12,831,800.

Today, we know that the US, with over 5.3 million cases, is the most affected country. But it is also the country that has conducted the most number of tests after China, where the virus was first reported.

The US has so far conducted 67,551,161 tests in total, or 203,940 tests per 1 million tests in total. On Wednesday, it conducted 830,391 tests. India at present is the third-worst-hit country with 2,395,471 cases.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than 12 million individuals have recovered from COVID-19 around the world, days after 20 million cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed globally, according to the most recent data available from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

More than 12 million individuals have recovered from COVID-19 around the world, days after 20 million cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed globally, according to the most recent data available from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The total number of cases stood at 20,624,316, while the fatalities increased to 749,421, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The total number of recovered patients stands at 12,831,800. Today, we know that the US, with over 5.3 million cases, is the most affected country. But it is also the country that has conducted the most number of tests after China, where the virus was first reported. The US has so far conducted 67,551,161 tests in total, or 203,940 tests per 1 million tests in total. On Wednesday, it conducted 830,391 tests. India at present is the third-worst-hit country with 2,395,471 cases. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 12 million recovered worldwide from coronavirus: Johns Hopkins University

The economy of the United Kingdom shrank by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June 2020.

The coronavirus induced lockdown rules were the harshest during this period, and this marks the largest economic contraction reported across the world.

The figures, which were published on Wednesday also displayed the pattern of recession in the country, for it shrank for second quarter in a row.&nbsp;Britain has the world’s sixth largest economy.

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According to the Office for National Statistics, signs of recovery were seen in the month of June, when the country’s GDP grew by 8.7 per cent from May.

A Reuters poll from May predicted an 8 per cent growth in the economy, and this minimally surpassed it.

"The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record," Jonathan Athow, Office for National Statistics said.

"The economy began to bounce back in June... Despite this, GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February, before the virus struck”, Athow added.

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As per the predictions made by the Bank of England, the country would need until 2021 for the economy to regain its previous size, and further warned of increasing unemployment rates in the country.

"Today's figures confirm that hard times are here," UK’s finance minister Rishi Sunak said.&nbsp;"Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will."

Compared to the last year, the level of output in June was 16.8 per cent lower, while in May it was 23.3 per cent lower.

In the first quarter of the year, British GDP shrank by 2.2 per cent, in view of the lockdown which was enforced in the country beginning March 24.

The economy of the United Kingdom shrank by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June 2020. The coronavirus induced lockdown rules were the harshest during this period, and this marks the largest economic contraction reported across the world.

The economy of the United Kingdom shrank by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June 2020. The coronavirus induced lockdown rules were the harshest during this period, and this marks the largest economic contraction reported across the world. The figures, which were published on Wednesday also displayed the pattern of recession in the country, for it shrank for second quarter in a row. Britain has the world’s sixth largest economy. Also read: UK suffers biggest job losses since 2009 as COVID hits According to the Office for National Statistics, signs of recovery were seen in the month of June, when the country’s GDP grew by 8.7 per cent from May. A Reuters poll from May predicted an 8 per cent growth in the economy, and this minimally surpassed it. "The recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the biggest fall in quarterly GDP on record," Jonathan Athow, Office for National Statistics said. "The economy began to bounce back in June... Despite this, GDP in June still remains a sixth below its level in February, before the virus struck”, Athow added. Also read: UK might stop official Covid death count over claims of 'exaggeration', says report As per the predictions made by the Bank of England, the country would need until 2021 for the economy to regain its previous size, and further warned of increasing unemployment rates in the country. "Today's figures confirm that hard times are here," UK’s finance minister Rishi Sunak said. "Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will." Compared to the last year, the level of output in June was 16.8 per cent lower, while in May it was 23.3 per cent lower. In the first quarter of the year, British GDP shrank by 2.2 per cent, in view of the lockdown which was enforced in the country beginning March 24.

UK reports world's largest economic contraction at 20.4%

Australia recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday and the biggest daily rise in infections in three days, denting hopes that a second wave gripping the state of Victoria may be stabilising.

Victoria reported 21 deaths - two more than the previous deadliest days earlier this week - and 410 new cases in the past 24 hours, ending a run of three consecutive days with new infections below 400.

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A cluster of infections in Melbourne, the Victorian capital and Australia's second-largest city, forced authorities last week to impose a night curfew, tighten restrictions on people's daily movements and order large parts of state economy to close.

National figures for the past 24 hours have yet to be released but outside the two largest states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) the virus has been effectively eliminated.

Authorities in NSW are scrambling to trace infections linked to a new cluster at a school in Sydney, which has raised fears of more widespread community transmission than previously known in Australia's most-populous state.&nbsp;

Australia has reported just over 22,000 infections and 352 deaths from the virus.

Australia recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday and the biggest daily rise in infections in three days, denting hopes that a second wave gripping the state of Victoria may be stabilising.

Australia recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday and the biggest daily rise in infections in three days, denting hopes that a second wave gripping the state of Victoria may be stabilising. Victoria reported 21 deaths - two more than the previous deadliest days earlier this week - and 410 new cases in the past 24 hours, ending a run of three consecutive days with new infections below 400. Also read: Australia extends border closure after highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases A cluster of infections in Melbourne, the Victorian capital and Australia's second-largest city, forced authorities last week to impose a night curfew, tighten restrictions on people's daily movements and order large parts of state economy to close. National figures for the past 24 hours have yet to be released but outside the two largest states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) the virus has been effectively eliminated. Authorities in NSW are scrambling to trace infections linked to a new cluster at a school in Sydney, which has raised fears of more widespread community transmission than previously known in Australia's most-populous state. Australia has reported just over 22,000 infections and 352 deaths from the virus.

Australia suffers deadliest day of coronavirus pandemic, cases rise

The United States has entered an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to acquire 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine for around $1.5 billion (£1.15 billion), the company and White House said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The United States in recent weeks has made deals to acquire hundreds of millions of doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines from several companies as part of its Operation Warp Speed program, which aims to deliver a vaccine in the country by the end of the year.

Moderna's price per dose comes to around $30.50 per person for a two dose regimen.

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With the exception of its deal with AstraZeneca, which offered a lower price per drug in exchange for upfront research and development costs, all the deals price COVID-19 vaccines between $20 to $42 for a two dose course of treatment.

Moderna's vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, is one of the few that have already advanced to the final stage of testing and is on track to be completed in September, the company said this month.

Moderna's deal with the U.S. only pays out in full if the drugmaker hits certain unspecific timing benchmarks for vaccine delivery.&nbsp;

The United States has advanced purchase agreements with Johnson &amp; Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, and Sanofi SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc for their respective vaccine candidates.&nbsp;

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The agreements would lock in more than 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the U.S., assuming that the companies involved receive regulatory approval. Some deals also give the United States an option to purchase additional doses.&nbsp;

The U.S. government previously gave Moderna around $1 billion to fund its research efforts, bringing total U.S. funding to around $2.5 billion.

Other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada, have forged similar deals with drugmakers.

The United States has entered an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to acquire 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine for around $1.5 billion (£1.

The United States has entered an agreement with drugmaker Moderna Inc to acquire 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine for around $1.5 billion (£1.15 billion), the company and White House said on Tuesday. The United States in recent weeks has made deals to acquire hundreds of millions of doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines from several companies as part of its Operation Warp Speed program, which aims to deliver a vaccine in the country by the end of the year. Moderna's price per dose comes to around $30.50 per person for a two dose regimen. Also read: Facebook removed seven million posts in second quarter for false coronavirus information With the exception of its deal with AstraZeneca, which offered a lower price per drug in exchange for upfront research and development costs, all the deals price COVID-19 vaccines between $20 to $42 for a two dose course of treatment. Moderna's vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, is one of the few that have already advanced to the final stage of testing and is on track to be completed in September, the company said this month. Moderna's deal with the U.S. only pays out in full if the drugmaker hits certain unspecific timing benchmarks for vaccine delivery. The United States has advanced purchase agreements with Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca Plc, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, and Sanofi SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc for their respective vaccine candidates. Also read: Russia's Sputnik V: Coronavirus vaccine or publicity stunt? The agreements would lock in more than 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the U.S., assuming that the companies involved receive regulatory approval. Some deals also give the United States an option to purchase additional doses. The U.S. government previously gave Moderna around $1 billion to fund its research efforts, bringing total U.S. funding to around $2.5 billion. Other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada, have forged similar deals with drugmakers.

US inks $1.5 billion deal with Moderna for 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Novavax Inc's manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet the U.S. demand for COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, which it believes could be as high as 500 million to 600 million doses, company executives said on Monday.&nbsp;

Novavax said last week its experimental vaccine produced high levels of antibodies against the novel coronavirus, according to initial data from a small, early stage clinical trial.&nbsp;

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Novavax expects to begin producing vaccine at large scale in the beginning of 2021 and to be able to make "well over" 2 billion doses of its vaccine annually overall if its vaccine is authorized for use by regulators, the executives added during an investor call.

Novavax is still waiting on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review data from its early stage study of its vaccine candidate, but has said it expects to start a large Phase III trial as soon as late September.

Novavax research chief Gregory Glenn told Reuters last week the late-stage clinical trial could potentially glean enough data to obtain regulatory approvals as early as December.

Maryland-based Novavax has said its vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, produced higher levels of the antibodies in healthy volunteers after two doses than those found in recovered COVID-19 patients and the vaccine was “well tolerated” overall.

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"We are seeing a safety profile that in many ways looks like the safety profile of many other vaccines, so it's not going to prevent the use of the vaccine," Novavax's chief financial officer John Trizzino said in an interview.&nbsp;

The Novavax vaccine has received U.S. funding under Operation Warp Speed, the White House program to accelerate access to vaccines and treatments that can fight the virus.

The U.S. government in July agreed to pay Novavax $1.6 billion to help cover costs related to testing and manufacturing its vaccine, with the aim of procuring 100 million doses by January 2021.

Novavax Inc's manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet the U.S. demand for COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, which it believes could be as high as 500 million to 600 million doses, company executives said on Monday.

Novavax Inc's manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet the U.S. demand for COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, which it believes could be as high as 500 million to 600 million doses, company executives said on Monday. Novavax said last week its experimental vaccine produced high levels of antibodies against the novel coronavirus, according to initial data from a small, early stage clinical trial. Also read: Serum Institute to get $150 million from Gates Foundation for COVID-19 vaccine Novavax expects to begin producing vaccine at large scale in the beginning of 2021 and to be able to make "well over" 2 billion doses of its vaccine annually overall if its vaccine is authorized for use by regulators, the executives added during an investor call. Novavax is still waiting on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review data from its early stage study of its vaccine candidate, but has said it expects to start a large Phase III trial as soon as late September. Novavax research chief Gregory Glenn told Reuters last week the late-stage clinical trial could potentially glean enough data to obtain regulatory approvals as early as December. Maryland-based Novavax has said its vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, produced higher levels of the antibodies in healthy volunteers after two doses than those found in recovered COVID-19 patients and the vaccine was “well tolerated” overall. Also read: Russia to register world's first COVID-19 vaccine next week "We are seeing a safety profile that in many ways looks like the safety profile of many other vaccines, so it's not going to prevent the use of the vaccine," Novavax's chief financial officer John Trizzino said in an interview. The Novavax vaccine has received U.S. funding under Operation Warp Speed, the White House program to accelerate access to vaccines and treatments that can fight the virus. The U.S. government in July agreed to pay Novavax $1.6 billion to help cover costs related to testing and manufacturing its vaccine, with the aim of procuring 100 million doses by January 2021.

Novavax expects it can meet US COVID-19 vaccine demand in 2021, executives say

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been a constant critic of the climate change crisis. Recently, in his blog, he warned that while COVID-19 is "awful" but the climate change crisis could be even worse.

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He urged everyone to deal with climate change quickly to avoid a climate disaster.&nbsp;

"If you want to understand the kind of damage that climate change will inflict, look at COVID-19 and spread the pain out over a much longer period of time," Gates wrote on his blog. "The loss of life and economic misery caused by this pandemic are on par with what will happen regularly if we do not eliminate the world's carbon emissions."

According to Gates, 14 per 100,000 people died due to COVID-19 (based on the current number of deaths due to virus) and said that the global mortality rate could shoot up to 73 deaths per 100,000 if the temperatures continue to rise for the next 40 years.

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He said: "By 2060, climate change could be just as deadly as COVID-19, and by 2100 it could be five times as deadly."

Economic damage from climate change would be the equivalent of having a COVID-19 pandemic every decade, he added.

The year 2020 has witnessed a decline in greenhouse gases due to global-level lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic that brought everyone to a standstill, however, Gates said that it'll likely only amount to a reduction of 8 per cent in total. The reduction was caused due to coronavirus lockdowns and not due to any solutions, he said.&nbsp;

"This is not a situation that anyone would want to continue," Gates said. "In addition, these reductions are being achieved at, literally, the greatest possible cost."

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been a constant critic of the climate change crisis. Recently, in his blog, he warned that while COVID-19 is "awful" but the climate change crisis could be even worse.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been a constant critic of the climate change crisis. Recently, in his blog, he warned that while COVID-19 is "awful" but the climate change crisis could be even worse. Also read: Herbivores face higher extinction risk than predators: Study He urged everyone to deal with climate change quickly to avoid a climate disaster. "If you want to understand the kind of damage that climate change will inflict, look at COVID-19 and spread the pain out over a much longer period of time," Gates wrote on his blog. "The loss of life and economic misery caused by this pandemic are on par with what will happen regularly if we do not eliminate the world's carbon emissions." According to Gates, 14 per 100,000 people died due to COVID-19 (based on the current number of deaths due to virus) and said that the global mortality rate could shoot up to 73 deaths per 100,000 if the temperatures continue to rise for the next 40 years. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic leaves Amazon more vulnerable than ever He said: "By 2060, climate change could be just as deadly as COVID-19, and by 2100 it could be five times as deadly." Economic damage from climate change would be the equivalent of having a COVID-19 pandemic every decade, he added. The year 2020 has witnessed a decline in greenhouse gases due to global-level lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic that brought everyone to a standstill, however, Gates said that it'll likely only amount to a reduction of 8 per cent in total. The reduction was caused due to coronavirus lockdowns and not due to any solutions, he said. "This is not a situation that anyone would want to continue," Gates said. "In addition, these reductions are being achieved at, literally, the greatest possible cost."

Bill Gates warns climate change crisis could be worse than COVID-19 pandemic

Latin America broke through 5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a Reuters tally showed, underscoring that the region is the area of the world hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus was initially slower to reach Latin America - home to about 640 million people - than much of the world. But health experts say it has been hard to control the virus due to the region's poverty and densely packed cities.

The more than 10,000 new cases reported by Colombia's health ministry on Monday pushed the region past the 5 million mark, a day after the Andean nation reported a record 11,470 cases.

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Latin America has now topped 200,000 deaths. Brazil's total approached 96,000 on Monday and Mexico surpassed 48,000. The two countries have the world's second and third highest death tolls, after the United States.

North America is the region with the second highest number of cases, with 4.8 million infections, according to a Reuters tally, followed by Europe and Asia, which have around 3 million infections each.

Latin America is particularly vulnerable to the virus due to high levels of poverty, urbanization and labor informality, according to a July 30 report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Pan American Health Organization.

More than 100 million people across Latin America and the Caribbean live in slums, according to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Many have jobs in the informal sector with little in the way of a social safety net and have continued to work throughout the pandemic.

"The pandemic has become an precedented economic and social crisis and, if urgent measures are not taken, it could transform into a food, humanitarian, and political crisis," the report warned.

Latin America has also a high death rate from the virus, likely due to a number of factors, including high levels of underlying conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

Latin America broke through 5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a Reuters tally showed, underscoring that the region is the area of the world hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Latin America broke through 5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a Reuters tally showed, underscoring that the region is the area of the world hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus was initially slower to reach Latin America - home to about 640 million people - than much of the world. But health experts say it has been hard to control the virus due to the region's poverty and densely packed cities. The more than 10,000 new cases reported by Colombia's health ministry on Monday pushed the region past the 5 million mark, a day after the Andean nation reported a record 11,470 cases. Also read: Brazil announces South American meeting on Amazon, accepts Chile's help Latin America has now topped 200,000 deaths. Brazil's total approached 96,000 on Monday and Mexico surpassed 48,000. The two countries have the world's second and third highest death tolls, after the United States. North America is the region with the second highest number of cases, with 4.8 million infections, according to a Reuters tally, followed by Europe and Asia, which have around 3 million infections each. Latin America is particularly vulnerable to the virus due to high levels of poverty, urbanization and labor informality, according to a July 30 report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Pan American Health Organization. More than 100 million people across Latin America and the Caribbean live in slums, according to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Many have jobs in the informal sector with little in the way of a social safety net and have continued to work throughout the pandemic. "The pandemic has become an precedented economic and social crisis and, if urgent measures are not taken, it could transform into a food, humanitarian, and political crisis," the report warned. Latin America has also a high death rate from the virus, likely due to a number of factors, including high levels of underlying conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

Latin America exceeds five million COVID-19 cases

After outbreaks of coronavirus were reported on animal farms in Spain and the Netherlands, scientists are now wondering whether minks have the capability to transmit the virus onto humans.

Even though it is widely believed that the virus was passed on to minks from humans, scientists find it “plausible” that the minks further transmitted the virus to other staff members.

In May, when Spain was hit hard by the virus, an outbreak was recorded on a mink farm near La Puebla de Valverde, which infected over 14.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/how-pandemic-worsened-the-cruel-fate-of-minks-314142" hreflang="en">How pandemic worsened the cruel fate of minks?</a>

Owing to this, 92,000 minks were killed in order to limit the scope of transmission. It was believed that over 90 per cent of the animals had developed the virus.

A similar outbreak happened in the Netherlands, and scientists from the Wageningen University and Research found that the virus strain found in animals was similar to the one found in humans.&nbsp;

When the pandemic began in Wuhan in December 2019, everybody widely thought that it came from bats, which were a delicacy at the wet market where the pilot cluster began.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-million-minks-culled-in-europe-314145/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Humans to animals? Or the other way?

If the involvement of minks in enabling transmission of the virus is ascertained, it would prove that humans may catch the virus from animals, and hence need to practice more precaution.

It is widely believed that humans may pass on the infection to animals, but there is no proof of reverse transmission yet.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the transmission from animals to humans remains “very limited”, and not a threat so far.&nbsp;The organisation’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said that this may give us more information about the risk in animals.

"This gives us some clues about which animals may be susceptible to infection and this will help us as we learn more about the potential animal reservoir of (the virus)”, Kerkhove said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/dutch-to-slaughter-around-10000-mink-after-coronavirus-outbreak-on-farms-303412" hreflang="en">Dutch to slaughter around 10,000 mink after coronavirus outbreak on farms</a>

In the Netherlands alone, fearing a spike in cases among humans, a million minks have been killed across 26 farms, as per data from the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.

All countries with mink farms in the region have upped precautions to avoid transmission among humans.

After outbreaks of coronavirus were reported on animal farms in Spain and the Netherlands, scientists are now wondering whether minks have the capability to transmit the virus onto humans.

After outbreaks of coronavirus were reported on animal farms in Spain and the Netherlands, scientists are now wondering whether minks have the capability to transmit the virus onto humans. Even though it is widely believed that the virus was passed on to minks from humans, scientists find it “plausible” that the minks further transmitted the virus to other staff members. In May, when Spain was hit hard by the virus, an outbreak was recorded on a mink farm near La Puebla de Valverde, which infected over 14. Also read: How pandemic worsened the cruel fate of minks? Owing to this, 92,000 minks were killed in order to limit the scope of transmission. It was believed that over 90 per cent of the animals had developed the virus. A similar outbreak happened in the Netherlands, and scientists from the Wageningen University and Research found that the virus strain found in animals was similar to the one found in humans. When the pandemic began in Wuhan in December 2019, everybody widely thought that it came from bats, which were a delicacy at the wet market where the pilot cluster began. Humans to animals? Or the other way? If the involvement of minks in enabling transmission of the virus is ascertained, it would prove that humans may catch the virus from animals, and hence need to practice more precaution. It is widely believed that humans may pass on the infection to animals, but there is no proof of reverse transmission yet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the transmission from animals to humans remains “very limited”, and not a threat so far. The organisation’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said that this may give us more information about the risk in animals. "This gives us some clues about which animals may be susceptible to infection and this will help us as we learn more about the potential animal reservoir of (the virus)”, Kerkhove said. Also read: Dutch to slaughter around 10,000 mink after coronavirus outbreak on farms In the Netherlands alone, fearing a spike in cases among humans, a million minks have been killed across 26 farms, as per data from the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. All countries with mink farms in the region have upped precautions to avoid transmission among humans.

Outbreaks among minks hold secrets to understanding animal-to-human transmission of COVID-19

As the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine heats up, how close are we to a vaccine? And which country will get it first? Watch: Vaccine Wars, Explained, a Wion Wideangle special

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Muslims return to Saudi Arabia for Hajj Pilgrimage amid the pandemic. Muslims gather at a grand mosque for the pilgrimage. Watch this video to know more.

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