A temporary bridge has been built in Hong Kong to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project.&nbsp;

This hospital is expected to provide 1,000 more hospital beds and quarantine rooms for up to 10,000 people.

The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge with thousands of confirmed cases every day.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that China aims to ensure that Hong Kong has enough food and other supplies during the outbreak.&nbsp;

To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. 
Beijing, on the other hand, has provided 29m rapid antigen tests and 54m masks as of Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-fight-covid-abroad-us-aims-to-contribute-to-vaccines-for-next-disease-460501">Also read |&nbsp;To fight Covid abroad, US aims to contribute to vaccines for next disease</a>

China’s national health Commission’s Liang Wannian told Chinese state media Xinhua, "Reducing infection, severe cases and deaths is Hong Kong’s most urgent and top priority at the current stage."

Earlier, Lam had said that all Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus testing. "The coming one to three months are crucial in fighting the pandemic," Lam told a press briefing.

Lam reiterated the city's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy similar to mainland China, aiming to eradicate any outbreaks at all costs. She repeatedly thanked mainland authorities for their "staunch support."

(With inputs from agencies)

A temporary bridge has been built in Hong Kong to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project.

A temporary bridge has been built in Hong Kong to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project. This hospital is expected to provide 1,000 more hospital beds and quarantine rooms for up to 10,000 people. The densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge with thousands of confirmed cases every day. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that China aims to ensure that Hong Kong has enough food and other supplies during the outbreak. To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. Beijing, on the other hand, has provided 29m rapid antigen tests and 54m masks as of Tuesday. Also read | To fight Covid abroad, US aims to contribute to vaccines for next disease China’s national health Commission’s Liang Wannian told Chinese state media Xinhua, "Reducing infection, severe cases and deaths is Hong Kong’s most urgent and top priority at the current stage." Earlier, Lam had said that all Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus testing. "The coming one to three months are crucial in fighting the pandemic," Lam told a press briefing. Lam reiterated the city's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy similar to mainland China, aiming to eradicate any outbreaks at all costs. She repeatedly thanked mainland authorities for their "staunch support." (With inputs from agencies)

China builds new bridge to Hong Kong amid Covid surge

Hong Kong authorities are ramping up the provision of community isolation and treatment units as cases of coronavirus continue to surge. The government, in a statement, said that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal would be completely turned into a dedicated Covid facility with 1,000 beds.

On Saturday, Hong Kong reported 6,063 new Covid cases.&nbsp;

China has sent medical personnel to Hong Kong in order to help. As per the authorities, the outbreak will take up to three months to stabilise.

Meanwhile, the officials on Thursday reported that cases in Hong Kong multiplied by 60 times this month, putting the health infrastructure under tremendous strain.

The jump in cases is the biggest test yet of Hong Kong’s “dynamic zero Covid” policy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kongs-dynamic-zero-covid-policy-put-to-test-covid-cases-multiply-by-60-times-454099">Also read |&nbsp;Hong Kong’s ‘dynamic zero Covid’ policy put to test as cases multiply by 60 times</a>

Schools, gyms, cinemas and most public venues are shut, and many office employees are working from home.

The situation is so dire at public hospitals that one health worker tends to attend at least 20 patients on an average during night shifts, South China Morning reported citing David Chan Kwok-shing, chairman of the labour union Hospital Authority Employees Alliance.

“Some said they have never faced such a bad situation,” he told a radio programme.

Officials have eased discharge criteria for patients to relieve pressure off the health system. There were even reports that some patients, including the elderly, were left lying on beds outside in chilly. This prompted an apology from authorities in the Chinese-controlled city.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong authorities are ramping up the provision of community isolation and treatment units as cases of coronavirus continue to surge. The government, in a statement, said that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal would be completely turned into a dedicated Covid facility with 1,000 beds.

Hong Kong authorities are ramping up the provision of community isolation and treatment units as cases of coronavirus continue to surge. The government, in a statement, said that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal would be completely turned into a dedicated Covid facility with 1,000 beds. On Saturday, Hong Kong reported 6,063 new Covid cases. China has sent medical personnel to Hong Kong in order to help. As per the authorities, the outbreak will take up to three months to stabilise. Meanwhile, the officials on Thursday reported that cases in Hong Kong multiplied by 60 times this month, putting the health infrastructure under tremendous strain. The jump in cases is the biggest test yet of Hong Kong’s “dynamic zero Covid” policy. Also read | Hong Kong’s ‘dynamic zero Covid’ policy put to test as cases multiply by 60 times Schools, gyms, cinemas and most public venues are shut, and many office employees are working from home. The situation is so dire at public hospitals that one health worker tends to attend at least 20 patients on an average during night shifts, South China Morning reported citing David Chan Kwok-shing, chairman of the labour union Hospital Authority Employees Alliance. “Some said they have never faced such a bad situation,” he told a radio programme. Officials have eased discharge criteria for patients to relieve pressure off the health system. There were even reports that some patients, including the elderly, were left lying on beds outside in chilly. This prompted an apology from authorities in the Chinese-controlled city. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid a surge in cases, Hong Kong to ramp up isolation facilities

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, around 1,000 police personnel of India’s capital have contracted COVID-19, officials said on Monday. &nbsp;

The Delhi Police personnel, who have tested positive for the virus, include Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). &nbsp;&nbsp;

Delhi Police additional PRO/consultant Anil Mittal, said, "Nearly a thousand police personnel have been infected with COVID-19 as of now. All of them are under quarantine and will join duty after they fully recover." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-records-179723-fresh-covid-19-cases-146-new-deaths-in-24-hours-443504" hreflang="en">India records 1,79,723 fresh COVID-19 cases, 146 new deaths in 24 hours</a>

Delhi Police’s overall strength is more than 80,000. &nbsp;

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for preventing the spread of the coronavirus among police personnel was issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana recently. &nbsp;

As police are frontline workers, who perform duties amidst public, it is important to take adequate precautions to protect themselves from Covid, it said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/officials-kickstart-booster-dose-vaccination-campaign-for-citizens-above-60-years-in-jammu-and-kashmir-443562" hreflang="en">Officials kickstart booster dose vaccination campaign for citizens above 60 years in Jammu and Kashmir</a>

All police personnel should wear face masks, maintain social distancing and practise hand hygiene while performing duties, said the SOP. &nbsp;

All police personnel and eligible family members, who have not been vaccinated till now, may be motivated to undergo the process. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"Those who have not been vaccinated due to medical reasons may be encouraged to seek medical opinion again for vaccination," it said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, around 1,000 police personnel of India’s capital have contracted COVID-19, officials said on Monday. The Delhi Police personnel, who have tested positive for the virus, include Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch).

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, around 1,000 police personnel of India’s capital have contracted COVID-19, officials said on Monday. The Delhi Police personnel, who have tested positive for the virus, include Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). Delhi Police additional PRO/consultant Anil Mittal, said, "Nearly a thousand police personnel have been infected with COVID-19 as of now. All of them are under quarantine and will join duty after they fully recover." Also Read: India records 1,79,723 fresh COVID-19 cases, 146 new deaths in 24 hours Delhi Police’s overall strength is more than 80,000. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for preventing the spread of the coronavirus among police personnel was issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana recently. As police are frontline workers, who perform duties amidst public, it is important to take adequate precautions to protect themselves from Covid, it said. Also Read: Officials kickstart booster dose vaccination campaign for citizens above 60 years in Jammu and Kashmir All police personnel should wear face masks, maintain social distancing and practise hand hygiene while performing duties, said the SOP. All police personnel and eligible family members, who have not been vaccinated till now, may be motivated to undergo the process. "Those who have not been vaccinated due to medical reasons may be encouraged to seek medical opinion again for vaccination," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

In Covid surge, around 1,000 police personnel of India’s capital get infected

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system.

After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children.

Districtwide closures, even those that last for a week or two, are a step backward after months in which classrooms largely remained open, even during a fall surge of the delta variant.

And although politicians, including Mayor Eric Adams of New York and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, vowed to keep schools open, there were growing fears from parents and educators that more districts would soon turn to remote learning — even though in-school transmission of COVID-19 has been limited.

Those decisions could, in turn, radiate through the country, affecting child care, employment and any confidence that the pandemic’s viselike grip was loosening.

“It’s chaos,” said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, which has polled families throughout the pandemic. “The No. 1 thing that parents and families are crying out for is stability.”

Some families were given just a few days or even hours of notice about school closures, leading to the all-too-familiar pandemic scramble to adjust child-care arrangements and work schedules. Atlanta Public Schools, for instance, announced Saturday that classes would be online for the first week of January, just days after saying that classes would be held in person.

Rodrigues’ own sons were home Monday morning after their schools, in Somerville, Massachusetts, announced Saturday a two-hour delayed start to test staff and distribute KN95 masks.

The continued burden on parents nationwide is unacceptable, Rodrigues said, given that a winter surge of the virus was predictable and that policymakers had months to secure and distribute tests and masks.

“No grace is extended to us,” she said of parents who would have to go out to work, whether or not their children’s schools were open.

The academic, social and emotional toll of school closures has been enormous, and well-documented. During the first year of the pandemic, before vaccines were available, the question of whether children should be in classrooms was one of the most divisive in American life. Today, politicians, labor leaders and teachers overwhelmingly say they want classrooms to remain open.

A vast majority of the nation’s school districts — including most of the largest ones — appear to be operating relatively normally. Still, the closures this week appeared to be concentrated in regions, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest, where Democratic Party policymakers and teachers unions have taken a more cautious approach to operating schools throughout the pandemic.

The nation is averaging more than 400,000 new cases a day for the first time in the pandemic, though hospitalizations are growing at a much slower rate. Many principals have reported large numbers of staff members calling in sick, because they are infected with COVID-19 or other illnesses, caring for sick family members or fearful of the conditions within school buildings.

Several of the shuttered districts serve predominantly Black, Hispanic and low-income students, raising concerns about the educational gaps that widened during previous phases of the pandemic.

“There is a casualness with which some have approached closing schools that I find deeply concerning, precisely because of the severe harms we’ve seen accumulate over the past year when schools were closed,” said Joseph Allen, a Harvard University professor who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools.

Still, in New York City, where schools were open, about one-third of the students did not show up, suggesting significant parental hesitation.

And there are signs that some unions are becoming more resistant to in-person teaching. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union are preparing to vote Tuesday on whether to refuse to report to schools starting Wednesday. The union, which has repeatedly clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, had demanded that every student be tested for the virus before returning from winter break, a step the district did not take.

The district, one of the largest in the country, instead gave tens of thousands of students optional take-home PCR tests before winter break, which parents were supposed to bring to a FedEx drop box.

On Monday, it became clear that the testing effort had largely failed. Of 35,590 tests recorded by the district in the week ending Saturday, 24,843 had invalid results. Among the minority of tests that did produce results, 18% were positive.

A district official said test vendors were looking into the reasons for the inconclusive results.

At a news conference Monday, the union’s vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, expressed her anger at having “to continuously fight for the basic necessities, the basic mitigations.”

In Florida, DeSantis reiterated Monday that officials would not allow the state’s public schools to close, despite a major spike in coronavirus cases.

“You have worse outcomes by closing schools,” said DeSantis, a Republican who has increased his national profile by rejecting coronavirus lockdowns and mandates for much of the pandemic. “Kids need to be in school.”

Furthermore, DeSantis said, children “do not need to be doing any crazy mitigation” such as testing or wearing masks, unless their parents want them to. He added: “Just let them be kids.”

In the New York area, there was a growing divide between the city, where nearly all schools opened Monday morning with beefed-up virus testing protocols, and the surrounding region, where a growing list of smaller districts shifted to remote learning, generally citing the surging number of COVID-19 cases within the community — not specific instances of in-school spread of the virus.

The school board president in Newark, Dawn Haynes, said in a statement, “The lives of all of our students mean more to me than anything else, especially since three of them are actually mine.”

In New Rochelle, New York, the school superintendent, Jonathan P. Raymond, wrote in a Dec. 31 letter that a week of remote learning would allow the district to await a shipment of rapid tests from the state, and sign up more students for in-school surveillance testing.

Some schools announcing their decision to temporarily close cited the closing of other districts — adding to an uneasy sense of falling dominoes. When the superintendent in Mount Vernon, New York, announced a two-week period of remote learning, he pointed to the closure of some schools in Maryland, where, on Dec. 17, Prince George’s County became the first major district to announce an extended shift to virtual teaching.

While omicron is more contagious than previous iterations of the virus, early indications are that it is also less severe. Allen, from Harvard, said the existing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still allowed schools to operate safely, especially because children were at such low risk of serious complications from COVID-19. Those measures include vaccination, masking, hand-washing, the use of portable air filters and cracking windows.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s vaccine boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds, but child and teenage vaccination rates have been disappointing in many places.

The CDC also recommends a strategy called test to stay, in which close contacts of positive virus cases are given frequent rapid tests; only those who test positive must stay home.

But many schools still lack the number of rapid antigen tests they need.

Allen acknowledged that rapid tests were in short supply.

“We’ve been calling for rapid testing for a year and a half,” he said. “I find it stunning that the country has so failed to prioritize kids.”

Still, many parents said that despite the difficulties of closures, they trusted their children’s schools to make the right call.

Lorenzo Spencer, whose son is a freshman at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, said he was not surprised by the district’s announcement of a three-day closure — without remote learning — to test its 8,000 employees.

“There’s no playbook for what we’re going through,” Spencer said. “As long as they’re doing what they can do to stay safe, I’m all for it.”

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system. After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children.

The omicron surge threatens to upend any sense of peace in the nation’s education system. After a holiday break that saw COVID-19 cases spike unrelentingly, a small but growing list of districts — including Newark, New Jersey; Atlanta; Milwaukee; and Cleveland — moved temporarily to remote learning for more than 450,000 children. Districtwide closures, even those that last for a week or two, are a step backward after months in which classrooms largely remained open, even during a fall surge of the delta variant. And although politicians, including Mayor Eric Adams of New York and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, vowed to keep schools open, there were growing fears from parents and educators that more districts would soon turn to remote learning — even though in-school transmission of COVID-19 has been limited. Those decisions could, in turn, radiate through the country, affecting child care, employment and any confidence that the pandemic’s viselike grip was loosening. “It’s chaos,” said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, which has polled families throughout the pandemic. “The No. 1 thing that parents and families are crying out for is stability.” Some families were given just a few days or even hours of notice about school closures, leading to the all-too-familiar pandemic scramble to adjust child-care arrangements and work schedules. Atlanta Public Schools, for instance, announced Saturday that classes would be online for the first week of January, just days after saying that classes would be held in person. Rodrigues’ own sons were home Monday morning after their schools, in Somerville, Massachusetts, announced Saturday a two-hour delayed start to test staff and distribute KN95 masks. The continued burden on parents nationwide is unacceptable, Rodrigues said, given that a winter surge of the virus was predictable and that policymakers had months to secure and distribute tests and masks. “No grace is extended to us,” she said of parents who would have to go out to work, whether or not their children’s schools were open. The academic, social and emotional toll of school closures has been enormous, and well-documented. During the first year of the pandemic, before vaccines were available, the question of whether children should be in classrooms was one of the most divisive in American life. Today, politicians, labor leaders and teachers overwhelmingly say they want classrooms to remain open. A vast majority of the nation’s school districts — including most of the largest ones — appear to be operating relatively normally. Still, the closures this week appeared to be concentrated in regions, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest, where Democratic Party policymakers and teachers unions have taken a more cautious approach to operating schools throughout the pandemic. The nation is averaging more than 400,000 new cases a day for the first time in the pandemic, though hospitalizations are growing at a much slower rate. Many principals have reported large numbers of staff members calling in sick, because they are infected with COVID-19 or other illnesses, caring for sick family members or fearful of the conditions within school buildings. Several of the shuttered districts serve predominantly Black, Hispanic and low-income students, raising concerns about the educational gaps that widened during previous phases of the pandemic. “There is a casualness with which some have approached closing schools that I find deeply concerning, precisely because of the severe harms we’ve seen accumulate over the past year when schools were closed,” said Joseph Allen, a Harvard University professor who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools. Still, in New York City, where schools were open, about one-third of the students did not show up, suggesting significant parental hesitation. And there are signs that some unions are becoming more resistant to in-person teaching. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union are preparing to vote Tuesday on whether to refuse to report to schools starting Wednesday. The union, which has repeatedly clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, had demanded that every student be tested for the virus before returning from winter break, a step the district did not take. The district, one of the largest in the country, instead gave tens of thousands of students optional take-home PCR tests before winter break, which parents were supposed to bring to a FedEx drop box. On Monday, it became clear that the testing effort had largely failed. Of 35,590 tests recorded by the district in the week ending Saturday, 24,843 had invalid results. Among the minority of tests that did produce results, 18% were positive. A district official said test vendors were looking into the reasons for the inconclusive results. At a news conference Monday, the union’s vice president, Stacy Davis Gates, expressed her anger at having “to continuously fight for the basic necessities, the basic mitigations.” In Florida, DeSantis reiterated Monday that officials would not allow the state’s public schools to close, despite a major spike in coronavirus cases. “You have worse outcomes by closing schools,” said DeSantis, a Republican who has increased his national profile by rejecting coronavirus lockdowns and mandates for much of the pandemic. “Kids need to be in school.” Furthermore, DeSantis said, children “do not need to be doing any crazy mitigation” such as testing or wearing masks, unless their parents want them to. He added: “Just let them be kids.” In the New York area, there was a growing divide between the city, where nearly all schools opened Monday morning with beefed-up virus testing protocols, and the surrounding region, where a growing list of smaller districts shifted to remote learning, generally citing the surging number of COVID-19 cases within the community — not specific instances of in-school spread of the virus. The school board president in Newark, Dawn Haynes, said in a statement, “The lives of all of our students mean more to me than anything else, especially since three of them are actually mine.” In New Rochelle, New York, the school superintendent, Jonathan P. Raymond, wrote in a Dec. 31 letter that a week of remote learning would allow the district to await a shipment of rapid tests from the state, and sign up more students for in-school surveillance testing. Some schools announcing their decision to temporarily close cited the closing of other districts — adding to an uneasy sense of falling dominoes. When the superintendent in Mount Vernon, New York, announced a two-week period of remote learning, he pointed to the closure of some schools in Maryland, where, on Dec. 17, Prince George’s County became the first major district to announce an extended shift to virtual teaching. While omicron is more contagious than previous iterations of the virus, early indications are that it is also less severe. Allen, from Harvard, said the existing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still allowed schools to operate safely, especially because children were at such low risk of serious complications from COVID-19. Those measures include vaccination, masking, hand-washing, the use of portable air filters and cracking windows. On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s vaccine boosters for 12- to 15-year-olds, but child and teenage vaccination rates have been disappointing in many places. The CDC also recommends a strategy called test to stay, in which close contacts of positive virus cases are given frequent rapid tests; only those who test positive must stay home. But many schools still lack the number of rapid antigen tests they need. Allen acknowledged that rapid tests were in short supply. “We’ve been calling for rapid testing for a year and a half,” he said. “I find it stunning that the country has so failed to prioritize kids.” Still, many parents said that despite the difficulties of closures, they trusted their children’s schools to make the right call. Lorenzo Spencer, whose son is a freshman at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, said he was not surprised by the district’s announcement of a three-day closure — without remote learning — to test its 8,000 employees. “There’s no playbook for what we’re going through,” Spencer said. “As long as they’re doing what they can do to stay safe, I’m all for it.”

‘It’s chaos’ as schools confront omicron

South Africa is not just affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but is also deeply plagued with increasing rape and sexual abuse cases. It has the world's highest levels of violence against women. As per the official data, there are over 100 rapes reported daily. Also, on average, a woman is murdered every three hours.

The recent stats revealed an increase of 7.1 per cent in rape cases, with 9,556 women raped between July and September.&nbsp; 
President Cyril Ramaphosa deemed the recent stats as "shameful."&nbsp;

He further said that violence against women is a "second pandemic."

"We are in the grip of a relentless war being waged on the bodies of women and children that, despite our best efforts, shows no signs of abating. If a nation's character can be judged by how it treats women and children, then we are falling desperately short," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-surges-to-375-as-typhoon-rai-causes-destruction-in-philippines-438442">Also read |&nbsp;Death toll surges to 375 as typhoon Rai causes destruction in Philippines</a>

The statistics show that about a third of girls in South Africa will have to go through some form of sexual abuse during their lifetime. Also, one in five children will be sexually assaulted.&nbsp;

The rate of child murders has also surged by nearly a third as compared to the previous reporting period.

Precious Robinson, from Right to Care and chairperson of the South African Civil Society for Women’s, Adolescents’ and Children’s Health said that it is very unfortunate that such cases are never reported. “Some cultures have this tendency of saying if a thing happens within a family, let’s not take it out. It’s a secret, it’s a family issue. Families will often worry about what people will say if they hear about it,” she said.

A 2010 study revealed that 25.3 per cent of women in Gauteng province had been “raped by a man, whether a husband or boyfriend, family member, stranger or acquaintance”.&nbsp;

This has also contributed to the worsening mental health conditions as many survivors are shocked and traumatised.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

South Africa is not just affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but is also deeply plagued with increasing rape and sexual abuse cases. It has the world's highest levels of violence against women.

South Africa is not just affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but is also deeply plagued with increasing rape and sexual abuse cases. It has the world's highest levels of violence against women. As per the official data, there are over 100 rapes reported daily. Also, on average, a woman is murdered every three hours. The recent stats revealed an increase of 7.1 per cent in rape cases, with 9,556 women raped between July and September. President Cyril Ramaphosa deemed the recent stats as "shameful." He further said that violence against women is a "second pandemic." "We are in the grip of a relentless war being waged on the bodies of women and children that, despite our best efforts, shows no signs of abating. If a nation's character can be judged by how it treats women and children, then we are falling desperately short," he said. Also read | Death toll surges to 375 as typhoon Rai causes destruction in Philippines The statistics show that about a third of girls in South Africa will have to go through some form of sexual abuse during their lifetime. Also, one in five children will be sexually assaulted. The rate of child murders has also surged by nearly a third as compared to the previous reporting period. Precious Robinson, from Right to Care and chairperson of the South African Civil Society for Women’s, Adolescents’ and Children’s Health said that it is very unfortunate that such cases are never reported. “Some cultures have this tendency of saying if a thing happens within a family, let’s not take it out. It’s a secret, it’s a family issue. Families will often worry about what people will say if they hear about it,” she said. A 2010 study revealed that 25.3 per cent of women in Gauteng province had been “raped by a man, whether a husband or boyfriend, family member, stranger or acquaintance”. This has also contributed to the worsening mental health conditions as many survivors are shocked and traumatised. (With inputs from agencies)

'A second pandemic': South Africa plagued by surging rape and abuse cases

While the world was still struggling to fight the deadly Delta variant of Covid, a new variant, Omicron, emerged. It is now spreading rapidly all across the world, especially in the UK and the US.&nbsp;

The top health officials in the UK have been warned against the new variant by health experts. Sajid Javid, UK’s health secretary, has reportedly received a presentation from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) warning him about a possible incoming wave of Covid infections.

On Friday, the UK saw the highest number of Covid infections since January, a senior minister revealed. It reported 58,194 cases in total.&nbsp;

Describing the situation, Communities Secretary Michael Gove said that the country faces a "deeply concerning situation" as the Omicron variant spreads rapidly. "We know that we have the highest number of Covid infections across the UK recorded today since January 9."

He further added that 30 per cent of reported cases in London are now the Omicron variant.&nbsp;

The UK government has been warned by experts that even if the Omicron variant is less serious than the Delta variant, the number of hospitalisations could reach 5,000 patients per day.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-almost-certainly-not-more-severe-than-delta-top-epidemiologist-anthony-fauci-434951">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron variant 'almost certainly' not more severe than Delta: Top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci</a>

UKHSA experts have warned the government that the daily infections could rise to 248,000 cases per day by December 19.&nbsp;

Not just the UK, but the US is also struggling in its fights with Covid.&nbsp;

Most of the 43 Covid cases caused by the Omicron variant in the region have been detected in people who were fully vaccinated. Also, a third of them had received a booster dose.

As per reports by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 34 people had been fully vaccinated. Also, 14 of them had received a booster.

In the US, Omicron variant has been detected in 25 states so far. The CDC has said that most of the first reported Omicron cases appear to be mild. &nbsp;

Earlier, top US epidemiologist Anthony Fauci said that there were early indications that the Omicron variant was not more severe than strains encountered before. However, he cautioned that it would take weeks to fully understand the full severity of the Omicron variant.

While the newly emerged Omicron variant is taking over the US, the Delta variant still accounts for more than 99 per cent of all US cases.

(With inputs from agencies)

While the world was still struggling to fight the deadly Delta variant of Covid, a new variant, Omicron, emerged. It is now spreading rapidly all across the world, especially in the UK and the US.

While the world was still struggling to fight the deadly Delta variant of Covid, a new variant, Omicron, emerged. It is now spreading rapidly all across the world, especially in the UK and the US. The top health officials in the UK have been warned against the new variant by health experts. Sajid Javid, UK’s health secretary, has reportedly received a presentation from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) warning him about a possible incoming wave of Covid infections. On Friday, the UK saw the highest number of Covid infections since January, a senior minister revealed. It reported 58,194 cases in total. Describing the situation, Communities Secretary Michael Gove said that the country faces a "deeply concerning situation" as the Omicron variant spreads rapidly. "We know that we have the highest number of Covid infections across the UK recorded today since January 9." He further added that 30 per cent of reported cases in London are now the Omicron variant. The UK government has been warned by experts that even if the Omicron variant is less serious than the Delta variant, the number of hospitalisations could reach 5,000 patients per day. Also read | Omicron variant 'almost certainly' not more severe than Delta: Top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci UKHSA experts have warned the government that the daily infections could rise to 248,000 cases per day by December 19. Not just the UK, but the US is also struggling in its fights with Covid. Most of the 43 Covid cases caused by the Omicron variant in the region have been detected in people who were fully vaccinated. Also, a third of them had received a booster dose. As per reports by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 34 people had been fully vaccinated. Also, 14 of them had received a booster. In the US, Omicron variant has been detected in 25 states so far. The CDC has said that most of the first reported Omicron cases appear to be mild. Earlier, top US epidemiologist Anthony Fauci said that there were early indications that the Omicron variant was not more severe than strains encountered before. However, he cautioned that it would take weeks to fully understand the full severity of the Omicron variant. While the newly emerged Omicron variant is taking over the US, the Delta variant still accounts for more than 99 per cent of all US cases. (With inputs from agencies)

'Deeply concerning situation': Covid cases surge in the US and UK amid concerns of a new wave

For the first time in decades, consumer prices in the US surged by 6.8 per cent in November, reveals the latest data by the Consumer Price Index data This comes as the highest annual inflation rate since June 1982.&nbsp;

As per the latest data, the surge comes as a result of an increase in component indexes. Some of the large contributors are: gasoline, shelter, food, used cars and trucks.&nbsp;

Inflation has been a matter of concern since the pandemic has hit the globe.

The energy index saw a surge of 3.5 per cent in November as the gasoline index increased by 6.1 per cent. The food index saw an increase of 0.7 per cent as the index for food at home rose 0.8 per cent.

Acknowledging the current scenario, US President Joe Biden said, "Today's numbers reflect the pressures that economies around the world are facing as we emerge from a global pandemic, prices are rising."&nbsp;

Deeming inflation as "a real bump in the road," he said that "price and cost increase are slowing, although not as quickly as we'd like."&nbsp;

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The food index increased 0.7 per cent in November after rising 0.9 per cent in both September and October. The food at home index increased 0.8 per cent in November.&nbsp;The indexes for other food at home and fruits and vegetables both increased by 1 per cent in November.

The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 0.9 per cent. Within this group, the index for pork surged drastically by &nbsp;2.2 per cent. However, the index for eggs declined in November by 2.7 per cent.&nbsp;

In terms of energy, it rose by 3.5 per cent in November after there was a 4.8 per cent hike in October. The gasoline index rose 6.1 per cent in November. The electricity index increased 0.3 per cent. The index for natural gas also saw a minor surge of 0.6 per cent.

Mickey Levy, chief economist covering the Americas and Asia at Berenberg Capital Markets, highlighted the supply bottlenecks, the Federal Reserve's low-interest-rate policies and pandemic recovery legislation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-russia-tensions-biden-talks-to-germanys-scholz-as-kyiv-leader-looks-for-talks-with-moscow-435971">Also read |&nbsp;Ukraine-Russia tensions: Biden talks to Germany's Scholz as Kyiv leader looks for talks with Moscow</a>

"The Biden administration fears the negative political fallout of the impact of higher inflation on households and is trying to defer the blame on special factors," Levy said

Earlier, in October, Inflation across a variety of products in the US hit its highest point in more than 30 years. The consumer price index rose 6.2 per cent from a year ago. This is the most since December 1990.

(With inputs from agencies)

For the first time in decades, consumer prices in the US surged by 6.8 per cent in November, reveals the latest data by the Consumer Price Index data This comes as the highest annual inflation rate since June 1982.

For the first time in decades, consumer prices in the US surged by 6.8 per cent in November, reveals the latest data by the Consumer Price Index data This comes as the highest annual inflation rate since June 1982. As per the latest data, the surge comes as a result of an increase in component indexes. Some of the large contributors are: gasoline, shelter, food, used cars and trucks. Inflation has been a matter of concern since the pandemic has hit the globe. The energy index saw a surge of 3.5 per cent in November as the gasoline index increased by 6.1 per cent. The food index saw an increase of 0.7 per cent as the index for food at home rose 0.8 per cent. Acknowledging the current scenario, US President Joe Biden said, "Today's numbers reflect the pressures that economies around the world are facing as we emerge from a global pandemic, prices are rising." Deeming inflation as "a real bump in the road," he said that "price and cost increase are slowing, although not as quickly as we'd like." Also read | On Human Rights Day, US imposes sanctions on Myanmar, China, North Korea The food index increased 0.7 per cent in November after rising 0.9 per cent in both September and October. The food at home index increased 0.8 per cent in November. The indexes for other food at home and fruits and vegetables both increased by 1 per cent in November. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 0.9 per cent. Within this group, the index for pork surged drastically by 2.2 per cent. However, the index for eggs declined in November by 2.7 per cent. In terms of energy, it rose by 3.5 per cent in November after there was a 4.8 per cent hike in October. The gasoline index rose 6.1 per cent in November. The electricity index increased 0.3 per cent. The index for natural gas also saw a minor surge of 0.6 per cent. Mickey Levy, chief economist covering the Americas and Asia at Berenberg Capital Markets, highlighted the supply bottlenecks, the Federal Reserve's low-interest-rate policies and pandemic recovery legislation. Also read | Ukraine-Russia tensions: Biden talks to Germany's Scholz as Kyiv leader looks for talks with Moscow "The Biden administration fears the negative political fallout of the impact of higher inflation on households and is trying to defer the blame on special factors," Levy said Earlier, in October, Inflation across a variety of products in the US hit its highest point in more than 30 years. The consumer price index rose 6.2 per cent from a year ago. This is the most since December 1990. (With inputs from agencies)

For the first time in 39 years, Inflation surged by 6.8% in the US

US bank JP Morgan, in a new report, has revealed that the oil prices could surge by 66 per cent in 2022, which is US $125 per barrel. Crude oil could cost as much as US $150 per barrel by 2023.

As per Christyan Malek, JP Morgan's head of oil and gas research, the main issue&nbsp;is that the OPEC nations have plenty of oil, however, they don't have the logistics to deliver it quickly.&nbsp;

JP Morgan estimates that OPEC's real spare capacity stands at 2 million barrels per day next year. The American bank said that OPEC's spare capacity equates to 4 per cent of total capacity. This is a decrease from an average of 14 per cent between 1995 and 2020. When this amount gets even lower, oil prices will surge.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stocks-tumble-oil-prices-slump-amid-concerns-over-new-virus-variant-432211">Also read |&nbsp;Stocks tumble, oil prices slump amid concerns over new virus variant</a>

Oil prices have hit a low in the past few days due to the new Covid variant - Omicron. Investors have been fearing that if a lockdown is imposed, it would reduce travel and therefore lower demand for oil. However, JP Morgan believes that there will be no reduction in travels. "We believe the market may overestimate the impacts of the recent emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on oil prices during the US holiday period," it said.&nbsp;

On Friday, stock markets and oil prices hit a new low over fears of a new coronavirus variant. "It's Black Friday today for the retailers, but it's 'Red Friday' right now for the stock market," said Patrick O'Hare at Briefing.com.&nbsp;

Justin Tang at United First Partners said that, "The world has gone through this before" with the Delta variant. "Mutations are expected and not something unknown," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

US bank JP Morgan, in a new report, has revealed that the oil prices could surge by 66 per cent in 2022, which is US $125 per barrel. Crude oil could cost as much as US $150 per barrel by 2023.

US bank JP Morgan, in a new report, has revealed that the oil prices could surge by 66 per cent in 2022, which is US $125 per barrel. Crude oil could cost as much as US $150 per barrel by 2023. As per Christyan Malek, JP Morgan's head of oil and gas research, the main issue is that the OPEC nations have plenty of oil, however, they don't have the logistics to deliver it quickly. JP Morgan estimates that OPEC's real spare capacity stands at 2 million barrels per day next year. The American bank said that OPEC's spare capacity equates to 4 per cent of total capacity. This is a decrease from an average of 14 per cent between 1995 and 2020. When this amount gets even lower, oil prices will surge. Also read | Stocks tumble, oil prices slump amid concerns over new virus variant Oil prices have hit a low in the past few days due to the new Covid variant - Omicron. Investors have been fearing that if a lockdown is imposed, it would reduce travel and therefore lower demand for oil. However, JP Morgan believes that there will be no reduction in travels. "We believe the market may overestimate the impacts of the recent emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on oil prices during the US holiday period," it said. On Friday, stock markets and oil prices hit a new low over fears of a new coronavirus variant. "It's Black Friday today for the retailers, but it's 'Red Friday' right now for the stock market," said Patrick O'Hare at Briefing.com. Justin Tang at United First Partners said that, "The world has gone through this before" with the Delta variant. "Mutations are expected and not something unknown," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Oil price could rise to $125 per barrel in 2022, warns US bank JP Morgan

The world reacted with alarm Friday to the highly mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa, as the United States, the European Union and nations across the globe imposed new travel restrictions, financial markets swooned, and visions of finally emerging from the pandemic started to dim.

Just two days after the world learned of the variant, the World Health Organization officially labeled it a “variant of concern,” its most serious category — the first since the delta variant, which emerged a year ago. The designation means that the variant has mutations that might make it more contagious or more virulent, or make vaccines and other preventive measures less effective — although none of those effects has yet been established.

After an emergency meeting, the WHO warned in a statement that “preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant” in people who have already had COVID-19. In keeping with the practice of naming variants for letters of the Greek alphabet, it dubbed the new one omicron.

The WHO and scientists on multiple continents cautioned that very little is known about the omicron variant or about whether the dangers it poses will justify the fears it is stoking. South African scientists announced its existence Wednesday, and the number of cases definitively identified, all of them within the past three weeks, is still small, under 100.

But the swift global responses demonstrated that after nearly two years of facing accusations that they were too slow and timid in tackling the pandemic, many policymakers would rather risk overreacting to a new threat than underreacting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/using-desperate-migrants-as-pawns-lukashenko-faces-sanctions-threat-pitches-for-russian-missiles-429281">Also read |&nbsp;'Using desperate migrants as pawns': Lukashenko faces sanctions threat, pitches for Russian missiles</a>

“We are following the path of maximum caution,” said Roberto Speranza, the health minister of Italy, which suffered terribly when COVID first hit Europe early last year.

On Friday, Israel, Singapore, several European nations individually, and then the European Union as a whole, the United States and Canada followed the lead set by Britain Thursday night, temporarily barring foreign travelers who have recently been in South Africa or any of several neighboring countries. As with past travel bans, countries are allowing their own citizens and permanent residents to return home if they test negative for the virus, with some requiring additional testing and quarantine after arrival.

After a briefing by his top advisers on the pandemic, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden made the decision to bar travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi starting Monday.

“I’ve decided that we’re going to be cautious,” Biden told reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he spent Thanksgiving with his family. “We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a great concern and seems to spread rapidly.”

Officials warned that even with quickly enacted travel restrictions, omicron, like past variants, is certain to spread and reach the United States, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Friday night that no cases had been identified as yet.

“It’s going to buy us some time,” Fauci said in an interview. “It’s not going to be possible to keep this infection out of the country. The question is: Can you slow it down?”

“You don’t want to say don’t worry, and you don’t want to say you’ve got to worry yourself sick, because we’re gathering information rapidly,” Fauci said, adding, “Even though the numbers are still small, the doubling time is pretty rapid and the slope of the increase is really rather sharp.”

The administration is already in talks with vaccine makers about the possibility that they may have to reformulate the shots to respond to the variant, according to another administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. But first, scientists would need to determine that existing vaccines really are less effective against omicron, a process that is expected to take weeks, if not longer.

Stock indexes and oil prices tumbled around the world, as news of the variant and travel restrictions — coming in the economically vital holiday season — raised fears of yet more financial damage caused by the pandemic. On Friday, the S&amp;P 500 index logged its worst day since February, falling 2.3%, and European stock markets fell 3% to 5%. Benchmark oil futures fell 13% in the United States and 11% in Europe.

Scientists have identified about 50 mutations in the genome of the omicron variant that set it apart from other variants, far more than in any previous variant, including more than 30 on the spike protein that the virus uses to bind to host cells.

Changes in the spike protein are particularly worrisome because immune system antibodies that fight the virus — whether they are induced by infection or by vaccination — primarily recognise and target the spike.

But a leading Italian virus expert, Roberto Burioni, said people should not panic, writing on Twitter, “Substantively NOTHING is known about the new variant.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-fake-news-on-facebook-helped-fuel-a-border-crisis-in-europe-432158">Also read |&nbsp;How fake news on Facebook helped fuel a border crisis in Europe</a>

In addition to South Africa, the variant has been found in a handful of people in Botswana, Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong, but experience with previous variants suggests that when the first cases are identified, it is likely more have gone undetected.

“This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage,” the WHO said.

In South Africa, officials and business owners reacted bitterly to the international response. The nation put its sophisticated disease surveillance and research systems to good use, and quickly shared the results with the world, only to have its transparency repaid with damaging travel bans.

“Perhaps our scientists’ ability to trace some of these variants has been our biggest weakness,” said Lindiwe Sisulu, the tourism minister. “We’re finding ourselves punished for the work that we do.”

“We had been on the British red list, and we worked our way out of it, and with no notification we find ourselves back on the red list,” she told a national television station.

Health officials in Africa suggested that increased screening at points of entry, or even longer quarantine periods, would have been a better alternative.

“This will just discourage different countries for sharing information which might be very important for global public health,” said Thierno Balde, the WHO’s incident manager for COVID response in Africa.

The response to the omicron variant was especially quick and sharp in Europe, once again the epicentre of the global pandemic, where fights over vaccines and social restrictions have grown increasingly harsh.

Reported coronavirus cases have soared in Europe from about 700,000 a week in early September to 2.6 million a week. The surge began in the less-vaccinated countries of Eastern Europe, but then spread to highly vaccinated nations to the west that had thought they would not be vulnerable and were caught off guard.

The countries that currently have the world’s highest case rates for their populations are all European — several of them about six times as high as the US&nbsp;rate.

South Africa, whose last coronavirus wave peaked in July, has recently reported case rates far below the worldwide average. But last week the rate more than doubled from the week before.

The world reacted with alarm Friday to the highly mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa, as the United States, the European Union and nations across the globe imposed new travel restrictions, financial markets swooned, and visions of finally emerging from the pandemic started to dim.

The world reacted with alarm Friday to the highly mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa, as the United States, the European Union and nations across the globe imposed new travel restrictions, financial markets swooned, and visions of finally emerging from the pandemic started to dim. Just two days after the world learned of the variant, the World Health Organization officially labeled it a “variant of concern,” its most serious category — the first since the delta variant, which emerged a year ago. The designation means that the variant has mutations that might make it more contagious or more virulent, or make vaccines and other preventive measures less effective — although none of those effects has yet been established. After an emergency meeting, the WHO warned in a statement that “preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant” in people who have already had COVID-19. In keeping with the practice of naming variants for letters of the Greek alphabet, it dubbed the new one omicron. The WHO and scientists on multiple continents cautioned that very little is known about the omicron variant or about whether the dangers it poses will justify the fears it is stoking. South African scientists announced its existence Wednesday, and the number of cases definitively identified, all of them within the past three weeks, is still small, under 100. But the swift global responses demonstrated that after nearly two years of facing accusations that they were too slow and timid in tackling the pandemic, many policymakers would rather risk overreacting to a new threat than underreacting. Also read | 'Using desperate migrants as pawns': Lukashenko faces sanctions threat, pitches for Russian missiles “We are following the path of maximum caution,” said Roberto Speranza, the health minister of Italy, which suffered terribly when COVID first hit Europe early last year. On Friday, Israel, Singapore, several European nations individually, and then the European Union as a whole, the United States and Canada followed the lead set by Britain Thursday night, temporarily barring foreign travelers who have recently been in South Africa or any of several neighboring countries. As with past travel bans, countries are allowing their own citizens and permanent residents to return home if they test negative for the virus, with some requiring additional testing and quarantine after arrival. After a briefing by his top advisers on the pandemic, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden made the decision to bar travelers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi starting Monday. “I’ve decided that we’re going to be cautious,” Biden told reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he spent Thanksgiving with his family. “We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a great concern and seems to spread rapidly.” Officials warned that even with quickly enacted travel restrictions, omicron, like past variants, is certain to spread and reach the United States, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Friday night that no cases had been identified as yet. “It’s going to buy us some time,” Fauci said in an interview. “It’s not going to be possible to keep this infection out of the country. The question is: Can you slow it down?” “You don’t want to say don’t worry, and you don’t want to say you’ve got to worry yourself sick, because we’re gathering information rapidly,” Fauci said, adding, “Even though the numbers are still small, the doubling time is pretty rapid and the slope of the increase is really rather sharp.” The administration is already in talks with vaccine makers about the possibility that they may have to reformulate the shots to respond to the variant, according to another administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. But first, scientists would need to determine that existing vaccines really are less effective against omicron, a process that is expected to take weeks, if not longer. Stock indexes and oil prices tumbled around the world, as news of the variant and travel restrictions — coming in the economically vital holiday season — raised fears of yet more financial damage caused by the pandemic. On Friday, the S&P 500 index logged its worst day since February, falling 2.3%, and European stock markets fell 3% to 5%. Benchmark oil futures fell 13% in the United States and 11% in Europe. Scientists have identified about 50 mutations in the genome of the omicron variant that set it apart from other variants, far more than in any previous variant, including more than 30 on the spike protein that the virus uses to bind to host cells. Changes in the spike protein are particularly worrisome because immune system antibodies that fight the virus — whether they are induced by infection or by vaccination — primarily recognise and target the spike. But a leading Italian virus expert, Roberto Burioni, said people should not panic, writing on Twitter, “Substantively NOTHING is known about the new variant.” Also read | How fake news on Facebook helped fuel a border crisis in Europe In addition to South Africa, the variant has been found in a handful of people in Botswana, Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong, but experience with previous variants suggests that when the first cases are identified, it is likely more have gone undetected. “This variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage,” the WHO said. In South Africa, officials and business owners reacted bitterly to the international response. The nation put its sophisticated disease surveillance and research systems to good use, and quickly shared the results with the world, only to have its transparency repaid with damaging travel bans. “Perhaps our scientists’ ability to trace some of these variants has been our biggest weakness,” said Lindiwe Sisulu, the tourism minister. “We’re finding ourselves punished for the work that we do.” “We had been on the British red list, and we worked our way out of it, and with no notification we find ourselves back on the red list,” she told a national television station. Health officials in Africa suggested that increased screening at points of entry, or even longer quarantine periods, would have been a better alternative. “This will just discourage different countries for sharing information which might be very important for global public health,” said Thierno Balde, the WHO’s incident manager for COVID response in Africa. The response to the omicron variant was especially quick and sharp in Europe, once again the epicentre of the global pandemic, where fights over vaccines and social restrictions have grown increasingly harsh. Reported coronavirus cases have soared in Europe from about 700,000 a week in early September to 2.6 million a week. The surge began in the less-vaccinated countries of Eastern Europe, but then spread to highly vaccinated nations to the west that had thought they would not be vulnerable and were caught off guard. The countries that currently have the world’s highest case rates for their populations are all European — several of them about six times as high as the US rate. South Africa, whose last coronavirus wave peaked in July, has recently reported case rates far below the worldwide average. But last week the rate more than doubled from the week before.

New ‘variant of concern’ fuels global fear of another virus surge

Coronavirus cases are hitting&nbsp;a new record high in various European countries. Amid a surge in cases, the EU health agency on Wednesday appealed to member states to "urgently" introduce measures.&nbsp;

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday said that it has predicted a grim outcome if measures were not taken "urgently".

"The potential burden of disease in the EU/EEA from the Delta variant will be very high in December and January unless public health measures are applied now in combination with continued efforts to increase vaccine uptake in the total population," it said in a statement.

"We need to urgently focus on closing this immunity gap, offer booster doses to all adults, and reintroduce non-pharmaceutical measures," ECDC director Andrea Ammon said.

ECDC has recommended vaccine boosters for all adults prioritising those over 40. "Available evidence emerging from Israel and the UK shows a significant increase in protection against infection and severe disease following a booster dose in all age groups in the short term," the ECDC.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-warns-as-europe-could-hit-over-2-million-covid-19-deaths-by-march-2022-431737">Also read |&nbsp;WHO warns as Europe could hit over 2 million COVID-19 deaths by March 2022</a>

Many countries in Europe have already started rolling out the booster shots.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday tweeted that "boosters should be available for adults, with priority for people over 40 and vulnerable people."

Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Hungary have reported new highs in daily infections.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the WHO has warned that 700,000 more people could die from coronavirus in Europe by March 2022, taking the total to above 2.2 million.

The 53 countries of the WHO's European regions have already surpassed 1.5 million cumulative deaths from respiratory disease, WHO said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-crosses-100000-covid-deaths-as-weekly-incidence-rate-hits-another-high-431779">Also read |&nbsp;Germany crosses 100,000 Covid deaths as weekly incidence rate hits another high</a>

Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe said, "In order to live with this virus and continue our daily lives, we need to take a 'vaccine plus' approach. This means getting the standard doses of vaccine, taking a booster if offered, as well as incorporating preventive measures into our normal routines."

"Taken together, wearing a mask, washing hands, ventilating indoor spaces, keeping physical distance and sneezing into your elbow are simple, effective ways of gaining control over the virus and keeping societies going. All of us have the opportunity and responsibility to help avert unnecessary tragedy and loss of life, and limit further disruption to society and businesses over this winter season," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus cases are hitting a new record high in various European countries. Amid a surge in cases, the EU health agency on Wednesday appealed to member states to "urgently" introduce measures.

Coronavirus cases are hitting a new record high in various European countries. Amid a surge in cases, the EU health agency on Wednesday appealed to member states to "urgently" introduce measures. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Wednesday said that it has predicted a grim outcome if measures were not taken "urgently". "The potential burden of disease in the EU/EEA from the Delta variant will be very high in December and January unless public health measures are applied now in combination with continued efforts to increase vaccine uptake in the total population," it said in a statement. "We need to urgently focus on closing this immunity gap, offer booster doses to all adults, and reintroduce non-pharmaceutical measures," ECDC director Andrea Ammon said. ECDC has recommended vaccine boosters for all adults prioritising those over 40. "Available evidence emerging from Israel and the UK shows a significant increase in protection against infection and severe disease following a booster dose in all age groups in the short term," the ECDC. Also read | WHO warns as Europe could hit over 2 million COVID-19 deaths by March 2022 Many countries in Europe have already started rolling out the booster shots. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday tweeted that "boosters should be available for adults, with priority for people over 40 and vulnerable people." Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Hungary have reported new highs in daily infections. Meanwhile, the WHO has warned that 700,000 more people could die from coronavirus in Europe by March 2022, taking the total to above 2.2 million. The 53 countries of the WHO's European regions have already surpassed 1.5 million cumulative deaths from respiratory disease, WHO said. Also read | Germany crosses 100,000 Covid deaths as weekly incidence rate hits another high Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe said, "In order to live with this virus and continue our daily lives, we need to take a 'vaccine plus' approach. This means getting the standard doses of vaccine, taking a booster if offered, as well as incorporating preventive measures into our normal routines." "Taken together, wearing a mask, washing hands, ventilating indoor spaces, keeping physical distance and sneezing into your elbow are simple, effective ways of gaining control over the virus and keeping societies going. All of us have the opportunity and responsibility to help avert unnecessary tragedy and loss of life, and limit further disruption to society and businesses over this winter season," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

As Covid cases break records in Europe, ECDC urges to 'urgently' introduce measures

As Germany continues to battle with the fourth wave of deadly coronavirus, a top virologist has warned that a further 100,000 people can die. Christian Drosten described it as a real emergency situation and said "We have to act right now." Also, doctors have warned that this wave could be the worst yet.

Saxony has the highest seven-day infection rate in Germany with 459 cases per 100,000 people. The german state has now banned unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants, public events and leisure facilities.&nbsp;

This has raged the anti-vaxxers, many of which were seen protesting in Leipzig.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, incidence rate which measures the number of new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days soared to 201.1 a record since the pandemic erupted more than a year ago.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/grave-concern-covid-cases-soar-in-germany-426732">Also read |&nbsp;'Grave concern': Covid cases soar in Germany</a>

Vaccination rates have stagnated at under 70 per cent as officials plead in for the population to get the jab. "For the unvaccinated, the risk is high that they will become infected in the coming months," warned RKI chief Lothar Wieler.&nbsp;

The surge in German cases comes with the country following September's general election. The incoming coalition parties have so far ruled out mandatory jabs. The parties have further said that there will be no new lockdowns, at least not for the vaccinated.

Not just Germany, but cases are surging in various parts of Europe.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cases-grow-in-germany-as-a-national-state-of-emergency-is-set-to-expire-next-month-423669">Also read |&nbsp;Cases grow in Germany, as a national state of emergency is set to expire next month</a>

Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country is has been hit by the "fourth wave" of the virus as Europe continues to reel under the coronavirus pandemic.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged countrymen to get vaccinated amid rising hospitalisations in the country.&nbsp;Reports said COVID-19 cases have also surged in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.&nbsp;

As Germany continues to battle with the fourth wave of deadly coronavirus, a top virologist has warned that a further 100,000 people can die. Christian Drosten described it as a real emergency situation and said "We have to act right now.

As Germany continues to battle with the fourth wave of deadly coronavirus, a top virologist has warned that a further 100,000 people can die. Christian Drosten described it as a real emergency situation and said "We have to act right now." Also, doctors have warned that this wave could be the worst yet. Saxony has the highest seven-day infection rate in Germany with 459 cases per 100,000 people. The german state has now banned unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants, public events and leisure facilities. This has raged the anti-vaxxers, many of which were seen protesting in Leipzig. Earlier this week, incidence rate which measures the number of new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days soared to 201.1 a record since the pandemic erupted more than a year ago. Also read | 'Grave concern': Covid cases soar in Germany Vaccination rates have stagnated at under 70 per cent as officials plead in for the population to get the jab. "For the unvaccinated, the risk is high that they will become infected in the coming months," warned RKI chief Lothar Wieler. The surge in German cases comes with the country following September's general election. The incoming coalition parties have so far ruled out mandatory jabs. The parties have further said that there will be no new lockdowns, at least not for the vaccinated. Not just Germany, but cases are surging in various parts of Europe. Also read | Cases grow in Germany, as a national state of emergency is set to expire next month Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country is has been hit by the "fourth wave" of the virus as Europe continues to reel under the coronavirus pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron urged countrymen to get vaccinated amid rising hospitalisations in the country. Reports said COVID-19 cases have also surged in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

'Real emergency': Top German virologist warns of 100,000 Covid deaths as cases continue to surge

The World Health Organization expressed "grave concern" Thursday over the rising pace of coronavirus infections in Europe, as&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;registered its biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic.

"We are, once again, at the epicentre," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference.

He warned that according to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February.

Alarm bells were ringing especially in&nbsp;Germany, the European Union's most populous country, where the number of new cases over the past 24 hours soared to almost 34,000 on Thursday&nbsp;an all-time high, according to the Robert Koch Institute health agency.

Meanwhile Britain on Thursday became the first country in the world to approve the use of Merck's anti-Covid pill to treat patients suffering from mild to moderate coronavirus infections.

Health minister Sajid Javid called the molnupiravir antiviral "a game-changer for the most vulnerable and the immunosuppressed".

German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Wednesday that the country of 83 million people was facing a "massive" pandemic among the unvaccinated and that intensive care beds were starting to run out in some regions.

"Corona is once again raging with full force, the fourth wave is hitting us hard," the top-selling Bild daily wrote.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-once-again-at-epicentre-of-coronavirus-pandemic-who-426681">Also read |&nbsp;Europe once again at epicentre of coronavirus pandemic: WHO</a>

The WHO's Europe region which spans&nbsp;53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia&nbsp;has now recorded 78 million cases since Covid-19 first emerged in China in late 2019.

Five million deaths&nbsp;

The cumulative figure exceeds that of South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific, and Africa combined, the organisation said.

The "current pace of transmission" across the European region "is of grave concern", Kluge said.

The WHO blamed a combination of insufficient vaccination rates and a relaxation of preventative measures like mask-wearing and social distancing.

Hospital admission rates were higher in countries where fewer people are vaccinated, Kluge added.

The number of new daily cases has been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks in Europe and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven consecutive weeks, with about 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day, according to official national data compiled by AFP.&nbsp;

Over the past seven days, Russia -- a country with strong vaccine hesitancy&nbsp;has led the rise with 8,162 deaths, followed by Ukraine with 3,819 deaths and Romania with 3,100 deaths, according to the data.

Globally, the virus has killed more than five million people, while the overall caseload has topped 248 million.

The WHO estimates however that the pandemic's real toll could be two to three times higher than official records, due to the excess mortality that is directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19.

Although&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;was initially praised for its handling of the pandemic, the rapid uptick in cases and sluggish uptake in vaccinations among adults has led to mounting concern.

Despite vaccines being widely available, just 66.9 percent of the German population was fully inoculated as of Thursday, according to official figures.&nbsp;

The Covid surge comes as&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;is in political limbo following a September general election, with the winning Social Democrats hoping to have a new coalition government in place by early December.

Curbs on unvaccinated

Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel has called&nbsp;Germany's coronavirus trend "very worrying" and signalled that she is in favour of tougher curbs targeting the unvaccinated.

Health Minister Spahn too has called for stricter measures, including more thorough checks at establishments and events where people need to show proof of vaccination, recovery from Covid or a recent negative test before entering.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-36-year-old-man-charged-for-abduction-of-cleo-smith-426634">Also read |&nbsp;Australia: 36-year-old man charged for abduction of Cleo Smith</a>

He has also urged all vaccinated Germans to get booster shots after six months.

Under&nbsp;Germany's federal system, regional states have significant powers to decide their own Covid approach, at times leading to a confusing patchwork of regulations.

The health ministers of all 16 states were holding crisis talks on Thursday and Friday to discuss the next steps.

The states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Saxony and Bavaria have already agreed or introduced harsher restrictions, including rules excluding the unvaccinated from bars or nightclubs.

The World Health Organization expressed "grave concern" Thursday over the rising pace of coronavirus infections in Europe, as Germany registered its biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic.

The World Health Organization expressed "grave concern" Thursday over the rising pace of coronavirus infections in Europe, as Germany registered its biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic. "We are, once again, at the epicentre," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference. He warned that according to "one reliable projection" the current trajectory would mean "another half a million Covid-19 deaths" by February. Alarm bells were ringing especially in Germany, the European Union's most populous country, where the number of new cases over the past 24 hours soared to almost 34,000 on Thursday an all-time high, according to the Robert Koch Institute health agency. Meanwhile Britain on Thursday became the first country in the world to approve the use of Merck's anti-Covid pill to treat patients suffering from mild to moderate coronavirus infections. Health minister Sajid Javid called the molnupiravir antiviral "a game-changer for the most vulnerable and the immunosuppressed". German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Wednesday that the country of 83 million people was facing a "massive" pandemic among the unvaccinated and that intensive care beds were starting to run out in some regions. "Corona is once again raging with full force, the fourth wave is hitting us hard," the top-selling Bild daily wrote. Also read | Europe once again at epicentre of coronavirus pandemic: WHO The WHO's Europe region which spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia has now recorded 78 million cases since Covid-19 first emerged in China in late 2019. Five million deaths The cumulative figure exceeds that of South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific, and Africa combined, the organisation said. The "current pace of transmission" across the European region "is of grave concern", Kluge said. The WHO blamed a combination of insufficient vaccination rates and a relaxation of preventative measures like mask-wearing and social distancing. Hospital admission rates were higher in countries where fewer people are vaccinated, Kluge added. The number of new daily cases has been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks in Europe and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven consecutive weeks, with about 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day, according to official national data compiled by AFP. Over the past seven days, Russia -- a country with strong vaccine hesitancy has led the rise with 8,162 deaths, followed by Ukraine with 3,819 deaths and Romania with 3,100 deaths, according to the data. Globally, the virus has killed more than five million people, while the overall caseload has topped 248 million. The WHO estimates however that the pandemic's real toll could be two to three times higher than official records, due to the excess mortality that is directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19. Although Germany was initially praised for its handling of the pandemic, the rapid uptick in cases and sluggish uptake in vaccinations among adults has led to mounting concern. Despite vaccines being widely available, just 66.9 percent of the German population was fully inoculated as of Thursday, according to official figures. The Covid surge comes as Germany is in political limbo following a September general election, with the winning Social Democrats hoping to have a new coalition government in place by early December. Curbs on unvaccinated Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel has called Germany's coronavirus trend "very worrying" and signalled that she is in favour of tougher curbs targeting the unvaccinated. Health Minister Spahn too has called for stricter measures, including more thorough checks at establishments and events where people need to show proof of vaccination, recovery from Covid or a recent negative test before entering. Also read | Australia: 36-year-old man charged for abduction of Cleo Smith He has also urged all vaccinated Germans to get booster shots after six months. Under Germany's federal system, regional states have significant powers to decide their own Covid approach, at times leading to a confusing patchwork of regulations. The health ministers of all 16 states were holding crisis talks on Thursday and Friday to discuss the next steps. The states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Saxony and Bavaria have already agreed or introduced harsher restrictions, including rules excluding the unvaccinated from bars or nightclubs.

'Grave concern': Covid cases soar in Germany

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday.

The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) surcharge, used to fund the expansion of solar and wind plants, will fall by more than 40 percent to 3.723 cents ($0.043) per kilowatt hour from January 1, according to a statement by 50Herz Transmission, Amprion, TenneT TSO and TransnetBW.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/whats-behind-the-energy-crunch-in-britain-and-europe-420945">What’s behind the energy crunch in Britain and Europe</a>

It is the largest reduction yet since the green levy was introduced in 2000 to help Europe's top economy transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier described the reduction as "good news for German consumers" and repeated a call for the EEG surcharge to be phased out "as soon as possible to relieve the current situation."

The shortfall will be offset by higher government subsidies, partly thanks to a tax on carbon emissions introduced at the start of 2021.

Germans already have the highest electricity bills in the European Union and as winter approaches, pressure is growing for the government to help mitigate a looming energy price crisis.

Gas prices have surged in Europe in recent months as demand has soared with economies emerging from their Covid-induced restrictions. Stocks were also left low after a long, cold winter.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-eu-finland-lobbies-to-get-nuclear-energy-labelled-as-sustainable-source-420124">In EU, Finland lobbies to get nuclear energy labelled as sustainable source &nbsp;</a>

Wholesale natural gas prices, the lead indicator for overall energy prices in Europe, have more than tripled this year. Oil and coal prices have also jumped, fuelling fears over spiking inflation and rocketing energy bills.&nbsp;

EU leaders will discuss the energy issue at a summit next week.&nbsp;

The European Commission has proposed that member states temporarily reduce taxes and levies to help lower energy bills for households and businesses.

In France, the government has pledged to block any further price increases for gas and electricity until April.

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday.

The German government will drastically lower a levy on electricity consumption from 2022 to help ease the burden on consumers as Europe battles soaring energy prices, grid operators announced Friday. The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) surcharge, used to fund the expansion of solar and wind plants, will fall by more than 40 percent to 3.723 cents ($0.043) per kilowatt hour from January 1, according to a statement by 50Herz Transmission, Amprion, TenneT TSO and TransnetBW. Also Read | What’s behind the energy crunch in Britain and Europe It is the largest reduction yet since the green levy was introduced in 2000 to help Europe's top economy transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy sources. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier described the reduction as "good news for German consumers" and repeated a call for the EEG surcharge to be phased out "as soon as possible to relieve the current situation." The shortfall will be offset by higher government subsidies, partly thanks to a tax on carbon emissions introduced at the start of 2021. Germans already have the highest electricity bills in the European Union and as winter approaches, pressure is growing for the government to help mitigate a looming energy price crisis. Gas prices have surged in Europe in recent months as demand has soared with economies emerging from their Covid-induced restrictions. Stocks were also left low after a long, cold winter. Also Read | In EU, Finland lobbies to get nuclear energy labelled as sustainable source Wholesale natural gas prices, the lead indicator for overall energy prices in Europe, have more than tripled this year. Oil and coal prices have also jumped, fuelling fears over spiking inflation and rocketing energy bills. EU leaders will discuss the energy issue at a summit next week. The European Commission has proposed that member states temporarily reduce taxes and levies to help lower energy bills for households and businesses. In France, the government has pledged to block any further price increases for gas and electricity until April.

Germany cuts electricity levy as energy prices surge

Hospitals in Pakistan's Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces are refusing to take in more dengue virus patients as they are running out of beds, with cases surging across the country, Geo TV reported.

The beds reserved for coronavirus patients in Punjab's hospitals are being used to treat dengue virus patients, according to a report in The News International.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/talks-with-pakistan-on-counterterrorism-measures-to-continue-says-us-wendy-sherman-419349">Talks with Pakistan on counterterrorism measures to continue, says US' Wendy Sherman</a>

A massive anti-dengue virus campaign has been launched in Islamabad to deal with the alarmingly high rate of cases being reported in the city.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has declared a medical emergency at the public health facilities in Lahore due to the rising number of dengue cases.

The decision was made in a meeting chaired by the Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid, which looked into the challenge of preventing the rapid breeding of mosquitoes in the province and expressed concern over the possible deterioration of the dengue situation in the coming weeks.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-to-discuss-afghanistan-with-pakistans-national-security-council-419115">&nbsp;Imran Khan to discuss Afghanistan with Pakistan's National Security Council</a>

The provincial health department also instructed all doctors on leave to return to their respective medical facilities to deal with the growing number of dengue cases.

"Recent rain spells coupled with humidity and a lot of construction work in some of the top neighbourhoods of Lahore, have provided a breeding ground for dengue that has engulfed much of the city and its adjoining areas," Punjab Health Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said.

He maintained that the climatic conditions conducive to the spread of the disease were likely to continue until the end of the year.

Hospitals in Pakistan's Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces are refusing to take in more dengue virus patients as they are running out of beds, with cases surging across the country, Geo TV reported.

Hospitals in Pakistan's Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces are refusing to take in more dengue virus patients as they are running out of beds, with cases surging across the country, Geo TV reported. The beds reserved for coronavirus patients in Punjab's hospitals are being used to treat dengue virus patients, according to a report in The News International. Also Read | Talks with Pakistan on counterterrorism measures to continue, says US' Wendy Sherman A massive anti-dengue virus campaign has been launched in Islamabad to deal with the alarmingly high rate of cases being reported in the city. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has declared a medical emergency at the public health facilities in Lahore due to the rising number of dengue cases. The decision was made in a meeting chaired by the Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid, which looked into the challenge of preventing the rapid breeding of mosquitoes in the province and expressed concern over the possible deterioration of the dengue situation in the coming weeks. Also Read | Imran Khan to discuss Afghanistan with Pakistan's National Security Council The provincial health department also instructed all doctors on leave to return to their respective medical facilities to deal with the growing number of dengue cases. "Recent rain spells coupled with humidity and a lot of construction work in some of the top neighbourhoods of Lahore, have provided a breeding ground for dengue that has engulfed much of the city and its adjoining areas," Punjab Health Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch said. He maintained that the climatic conditions conducive to the spread of the disease were likely to continue until the end of the year.

Pakistan hospitals run out of beds on dengue surge

In wake of surge in migrants and asylum seekers on the southern border, the Biden administration is looking to reopen a migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay. &nbsp;

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bureau is preparing to invite tenders for private contractors to run the Migrant Operations Center on the US naval base.

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It is close to the prison compounds, which encompasses the remaining 39 detainees held in the “war on terror”. &nbsp;

With the aim to hold Cuban asylum seekers, the centre was first set up in 1991. It was closed by the Obama administration in 2017. At the time of the closure, it was used to house around 34,000 each of Haitians and Cubans.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shooting-at-us-army-base-was-an-exercise-no-casualties-official-415285" hreflang="en">'Shooting' at US army base was an 'exercise,' no casualties: Official</a>

The department also wants the contractor to provide unarmed custody and security officers. &nbsp;

The advertisement states, “At least 10% of the augmented personnel must be fluent in Spanish and Haitian Creole.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-huddles-with-democrats-as-divisions-threaten-his-agenda-415220" hreflang="en">Biden huddles with Democrats as divisions threaten his agenda</a>

On September 17, the advertisement was placed on the Sam.gov government contracting website. It has a deadline of October 1 for offers. &nbsp;

The advertisement reads, “The facility has a capacity of 120 people and will have an estimated daily population of 20 people, however, the service provider shall be responsible to maintain on site the necessary equipment to erect temporary housing facilities for populations that exceed 120 and up to 400 migrants in a surge event.” &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In wake of surge in migrants and asylum seekers on the southern border, the Biden administration is looking to reopen a migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay.

In wake of surge in migrants and asylum seekers on the southern border, the Biden administration is looking to reopen a migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bureau is preparing to invite tenders for private contractors to run the Migrant Operations Center on the US naval base. Watch: × It is close to the prison compounds, which encompasses the remaining 39 detainees held in the “war on terror”. With the aim to hold Cuban asylum seekers, the centre was first set up in 1991. It was closed by the Obama administration in 2017. At the time of the closure, it was used to house around 34,000 each of Haitians and Cubans. Also Read | 'Shooting' at US army base was an 'exercise,' no casualties: Official The department also wants the contractor to provide unarmed custody and security officers. The advertisement states, “At least 10% of the augmented personnel must be fluent in Spanish and Haitian Creole.” Also Read: Biden huddles with Democrats as divisions threaten his agenda On September 17, the advertisement was placed on the Sam.gov government contracting website. It has a deadline of October 1 for offers. The advertisement reads, “The facility has a capacity of 120 people and will have an estimated daily population of 20 people, however, the service provider shall be responsible to maintain on site the necessary equipment to erect temporary housing facilities for populations that exceed 120 and up to 400 migrants in a surge event.” (With inputs from agencies)

US looks to reopen migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay to tackle surge in asylum seekers

Cuban authorities on Friday launched a national campaign to vaccinate&nbsp;children&nbsp;aged two to 18 against&nbsp;Covid-19, a condition set by the Communist government in&nbsp;order&nbsp;to reopen&nbsp;schools&nbsp;for in-person instruction&nbsp;amid&nbsp;a spike in infections.

Children&nbsp;aged 12 and older will be the first to receive one of the two&nbsp;domestically produced vaccines, Abdala and Soberana, followed by younger kids.

Schools&nbsp;have mostly been closed in&nbsp;Cuba&nbsp;since March 2020 and students have been following lessons on television. With the&nbsp;school&nbsp;year starting Monday, they will continue learning remotely until all eligible&nbsp;children&nbsp;are vaccinated.&nbsp;

Laura Lantigua, 17, came to receive the first of three injections at Saul Delgado high&nbsp;school&nbsp;in the Cuban capital Havana.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blame-for-afghanistan-lies-on-president-biden-says-911-era-nypd-commissioner-410532">Also read | Exclusive: Blame for Afghanistan 'lies on President Biden', says 9/11-era NYPD commissioner&nbsp;</a>

"I always wanted to be vaccinated," Lantigua told AFP. She said that doctors measured her blood pressure and temperature before giving her the shot, then told her to wait for an hour to make sure she didn't have any side effects.&nbsp;

"I felt normal, fine," Lantigua said.

As the Delta variant spread across the island of 11.2 million the country's health care system has been pushed to the brink.

Of the 5,300 novel coronavirus deaths recorded since the outbreak started, nearly half were in August, as were almost a third of all reported cases.

The government said it plans to begin to gradually&nbsp;re-open&nbsp;schools&nbsp;in October after the vaccination campaign among&nbsp;children&nbsp;is completed.

Cuban authorities on Friday launched a national campaign to vaccinate children aged two to 18 against Covid-19, a condition set by the Communist government in order to reopen schools for in-person instruction amid a spike in infections.

Cuban authorities on Friday launched a national campaign to vaccinate children aged two to 18 against Covid-19, a condition set by the Communist government in order to reopen schools for in-person instruction amid a spike in infections. Children aged 12 and older will be the first to receive one of the two domestically produced vaccines, Abdala and Soberana, followed by younger kids. Schools have mostly been closed in Cuba since March 2020 and students have been following lessons on television. With the school year starting Monday, they will continue learning remotely until all eligible children are vaccinated. Laura Lantigua, 17, came to receive the first of three injections at Saul Delgado high school in the Cuban capital Havana. Also read | Exclusive: Blame for Afghanistan 'lies on President Biden', says 9/11-era NYPD commissioner "I always wanted to be vaccinated," Lantigua told AFP. She said that doctors measured her blood pressure and temperature before giving her the shot, then told her to wait for an hour to make sure she didn't have any side effects. "I felt normal, fine," Lantigua said. As the Delta variant spread across the island of 11.2 million the country's health care system has been pushed to the brink. Of the 5,300 novel coronavirus deaths recorded since the outbreak started, nearly half were in August, as were almost a third of all reported cases. The government said it plans to begin to gradually re-open schools in October after the vaccination campaign among children is completed.

Cuba starts vaccinating children in order to re-open schools amid Covid surge

Mexico City's government will speed up COVID-19 vaccinations to its more than 9 million inhabitants starting from next week as infections and hospitalizations see a rise, mostly among younger people, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday.

The number of people in Mexico City hospitalized with COVID-19 rose by 650 from last week to 1,871.&nbsp;

Infections are hitting 18- to 39-year-olds, many of them unvaccinated.

Sheinbaum gave the green light for all residents over 30 years of age to get vaccinated anywhere in the city as of Tuesday.

Approximately 63 per cent of Mexico City residents have received at least one vaccine dose and 38.5 per cent have had the two doses.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-to-vaccinate-migrants-in-baja-california-under-new-border-initiative-392499">Also read |&nbsp;Mexico to vaccinate migrants in Baja California under new border initiative</a>

Sheinbaum's government aims to have at least one dose given to 74 per cent of residents and to have 41 per cent fully vaccinated by July 26.

Meanwhile, authorities in the Mexican border state of Baja California say they will include migrants in the new COVID-19 vaccination plan for border cities, which is aimed at accelerating the reopening of the shared land border with the United States.

The state, which lies just across from California, began vaccinating adults over the age of 18 this week as part of a new mass vaccination push across northern Mexico, which relies on over a million Johnson &amp; Johnson doses donated by the United States.

Baja California Health Secretary Alonso Óscar Pérez said on Friday that the agency has a plan to vaccinate migrants as part of this new border vaccination initiative. He added that the agency has allocated specific days for migrants, without providing additional details.

Despite the new surge, Sheinbaum said Mexico City was not planning to re-impose confinement measures or suspend activities.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Mexico City's government will speed up COVID-19 vaccinations to its more than 9 million inhabitants starting from next week as infections and hospitalizations see a rise, mostly among younger people, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday.

Mexico City's government will speed up COVID-19 vaccinations to its more than 9 million inhabitants starting from next week as infections and hospitalizations see a rise, mostly among younger people, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday. The number of people in Mexico City hospitalized with COVID-19 rose by 650 from last week to 1,871. Infections are hitting 18- to 39-year-olds, many of them unvaccinated. Sheinbaum gave the green light for all residents over 30 years of age to get vaccinated anywhere in the city as of Tuesday. Approximately 63 per cent of Mexico City residents have received at least one vaccine dose and 38.5 per cent have had the two doses. Also read | Mexico to vaccinate migrants in Baja California under new border initiative Sheinbaum's government aims to have at least one dose given to 74 per cent of residents and to have 41 per cent fully vaccinated by July 26. Meanwhile, authorities in the Mexican border state of Baja California say they will include migrants in the new COVID-19 vaccination plan for border cities, which is aimed at accelerating the reopening of the shared land border with the United States. The state, which lies just across from California, began vaccinating adults over the age of 18 this week as part of a new mass vaccination push across northern Mexico, which relies on over a million Johnson & Johnson doses donated by the United States. Baja California Health Secretary Alonso Óscar Pérez said on Friday that the agency has a plan to vaccinate migrants as part of this new border vaccination initiative. He added that the agency has allocated specific days for migrants, without providing additional details. Despite the new surge, Sheinbaum said Mexico City was not planning to re-impose confinement measures or suspend activities. (With inputs from agencies)

Mexico City to accelerate vaccinations as COVID-19 infections surge

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge.&nbsp;

The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope.

On Thursday, Khulna city recorded 46 virus deaths, while in earlier waves the daily death toll never went into double figures. 
Most people say the real toll is much higher. Also, as per the reports, graveyards cannot cope with the number of dead in nearby cities such as Satkhira.

The main state-run Khulna general hospital is one of four in the city treating coronavirus patients and has 400 beds and is unable to cope up with the patient surge.&nbsp;

Niaz Muhammad, the chief government doctor for the Khulna region, said, "We have been dealing with enormous admission pressure in hospitals. He further denied an oxygen shortage.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-heads-into-strict-lockdown-amid-record-coronavirus-spike-395092">Also read |&nbsp;Bangladesh heads into strict lockdown amid record coronavirus spike</a>

Amid the lockdown, police, and troops have patrolled the streets across Bangladesh. Hundreds of people have been arrested each day for leaving their homes. In Khulna, restrictions on movement have been in place since last month, as the infection rate has soared.

However, the city's factories are still open and many people say they are forced to go out to work.

Bangladesh has recorded just over 935,000 cases and 14,900 deaths in the past 15 months. As per the citizens, the figures are drastically under-reported.

As a part of the lockdown, all offices and transportation are shut during this period while factories, including the country's prime garment export sector, will be allowed to remain open if they follow health protocols, the government said.

A police officer at one checkpoint said only essential goods carriers and ambulances were being permitted to move on the streets.

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge. The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope.

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge. The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope. On Thursday, Khulna city recorded 46 virus deaths, while in earlier waves the daily death toll never went into double figures. Most people say the real toll is much higher. Also, as per the reports, graveyards cannot cope with the number of dead in nearby cities such as Satkhira. The main state-run Khulna general hospital is one of four in the city treating coronavirus patients and has 400 beds and is unable to cope up with the patient surge. Niaz Muhammad, the chief government doctor for the Khulna region, said, "We have been dealing with enormous admission pressure in hospitals. He further denied an oxygen shortage. Also read | Bangladesh heads into strict lockdown amid record coronavirus spike Amid the lockdown, police, and troops have patrolled the streets across Bangladesh. Hundreds of people have been arrested each day for leaving their homes. In Khulna, restrictions on movement have been in place since last month, as the infection rate has soared. However, the city's factories are still open and many people say they are forced to go out to work. Bangladesh has recorded just over 935,000 cases and 14,900 deaths in the past 15 months. As per the citizens, the figures are drastically under-reported. As a part of the lockdown, all offices and transportation are shut during this period while factories, including the country's prime garment export sector, will be allowed to remain open if they follow health protocols, the government said. A police officer at one checkpoint said only essential goods carriers and ambulances were being permitted to move on the streets.

Bangladesh's virus hotspot gasps for air as cases surge

The key Indian equity indices rose on Monday morning with the BSE Sensex gaining over 500 points.&nbsp;

It soared nearly 524 points to touch an intra-day high of 49,256.52 points&nbsp;

Healthy buying was witnessed in banking and finance stocks.&nbsp;

Around 10.20 am, Sensex was trading at 49,232.14, higher by 499.59 points or 1.03 per cent from its previous close of 48,732.55.&nbsp;

It opened at 48,990.70 and has so far touched an intra-day low of 48,923.13 points.&nbsp;

The Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange was trading at 14,802.50, higher by 124.70 points or 0.85 per cent from its previous close.&nbsp;

The top gainers on the Sensex were IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv and State Bank of India, while Tata Steel, Larsen &amp; Toubro and Titan Company were the major losers.&nbsp;

The key Indian equity indices rose on Monday morning with the BSE Sensex gaining over 500 points. It soared nearly 524 points to touch an intra-day high of 49,256.

The key Indian equity indices rose on Monday morning with the BSE Sensex gaining over 500 points. It soared nearly 524 points to touch an intra-day high of 49,256.52 points Healthy buying was witnessed in banking and finance stocks. Around 10.20 am, Sensex was trading at 49,232.14, higher by 499.59 points or 1.03 per cent from its previous close of 48,732.55. It opened at 48,990.70 and has so far touched an intra-day low of 48,923.13 points. The Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange was trading at 14,802.50, higher by 124.70 points or 0.85 per cent from its previous close. The top gainers on the Sensex were IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv and State Bank of India, while Tata Steel, Larsen & Toubro and Titan Company were the major losers.

Sensex up 500 points; banking, finance stocks surge 

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate, 2019 is the last year for which it is available, and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. &nbsp;

But soaring numbers of students, who are failing classes or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements.&nbsp;

“When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years.&nbsp;

At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city.&nbsp;

“If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said.&nbsp;

Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement.&nbsp;

The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the US made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data.&nbsp;

To keep students on track, some local governments and school systems have waived certain testing requirements for graduation or changed grading policies so that missed assignments aren’t as damaging. But such leniency carries the risk of watering down academic standards, said Russell Rumberger, a professor emeritus of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has written about dropouts.&nbsp;

“If they let you pass with a D and you don’t have to do very much to do it, maybe technically you are getting a diploma, but you are not getting the same type of diploma you may have gotten prior to the pandemic, when the standards were higher,” he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.

US educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate, amid an anticipated surge in the country’s dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic. There isn’t data available yet on how the pandemic has affected the nation’s overall dropout rate, 2019 is the last year for which it is available, and many school officials say it’s too early to know how many students who stopped logging on for distance learning don’t plan to return. But soaring numbers of students, who are failing classes or are chronically absent have experts fearing the worst, and schools have been busy tracking down wayward seniors through social media, knocking on their doors, assigning staff to help them make up for lost time and, in some cases, even relaxing graduation requirements. “When students drop out, they typically look for an out, an opportunity to leave. And this has provided that, unfortunately,” Sandy Addis, chairman of the National Dropout Prevention Center, said recently, referring to the pandemic. His group believes the dropout rate has spiked this year and will remain high for years. At one high school in Kansas City, Kansas, staff members have made thousands of calls to the families of at-risk students, said Troy Pitsch, who supervises high school principals in the city. “If we lose a student, it is going to be after kicking and screaming and fighting tooth and nail for them,” Pitsch said. Many districts were forgiving last spring when schools shut down abruptly, freezing grades unless students wanted to improve them. That made this year the first for which schools would feel the full effects of the pandemic on student performance and engagement. The early signs aren’t encouraging. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned that the pandemic had put 24 million children worldwide at risk of dropping out of school. And the pandemic’s effects could erase gains the US made in reducing its dropout rate, which fell from 9.3% in 2007 to 5.1% in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Not finishing high school significantly hurts a person’s earning potential, with dropouts bringing home an average of $150 less per week than graduates, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. To keep students on track, some local governments and school systems have waived certain testing requirements for graduation or changed grading policies so that missed assignments aren’t as damaging. But such leniency carries the risk of watering down academic standards, said Russell Rumberger, a professor emeritus of education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who has written about dropouts. “If they let you pass with a D and you don’t have to do very much to do it, maybe technically you are getting a diploma, but you are not getting the same type of diploma you may have gotten prior to the pandemic, when the standards were higher,” he said. (With inputs from agencies)

US schools fight to keep students amid fear of dropout surge due to Covid

As a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic rips through the country, the government on Monday said it is time people start wearing masks inside their homes as well, and refrain from inviting guests.&nbsp;

Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said if there is a COVID-positive person inside the house, he or she must wear the mask so as to prevent other family members from getting infected.&nbsp;

"Rather, I'll say that the time has come that we start wearing masks even otherwise inside our homes. We used to talk about wearing it outside homes, but the way, the infection has spread, it will be better if we wear mask inside our homes if we are sitting with someone," he said. &nbsp;

"But, definitely, if there is a COVID-19 positive person, that person must wear the mask and others inside the house also must wear a mask and the positive person should be kept in a different room," Paul underlined.&nbsp;

He added that people should also avoid stepping out of their home unnecessarily and not invite guests at home. &nbsp;

He also suggested if the house lacks such facilities for isolation, then people may go to isolation centres, known as corona care centres.&nbsp;

Getting admitted to a hospital is not the only option, Paul said. "Hospital beds are used for the needy people."&nbsp;

Highlighting the importance of vaccination, Paul said, "We cannot let the pace of COVID-19 vaccination decline or slacken in the face of the emerging situation. In fact, it should be escalated and with that intent the government of India brought a revised (vaccination) policy. We believe and are confident that will bring in more acceleration," he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic rips through the country, the government on Monday said it is time people start wearing masks inside their homes as well, and refrain from inviting guests.

As a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic rips through the country, the government on Monday said it is time people start wearing masks inside their homes as well, and refrain from inviting guests. Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said if there is a COVID-positive person inside the house, he or she must wear the mask so as to prevent other family members from getting infected. "Rather, I'll say that the time has come that we start wearing masks even otherwise inside our homes. We used to talk about wearing it outside homes, but the way, the infection has spread, it will be better if we wear mask inside our homes if we are sitting with someone," he said. "But, definitely, if there is a COVID-19 positive person, that person must wear the mask and others inside the house also must wear a mask and the positive person should be kept in a different room," Paul underlined. He added that people should also avoid stepping out of their home unnecessarily and not invite guests at home. He also suggested if the house lacks such facilities for isolation, then people may go to isolation centres, known as corona care centres. Getting admitted to a hospital is not the only option, Paul said. "Hospital beds are used for the needy people." Highlighting the importance of vaccination, Paul said, "We cannot let the pace of COVID-19 vaccination decline or slacken in the face of the emerging situation. In fact, it should be escalated and with that intent the government of India brought a revised (vaccination) policy. We believe and are confident that will bring in more acceleration," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Mask up even inside homes: Govt tells citizens amid surge in COVID-19 cases

Oil prices fell $1 on Monday on fears that surging COVID-19 cases in India will dent fuel demand in the world's third-biggest oil importer, while an expected supply increase from OPEC+ also added to pressure.&nbsp;

Brent crude dropped $1.19, or 1.8%, to $64.92 a barrel by 1014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down $1.08, or 1.7%, at $61.06 a barrel.&nbsp;

Both benchmarks fell about 1% last week. &nbsp;

"The market is tending to focus more on the bad news from India and Japan at present, where the number of new coronavirus cases has risen sharply, prompting increased mobility restrictions to be imposed," said Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg. &nbsp;

India and Japan are the world’s third and fourth biggest crude oil importers.&nbsp;

India's new coronavirus infections hit a record peak for a fifth day on Monday as countries including Britain, Germany and the United States pledged to send urgent medical aid to help battle the crisis overwhelming Indian hospitals. &nbsp;

Consultancy FGE expects gasoline demand in India to drop by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April and by more than 170,000 bpd in May. India's total gasoline sales came to nearly 747,000 bpd in March.&nbsp;

Diesel demand, which at about 1.75 million bpd accounts for about 40% of refined fuel sales in India, may slump by 220,000 bpd in April and by another 400,000 bpd in May, FGE says.&nbsp;

In Japan, a third state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures began on Sunday, affecting nearly a quarter of the population as the country attempts to combat a surge in cases of COVID-19.&nbsp;

"It is not clear whether India’s surging cases will be enough to prompt the (OPEC+) group into action (to halt a gradual easing of output restrictions), but the latest increases in cases, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, are a cause for concern," said StoneX analyst Kevin Solomon. &nbsp;

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known as OPEC+, will discuss output policy at a meeting this week.&nbsp;

The group agreed at a meeting at the start of April to ease production curbs by 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, another 350,000 bpd in June and a further 400,000 bpd or so in July.&nbsp;

"The looming wave of fresh OPEC+ supply coupled with renewed demand concerns has dented hopes for a meaningful summer price pounce," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Oil prices fell $1 on Monday on fears that surging COVID-19 cases in India will dent fuel demand in the world's third-biggest oil importer, while an expected supply increase from OPEC+ also added to pressure.

Oil prices fell $1 on Monday on fears that surging COVID-19 cases in India will dent fuel demand in the world's third-biggest oil importer, while an expected supply increase from OPEC+ also added to pressure. Brent crude dropped $1.19, or 1.8%, to $64.92 a barrel by 1014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down $1.08, or 1.7%, at $61.06 a barrel. Both benchmarks fell about 1% last week. "The market is tending to focus more on the bad news from India and Japan at present, where the number of new coronavirus cases has risen sharply, prompting increased mobility restrictions to be imposed," said Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg. India and Japan are the world’s third and fourth biggest crude oil importers. India's new coronavirus infections hit a record peak for a fifth day on Monday as countries including Britain, Germany and the United States pledged to send urgent medical aid to help battle the crisis overwhelming Indian hospitals. Consultancy FGE expects gasoline demand in India to drop by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April and by more than 170,000 bpd in May. India's total gasoline sales came to nearly 747,000 bpd in March. Diesel demand, which at about 1.75 million bpd accounts for about 40% of refined fuel sales in India, may slump by 220,000 bpd in April and by another 400,000 bpd in May, FGE says. In Japan, a third state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and two other prefectures began on Sunday, affecting nearly a quarter of the population as the country attempts to combat a surge in cases of COVID-19. "It is not clear whether India’s surging cases will be enough to prompt the (OPEC+) group into action (to halt a gradual easing of output restrictions), but the latest increases in cases, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, are a cause for concern," said StoneX analyst Kevin Solomon. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known as OPEC+, will discuss output policy at a meeting this week. The group agreed at a meeting at the start of April to ease production curbs by 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, another 350,000 bpd in June and a further 400,000 bpd or so in July. "The looming wave of fresh OPEC+ supply coupled with renewed demand concerns has dented hopes for a meaningful summer price pounce," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM. (With inputs from agencies)

Oil falls as India's COVID-19 surge dents demand outlook 

United Nations deputy Syria envoy Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy on Sunday invited Damascus to new peace talks with the opposition at the end of August, drawing a positive response from the government. 
 
On Tuesday, the world body&#39;s special envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva he wanted &quot;to proceed with a third round of intra-Syrian talks towards the end of August&quot; after two previous rounds of talks this year ended in failure. 
 
De Mistura has struggled to keep the peace process alive amid a surge in fighting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces and rebel groups. 
 
&quot;I informed the minister and his deputy of the intention of the special envoy De Mistura to reconvene the inter-Syrian talks towards the end of August,&quot; Ramzy said after meeting foreign minister Walid Muallem and his deputy Faisal Muqdad. 
 
&quot;I explained to the minister how we intend to proceed, and we discussed how to render this process of political transition which has already been endorsed by the Security Council to be a credible one, and we exchanged views on that,&quot; Ramzy said. 
 
He said Muallem &quot;confirmed the intention of the Syrian government to participate in these talks once they are held&quot;. 
 
Muqdad said Syria&#39;s government was &quot;ready to resume the talks with no preconditions in an inter-Syrian context with no foreign interference&quot;, the official SANA news agency reported him as saying. 
 
De Mistura&#39;s announcement comes with the armed opposition facing difficulties, especially in the northern city of Aleppo where government forces are besieging rebel-held districts. 
 
A peace roadmap, endorsed in December by the UN, called for the creation of a transitional body, which should have occurred on August 1, a new constitution and elections by mid-2017. 
 
The UN-brokered talks have so far been deadlocked over Assad&#39;s fate. 
 
The government has ruled out negotiations on his possible departure, while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee has said it will not agree to any deal that leaves Assad in power. 
 
Since Syria was plunged into chaos in 2011, more than 280,000 people have been killed and upwards of half the population has been displaced. 
 
(AFP)

UN special envoy has struggled to keep the peace process alive amid a surge in fighting between Syrian forces and rebel groups

United Nations deputy Syria envoy Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy on Sunday invited Damascus to new peace talks with the opposition at the end of August, drawing a positive response from the government. On Tuesday, the world body's special envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva he wanted "to proceed with a third round of intra-Syrian talks towards the end of August" after two previous rounds of talks this year ended in failure. De Mistura has struggled to keep the peace process alive amid a surge in fighting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and rebel groups. "I informed the minister and his deputy of the intention of the special envoy De Mistura to reconvene the inter-Syrian talks towards the end of August," Ramzy said after meeting foreign minister Walid Muallem and his deputy Faisal Muqdad. "I explained to the minister how we intend to proceed, and we discussed how to render this process of political transition which has already been endorsed by the Security Council to be a credible one, and we exchanged views on that," Ramzy said. He said Muallem "confirmed the intention of the Syrian government to participate in these talks once they are held". Muqdad said Syria's government was "ready to resume the talks with no preconditions in an inter-Syrian context with no foreign interference", the official SANA news agency reported him as saying. De Mistura's announcement comes with the armed opposition facing difficulties, especially in the northern city of Aleppo where government forces are besieging rebel-held districts. A peace roadmap, endorsed in December by the UN, called for the creation of a transitional body, which should have occurred on August 1, a new constitution and elections by mid-2017. The UN-brokered talks have so far been deadlocked over Assad's fate. The government has ruled out negotiations on his possible departure, while the main opposition High Negotiations Committee has said it will not agree to any deal that leaves Assad in power. Since Syria was plunged into chaos in 2011, more than 280,000 people have been killed and upwards of half the population has been displaced. (AFP)

UN initiates third round of peace talks with Syria

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