GLOBAL COVID-19 TODAY
CORONAVIRUS CASES: 17,195,721
DEATHS: 670,322
RECOVERED: 10,706,687
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Lloyds bank loses £676m as it warns the cost of Covid-19
The Guardian says Lloyds Banking Group plunged to a second-quarter loss after putting aside £2.4bn for bad debts, forcing the bank to acknowledge that supporting customers through the Covid-19 crisis would come at a cost.
Britain’s biggest high street lender reported a loss of £676m for the three months to June, down from a £1.3bn profit during the same period last year. Analysts had been expecting a £31m loss.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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Virus isolation period to increase from 7 to 10 days
BBC News says the length of time people with coronavirus symptoms will have to self-isolate for is expected to be increased from seven to 10 days in England.
It comes as ministers try to avoid a second outbreak of the virus in the UK.
Currently, people showing the main symptoms – a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell – have to self-isolate for a week.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce later that the isolation period is being extended.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Brazil Covid-19 death toll surpasses 90,000 as government ends travel ban
France24 says Brazil recorded a record daily numbers of infections and deaths from the new coronavirus Wednesday, sending its overall death toll surging past 90,000 people.
Despite the record figures, the government issued a decree reopening the country to foreign visitors arriving by plane, ending a four-month travel ban in hopes of reviving a lockdown-devastated tourism industry.
Read the full story on France24
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Indonesia’s Hajj and Umrah operators count the cost of the pandemic
Arab News says as Indonesia faces the health implications of a surge in coronavirus cases, the country’s Hajj and Umrah tour operators have been particularly badly affected by the economic fallout from the global pandemic.
After authorities in Saudi Arabia announced that only a few thousand pilgrims who reside in the Kingdom will be allowed to perform Hajj this year, it is feared that up to 60 per cent of Indonesia’s tour operators might be forced to close for good.
Read the full story on Arab News
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US records a coronavirus death every minute as toll tops 150,000
Aljazeera says more than 150,000 people have died from the new coronavirus in the United States, far exceeding the toll in any other pandemic-hit nation, as the states of California, Florida and Texas all set one-day records for COVID-19 deaths.
The US recorded 1,461 deaths on Wednesday, the highest one-day increase since 1,484 on May 27, according to Reuters news agency. This means, one person in the country died about every minute from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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North Korea has tested over 1,000 people for Covid-19 and found no confirmed cases, WHO says
CNN says North Korea has tested 1,211 people for coronavirus as of July 16, with all results returned negative, the WHO’s representative to North Korea Dr Edwin Salvador told CNN.
All educational institutions in the country — including pre-schools — are now on extended summer break for the next two months, Salvador said.
Currently, 696 North Koreans are under quarantine. They are all labourers and loaders working at the Nampo port on the country’s western coast and the Sinuiju-Dandong border between North Korea and China, Salvador said.
Read the full story on CNN
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ARTS & ENT
‘I’m not racist’ – Wiley hits back over antisemitic remarks
Sky News says Wiley has refused to distance himself from most of the antisemitic comments he posted on social media – but has apologised for “generalising” after a fallout with his manager, who is Jewish.
Speaking exclusively to Sky News, the grime artist also said he will hand back his MBE following calls for him to be stripped of the honour.
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SPORT
Players treated like lab rats – O’Sullivan
BBC News says snooker players are being treated like “lab rats” by allowing spectators into the Crucible Theatre for the World Championship, says Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The tournament, which begins on Friday, will be the first indoor sporting event with crowds, allowing around 300 supporters to attend each session.
Qualifier Anthony Hamilton, who suffers from severe asthma, says it is “ridiculous” and “too early” for fans.
Five-time world champion O’Sullivan said players “all run a bit of a risk”.
Read the full story on BBC Sport
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