GLOBAL COVID-19 TODAY
CORONAVIRUS CASES: 21,826,634
DEATHS: 773,074
RECOVERED: 14,564,184
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NHS needs tens of thousands of British Asians to join Covid-19 vaccine trials
The Guardian says the NHS is launching a fresh attempt to recruit tens of thousands of volunteers from British Asian communities to its coronavirus vaccine trials following a “disappointing” uptake in the first phase.
The government’s vaccines taskforce announced on Monday that more than 112,000 people had signed up for trials which could begin as soon as next month.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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A-Level grades ‘drop below three-year average,’ new analysis suggests
BBC News says A-level grades awarded this year have fallen below the average of the last three years in England, a new analysis suggests.
The Sixth Form Colleges Association said its research is evidence that students in larger institutions have been failed by this year’s system.
Almost 40% of A-level grades awarded on Thursday in England were lower than teachers’ predictions.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Spaniards hold anti-mask protest in Madrid as Covid-19 cases rise
France24 says hundreds of people rallied Sunday in Madrid to protest against the mandatory use of facemasks and other restrictions imposed by the Spanish government to contain the pandemic.
A crowd of clapping and cheating people gathered beneath an enormous yellow and red Spanish flag that stands in the Plaza Colon in the centre of the city in response to calls on social media.
Read the full story on France24
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Saudi health ministry says pandemic not over yet
Arab News says Saudi Arabia’s curve-flattening policy is working as planned as daily cases fall and recoveries increase – but it is not over yet.
“The flattening of the curve is being achieved due to the adherence, on a community level, to the precautionary measures and safety protocols that the relevant authorities in the Kingdom have issued,” said Ministry of Health spokesman Dr Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly in Sunday’s press conference.
Read the full story on Arab News
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Lebanon registers a new daily record of coronavirus infections
Aljazeera says Lebanon has registered a record daily number of coronavirus infections, with 439 people contracting the virus and six fatalities.
The new infections bring to 8,881 the total number of people reported infected in the country of just more than five million. Some 103 have died because of Covid-19.
The latest development comes as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Beirt explosion that killed more than 200 people and injured about 6,000.
Read the full story on Aljazeera
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India overtakes the UK to have the fourth-highest death toll in the world
Metro says India has overtaken the UK to have the fourth-highest coronavirus death toll in the world. The nation of 1.3 billion reported another 1,007 deaths on Friday, bringing the total to 49,036.
India’s confirmed cases surpassed 2.4 million after a single-day spike of 64,553 in 24 hours, making it the fastest-growing outbreak in the world, according to John Hopkins University tally.
Read the full story on the Metro
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Japan’s second-quarter GDP shrinks at record 27.8% amid pandemic
Japan Times says Japan’s economy in the April-June period shrank an annualised 27.8 per cent in real terms from the previous quarter, the sharpest contraction on record, as economic activity was restricted under a state of emergency during the coronavirus outbreak, government data showed Monday.
The preliminary gross domestic product data corresponds to a 7.8 per cent decrease on a seasonally-adjusted quarterly basis, marking negative growth for the third consecutive quarter, according to the Cabinet Office.
Read the full story on Japan Times
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New Zealand election delayed by a month over coronavirus
CNN says New Zealand’s election has been delayed by four weeks, to October 17, because of concern over the spread of coronavirus in the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced.
“Clearly as a government our current priority is getting the Covid outbreak under control and removing restrictions on New Zealanders as soon as possible,” Ardern said, speaking in a Facebook Live post.
Read the full story on CNN
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ARTS & ENT
Matrix 4 filming underway as Reeves praises ‘effective protocols’ on set
Sky News says filming on the set of the next Matrix film is back underway in Germany, becoming the latest film to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic.
Keanu Reeves, who plays main character Neo in the dystopian films, has praised the way in which the production team has worked to get filming off the ground again in Berlin, despite the Covid-19 outbreak.
Read the full story on Sky News
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SPORT
Man Utd punished for missed chances as Sevilla reach Europa League final
BBC Sport says Sevilla wrecked Manchester United’s hopes of ending the season with silverware as they edged a hard-fought Europa League semi-final in Cologne.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side lost their third semi-final this season despite taking the lead when Bruno Fernandes scored their 22nd penalty of the season after Marcus Rashford was fouled by Diego Carlos.
Read the full story on BBC Sport
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