GLOBAL COVID-19 TODAY
CORONAVIRUS CASES: 13,952,406
DEATHS: 592,757
RECOVERED: 8,284,285
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£3bn to help NHS prepare for possible second-wave
BBC News says the NHS in England will get an extra £3bn of funding to prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus, Boris Johnson is set to announce.
The funding will also help ease winter pressures on the health services, Downing Street said.
It follows warnings a second wave this winter could see around 120,000 Covid-19 deaths in UK hospitals.
The PM is also expected to use a press conference on Friday to commit to a new target for testing capacity.
Read the full story on BBC News
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Coronavirus vaccine: Oxford team aim to start lab-controlled human trials
The Guardian says the team behind the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine hope to begin tests on volunteers who will be intentionally exposed to the virus in a “challenge trial” a move seen as controversial since there is no proven cure for the illness.
Although challenge trials, in which healthy volunteers are given a pathogen, are routine in vaccine development, taking the approach for Covid-19, where there is no failsafe treatment if a volunteer becomes severely ill, has been questioned.
Read the full story on The Guardian
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EU leaders to battle over recovery plan at the first face-to-face summit since the pandemic
France24 says the leaders of the European Union hold their face-to-face summit in five months on Friday, but the reunion seems unlikely to bridge their divide over a post-virus economic rescue plan.
The 27 leaders will return to Brussels to test whether in-person negotiations can answer a 250-Billion-Euro question.
The EU has been plunged into a historic economic crunch by the coronavirus crisis, and EU officials have drawn up plans for a huge stimulus package to lead their countries out of lockdown.
Read the full story on France24
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Japan’s Go To Travel campaign to exclude Tokyo as coronavirus cases spike
Japan Times says with coronavirus cases rising in Tokyo and Osaka, the government will exclude travel to and from Tokyo in its Go To Travel Campaign slated to kick off next Wednesday, said the tourism minister.
“We will be excluding from the campaign those who are making Tokyo their tourist destination and those who reside in Tokyo travelling outside the prefecture,” he said.
Read the full story on Japan Times
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India coronavirus cases pass one million
Arab News says coronavirus cases in India passed one million on Friday, official data showed as authorities struggle to check the spread of the deadly pandemic across the world’s second-most populous nation.
With over 600 Indians dying daily, lockdowns are being re-imposed across the country of 1.3 billion following an easing of restrictions in recent weeks on hopes the outbreak was under control.
Health ministry data released Friday put the total cases recorded at 1,003,382, a jump of almost 35,000, with 25,602 deaths after an increase of 687 — both new daily records.
Read the full story on Arab News
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The US reported 77,000 new cases today – the highest daily jump so far
CNN says the US reported 77,255 new cases on Thursday — the highest single-day jump since the pandemic began, and triple what the daily figures had been just weeks ago.
There were also 943 new deaths reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
These new figures raise the country’s total to at least 3,576,157 cases and 138,358 deaths.
Read the full story on CNN
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ARTS & ENT
Kanye West takes first official steps towards running for US president
Sky News says Kanye West has taken his first official steps towards running for US president against Donald Trump and Joe Biden in November.
A representative for the rapper, who recently revealed he has never voted before, filed the necessary paperwork and paid the $35,000 (£27,623) fee to appear on Oklahoma’s presidential ballot.
Read the full story on Sky News
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SPORT
Archer breach could have ended up costing ECB ‘tens of millions of pounds’ – Giles
BBC Sport says Jofra Archer’s breach of the bio-secure protocols could have been a “disaster” for England’s summer, says director of cricket Ashley Giles.
The pace bowler, 25, was dropped for the second Test against West Indies for visiting his home after the first Test.
All of England’s home matches this year are being played behind closed doors and in a bio-secure environment.
Read the full story on BBC Sport
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