Iceland football federation resigns en masse over sex assault scandal

The entire board of Iceland's football federation (KSI) has resigned after a woman accused it of covering up claims of alleged sexual assault by a national squad player.

KSI chairman, Gudni Bergsson, already stepped down late Sunday and the association issued a statement acknowledging that its board had not handled the situation correctly.

Now, following an emergency five-hour session on Monday, the board's other 16 members resigned as well, KSI said in a statement later that day.

On Friday, Thorhildur Gyda Arnarsdottir, now 25, had told public broadcaster RUV that a member of the national team had grabbed her crotch and grabbed her by the neck, before assaulting her with another individual, in a Reykjavik nightclub in September 2017.

Arnarsdottir and another woman had filed police reports against a player for sexual assault that night.

Arnarsdottir also said she knew of at least six other players who had been accused of sexual assaults by other women. 

Several media have identified the player in question as Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

Late Monday, Sigthorsson's club in Sweden, IFK Gothenburg, confirmed in a statement that "one of our players" was implicated, without naming Sigthorsson explicitly. 

At the time, "the player was reported to the police. The police investigation did not lead to any prosecution, but the parties agreed on a settlement," the statement said. 

"IFK Gothenburg takes this very seriously even if the case in the legal sense is closed," said club director, Hakan Mild. 

"We have an ongoing dialogue with the player about this to find out which way we can take forward. We want to clearly mark that we distance ourselves from his actions and all similar behaviours," Mild said. 

Bergsson was found to have lied when he told national television that the association had "not received a complaint or any kind of suggestion that someone in particular has been guilty of sexual offences." 

In a statement late Sunday addressed to the victims, the board said: "We... believe you and sincerely apologise. We know that we as guarantors have let you down and we intend to do better."

"We take the matter very seriously. Work is already underway with external professionals to review all responses to sexual offences and violence within the association and how support was and will be provided to victims," the statement read.

It said it would "fix the things that have gone wrong and look at the culture that exists within the football movement from the bottom up."

Agence France-Presse

Asian shares rise on dovish Fed chair, oil up as hurricane batters Louisiana

HONG KONG - Asian shares started the week with gains and the dollar was not far off two-week lows after US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell struck a more dovish tone than some investors expected in long-awaited speech on Friday.

Oil prices rose, meanwhile, after energy firms suspended production as Hurricane Ida slammed into the U.S.' southern coast.

Japan's Nikkei rose 0.9 percent soon after the bell, and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.32 percent in early trading before Chinese markets had opened.

Australia climbed 0.39 percent and Korea's Kopsi gained 0.54 percent.

U.S. stock futures, the S&P 500 e-minis, were barely moved, up 0.04 percent.

Investors had been waiting to see whether Powell, who was speaking at a symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, would give a clear indication of his views on timing of the central bank's tapering of asset purchases or hiking interest rates to start removing monetary stimulus.

However, in his prepared remarks, he offered no indication on cutting asset purchases beyond saying it could be "this year", causing the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to close last week at new record highs.

The next big event on traders' calendars is U.S. nonfarm payroll figures for August due to be published Friday, as Powell has suggested an improvement in the labor market is one major remaining prerequisite for action.

"A strong payrolls print could instigate a debate for a September tapering start," Rodrigo Catril, senior FX strategist at NAB, said in a note.

The absence of a timetable for tapering caused U.S. benchmark Treasuries and the dollar to slip, and both trends continued on Monday morning in Asia.

The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes was 1.3054 percent compared with its U.S. close of 1.312 percent, and the dollar index which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies was around a two week low.

Investors in China, in contrast, are watching data this week to see whether they will indicate policymakers are more likely step up easing measures.

Purchasing manager surveys for manufacturing and services are both due this week, with traders waiting to see whether a trend towards slowing growth will continue, a shift that has not been helped by recent localized movement restrictions to cope with an increase in cases of the Delta variant of the new coronavirus.

"We expect both the manufacturing and services PMIs to moderate in August, given the widespread Delta variant and strict lockdown," said Barclays analysts in a note.

"With slowing growth momentum and dovish signals from the (People's Bank of China) meeting this week, we expect more easing, but still at a measured pace"

Oil was also in focus after energy firms suspended 1.74 million barrels per day of oil production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm.

U.S. crude rose 0.86 percent to $69.34 a barrel. Brent crude rose 1.25 percent to $73.38 per barrel.

Gold was slightly higher, with the spot price gold was traded at $1,817.7863 per ounce, up 0.07 percent.

(Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

-reuters

Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana; New Orleans hunkers down

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., blowing off roofs and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast toward New Orleans and one of the nation’s most important industrial corridors.

The Category 4 storm hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. Ida’s 150-mph (230 kph) winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S.

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge under threat.

“This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what we’re seeing,” Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

People in Louisiana woke up to a monster storm after Ida’s top winds grew by 45 mph (72 kph) in five hours as the hurricane moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Wind tore at awnings and water spilled out of Lake Ponchartrain in New Orleans on Sunday, and boats broke loose from their moorings. Engineers detected a “negative flow” on the Mississippi River as a result of storm surge, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Ricky Boyette said.

Edwards said he watched a live video feed from around Port Fourchon as Ida came ashore.

“The storm surge is just tremendous. We can see the roofs have been blown off of the port buildings in many places,” Edwards told the AP.

Officials said Ida’s swift intensification from a few thunderstorms to a massive hurricane in just three days left no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans’ 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents remaining in the city on Sunday to “hunker down.”

Marco Apostolico said he felt confident riding out the storm at his home in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, one of the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods when levees failed and released a torrent of floodwater during Katrina.

His home was among those rebuilt with the help of actor Brad Pitt to withstand hurricane-force winds. But the memory of Katrina still hung over the latest storm.

“It’s obviously a lot of heavy feelings,” he said. “And yeah, potentially scary and dangerous.”

The region getting Ida’s worst includes petrochemical sites and major ports, which could sustain significant damage. It is also an area that is already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Forecasters warned winds stronger than 115 mph (185 kph) threatened Houma, a city of 33,000 that supports oil platforms in the Gulf.

The hurricane was also threatening neighboring Mississippi, where Katrina demolished oceanfront homes. With Ida approaching, Claudette Jones evacuated her home east of Gulfport, Mississippi, as waves started pounding the shore.

“I’m praying I can go back to a normal home like I left,” she said. “That’s what I’m praying for. But I’m not sure at this point.”

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Ida’s hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the storm’s eye, or about half the size of Katrina, and a New Orleans’ infrastructure official emphasized that the city is in a “very different place than it was 16 years ago.”

The levee system has been massively overhauled since Katrina, Ramsey Green, deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, said before the worst of the storm hit. While water may not penetrate levees, Green said if forecasts of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain prove true, the city’s underfunded and neglected network of pumps, underground pipes and surface canals likely won’t be able to keep up.

About 530,000 customers were already without power late Sunday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was in contact with more than 1,500 oil refineries, chemical plants and other sensitive facilities and will respond to any reported pollution leaks or petroleum spills, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. He said the agency would deploy three mobile air-monitoring laboratories after the storm passes to sample, analyze and report any threats to public health.

Louisiana’s 17 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. refining capacity and its two liquefied natural gas export terminals ship about 55% of the nation’s total exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Louisiana is also home to two nuclear power plants, one near New Orleans and another about 27 miles (about 43 kilometers) northwest of Baton Rouge.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Ida’s arrival. He said Sunday the country was praying for the best for Louisiana and would put its “full might behind the rescue and recovery” effort once the storm passes.

Edwards warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.

“Many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today,” the governor told a news conference.___

Reeves reported from Gulfport, Mississippi. Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana, Stacey Plaisance and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston; Michael Biesecker in Washington; Pamela Sampson in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

-Associated Press

Asian shares on edge as day of Fed chair speech arrives

HONG KONG - Asian shares were mixed on Friday morning as slight gains in China were balanced by declines elsewhere and investors globally turned cautious ahead of a long-awaited speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Remarks from the Federal Reserve's more hawkish policy makers and a deadly attack in Afghanistan also subdued sentiment and helped the dollar gain against a basket of its peers.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 0.1% while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.46%.

Australian shares fell 0.18%, and Hong Kong and Korea were flat.

However, in a reversal of recent weeks where Chinese stocks weighed on the region, Chinese blue chips gained 0.57% after China's central bank made its biggest weekly cash injection into the banking system since February.

"There are three things that are conspiring at the moment to sap sentiment," said Kyle Rodda, an analyst at IG markets. 

He was referencing a weak lead from Wall Street after the attack in Afghanistan, the fact Asian markets had been lagging this week because investors were nervous about the potential for future regulatory crackdowns in China, and caution ahead of the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium.

Powell is set to speak at 1400 GMT in the Kansas City Fed's central banking conference, an event normally held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which has been often used by Fed policymakers in the past to provide guidance on their future policy.

Traders will analyze Powell's words for any hints about when the Fed will begin tapering its asset purchasing program.

Analysts at RBC said in a note that while much of the summer had been spent waiting for the event, there was "skepticism that the Fed will provide more specific information around a timetable... amidst a rise in Delta variant COVID cases."

Islamic State struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport in a suicide bomb attack on Thursday, killing scores of civilians and at least 13 U.S. troops.

This, along with public remarks by the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish wing urging the central bank to begin paring bond purchases contributed to Wall Street closing slightly lower, ending a streak of all-time closing highs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.54%, the S&P 500 lost 0.58%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.64%.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan said he believed the progress of economic recovery warrants tapering of the Fed's asset purchases to commence in October or shortly thereafter, following earlier comments from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who said the central bank was "coalescing" around a plan to begin tapering.

Early in Asian hours, U.S. stock futures, the S&P 500 e-minis, were flat.

The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes was 1.3441% down from a two-week high of 1.375% set the day before, as traders were cautious ahead of Powell's speech.

The dollar when measured against a basket of currencies has gained a little from Thursday's lows. The euro traded at $1.1747, having eased from the previous day's high of $1.1779 as a survey showed weaker consumer sentiment in Germany.

U.S. crude ticked up 0.34% to $67.65 a barrel. Brent crude rose 0.25% to $71.27 per barrel, resuming this week's rally after taking a rest on Thursday, as energy companies began shutting production in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of a potential hurricane forecast to hit on the weekend

-reuters 

YouTube says it removed 1 million ‘dangerous’ videos on COVID-19

YouTube said Wednesday it has removed more than 1 million videos with "dangerous coronavirus misinformation" since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement by the Google-owned video platform comes as social media platforms are under fire from political leaders for failing to stem the spread of false and harmful misinformation and disinformation about the virus and other topics.

YouTube said in a blog post it relies on "expert consensus from health organizations," including the US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, but noted that, in some cases, "misinformation is less clear-cut" as new facts emerge. 

"Our policies center on the removal of any videos that can directly lead to egregious real world harm," chief product officer Neal Mohan wrote. 

"Since February of 2020, we've removed over one million videos related to dangerous coronavirus information, like false cures or claims of a hoax," he said.

"In the midst of a global pandemic, everyone should be armed with absolutely the best information available to keep themselves and their families safe."

YouTube said it was working to accelerate the process for removing videos with misinformation while simultaneously delivering those from authoritative sources.

Mohan said the platform currently removes close to 10 million videos per quarter and that the majority of them have been watched less than 10 times.

"Speedy removals will always be important but we know they're not nearly enough... The most important thing we can do is increase the good and decrease the bad," he said. 

"When people now search for news or information, they get results optimized for quality, not for how sensational the content might be."

YouTube also said it removed "thousands" of videos for violating election misinformation policies since the US vote in November, with three-fourths removed before hitting 100 views. 

Agence France-Presse

Israel's COVID-19 vaccine boosters show signs of taming Delta

JERUSALEM - Less than a month into a COVID-19 vaccine booster drive, Israel is seeing signs of an impact on the country's high infection and severe illness rates fueled by the fast-spreading Delta variant, officials and scientists say.

Delta hit Israel in June, just as the country began to reap the benefits of one of the world's fastest vaccine roll-outs.

With an open economy and most curbs scrapped, Israel went from single-digit daily infections and zero deaths to around 7,500 daily cases last week, 600 people hospitalized in serious condition and more than 150 people dying in that week alone.

On July 30, it began administering a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine to people over 60, the first country to do so. On Thursday it expanded eligibility to 40-year-olds and up whose second dose was given at least 5 months prior, saying the age may drop further.

In the past 10 days, the pandemic is abating among the first age group, more than a million of whom have received a third vaccine dose, according to Israeli health ministry data and scientists interviewed by Reuters.

The rate of disease spread among vaccinated people age 60 and over - known as the reproduction rate - began falling steadily around Aug. 13 and has dipped below 1, indicating that each infected person is transmitting the virus to fewer than one other person. A reproduction rate of less than 1 means an outbreak is subsiding.

Scientists said booster shots are having an impact on infections, but other factors are likely contributing to the decline as well.

"The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading," said Eran Segal, data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government.

"This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity," Segal said.

BOOSTER VS LOCKDOWN

After reaching one of the highest per-capita infection rates in the world this month, the question now is whether Israel can battle its way out of a fourth outbreak without imposing another lockdown that would damage its economy.

Evidence has emerged showing that while the vaccine is still highly effective in preventing serious illness, its protection diminishes with time. But there is no consensus among scientists and agencies that a third dose is necessary, and the World Health Organization has said more of the world should be vaccinated with a first dose before people receive a third dose.

The United States has announced plans to offer booster doses to all Americans, 8 months after their second vaccine dose, citing data showing diminishing protection. Canada, France and Germany have also planned booster campaigns.

About a million of Israel's 9.3 million population have so far chosen not to vaccinate at all and children under 12 are still not eligible for the shots. On Thursday, health officials said they have identified waning immunity among people under 40, although relatively few have fallen seriously ill.

According to Doron Gazit, a member of the Hebrew University's COVID-19 expert team which advises government, the rise in cases of severely ill vaccinated people in the 60 and older group has been steadily slowing to a halt in the last 10 days.

"We attribute this to the booster shots and to more cautious behavior recently," Gazit said.

More than half of those over 60 have received a third jab, according to the Health ministry.

The rate of new severe cases among unvaccinated patients 70 and older is now 7 times that of vaccinated patients, and the gap will continue to grow as long as infections rise, according to Gazit. Among those over 50, that gap is 4-fold.

"We are optimistic, but very cautious," Israeli Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz told public broadcaster Kan on Sunday. "It gives us more time, slows the spread and we're moving away from lockdown."

But even if the boosters are slowing the pandemic's pace, it is unlikely to fend Delta off entirely.

Dvir Aran, biomedical data scientist at Technion - Israel's Institute of Technology, said that while cases are retreating, other measures are needed alongside boosters to stop the pandemic. 

"It will take a long time until enough people get a third dose and until then thousands more people will getting seriously ill," Aran said.

Since Delta's surge, Israel has reimposed indoor mask wearing, limitations on gatherings and ramped up rapid testing.

Its "living with COVID" policy will be tested come September, when schools reopen after summer break and when the Jewish holiday season starts, with families traditionally gathering to celebrate.

-reuters

Football: Nice, Marseille game abandoned after bottles thrown and 'players attacked'

NICE, France -- The French Ligue 1 game between Nice and Marseille was abandoned Sunday when fans of the home side invaded the pitch and angrily confronted opposing player Dimitri Payet, who had thrown a bottle lobbed at him back into the crowd, before an ugly brawl broke out involving players and spectators.

Marseille eventually refused to restart the match with club officials claiming their players' safety could not be guaranteed.

Trouble at the Allianz Riviera Stadium flared in the 75th minute when Marseille star Payet, who had been targeted by plastic bottles every time he took a corner, launched one back at the Nice fans.

Angry home supporters then clambered onto the pitch, threatening Payet.

In the melee, Marseille's Alvaro Gonzalez and Matteo Guendouzi ran towards the end of the ground to face down the fans.

Nice skipper Dante attempted to calm angry supporters.

A security cordon of stewards, dressed in yellow vests, tried to stem the pitch invasion before a brawl broke out between players of the two teams, supporters and staff.

Marseille coach Jorge Sampaoli was seen being restrained by his staff and players. 

The referee then led both teams off to the safety of the dressing room.

Eighty minutes after the game was suspended, Nice, who were leading through a Kasper Dolberg goal, said they wanted to restart.

Marseille, however, wanted the match halted for good.

"The decision was taken by the authorities to resume the match, but Marseille do not want to," Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere told broadcaster Prime Video. 

According to a source, the referee Benoit Bastien was also opposed to a restart.

Eventually, the match was abandoned when the Marseille team refused to continue.

- 'Players attacked' -

"Our players were attacked," said Marseille president Pablo Longoria.

"The league wanted the match to restart. We decided for the safety of our players, who were attacked during the pitch invasion, not to resume because the safety of our players was not guaranteed."

"The referee was with us, he confirmed to Jorge Sampaoli and me that safety was not guaranteed and decided to stop the game." 

Marseille's opening 3-2 win at Montpellier two weeks ago was also held up when fans pelted the pitch with bottles.

That clash at Montpellier's Stade Mosson was halted in the 89th minute after Marseille substitute Valentin Rongier was hit on the head.

Earlier Sunday, Lyon coach Peter Bosz said his side made mistakes like an "under-12s" team as they let a two-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 at home to French Ligue 1 new boys Clermont.

The visitors' Kosovo winger Elbasan Rashani scored twice in the final 10 minutes after Bosz's outfit had led 3-1 at half-time.

Lyon were jeered off the field by their supporters at full-time as Dutchman Bosz, who joined in the close season after a spell at Bayer Leverkusen, remains without a win in three games this term.

"I saw things you don't even see at under-12s level. It's a problem of confidence," said Bosz.

Moussa Dembele, 25, who spent the latter part of last season on-loan at Atletico Madrid, got the 34,000 crowd going when he opened his account for the new campaign after just five minutes from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Johan Gastien.

Seven minutes later, the outfit from the Auvergne were all-square as Lyon defender Sinaly Diomande put through his own goal. 

Bosz's side took control again after 20 minutes with Dembele claiming his second after VAR was used to check for an offside.

- Delort delight -

The hosts' best goal came in first-half injury time as Brazilian pair Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta combined sublimely before Paqueta smoothly side-footed his finish into the bottom corner.

With 10 minutes to play, Clermont, in their first season in the French top flight, cut the deficit as Rashani claimed his maiden goal since joining the club from Erzurumspor in July.

The comeback was complete afer 91 minutes as Rashani, born in Sweden, headed home from a cross by Gastien.

On Saturday, champions Lille drew 1-1 with Saint-Etienne and like Lyon are still without a victory.

On Friday, Paris Saint-Germain made it three wins out of three as Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria both netted in a 4-2 win at Brest.

Lionel Messi and Neymar missed the fixture with the Argentina star set to make his PSG debut at Reims next Sunday.

Agence France-Presse

Seven people die in chaos near Kabul airport: UK

LONDON - Seven Afghan civilians have died in the chaos near Kabul airport, the British defense ministry said Sunday as thousands of people try to flee the country. 

"Our sincere thoughts are with the families of the seven Afghan civilians who have sadly died in crowds in Kabul," a ministry spokesman said.

The United States and its allies have been struggling to cope with the huge numbers of people trying to get on evacuation flights in the week since the Taliban retook power.

"Conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging but we are doing everything we can to manage the situation as safely and securely as possible," the spokesman said.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the UK newspaper Mail on Sunday that "no nation will be able to get everyone out" before the US deadline of August 31.

"Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do," he said.

Agence France-Presse

More than 4.4 million dead, 209 million infected with COVID-19 worldwide

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 4,401,486 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1000 GMT on Friday. 

At least 209,862,720 cases of coronavirus have been registered. The vast majority have recovered, though some have continued to experience symptoms weeks or even months later. 

The figures are based on daily reports provided by health authorities in each country.

They exclude revisions made by other statistical organizations, which show that the number of deaths is much higher. 

The World Health Organization estimates that the pandemic's overall 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. 

A large number of the less severe or asymptomatic cases also remain undetected, despite intensified testing in many countries. 

On Thursday, 10,453 new deaths and 687,183 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were Indonesia with 1,492, followed by Brazil with 979 and Mexico with 850. 

The United States is the worst-affected country with 625,166 deaths from 37,294,389 cases. 

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 572,641 deaths from 20,494,212 cases, India with 433,589 deaths from 32,358,829 cases, Mexico with 251,319 deaths from 3,175,211 cases, and Peru with 197,716 deaths from 2,138,666 cases. 

The country with the highest number of deaths compared to its population is Peru with 600 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Hungary with 311, Bosnia-Herzegovina with 296, the Czech Republic with 284, Brazil with 269 and the Republic of North Macedonia with 269. 

Latin America and the Caribbean overall has 1,416,393 deaths from 42,452,051 cases, Europe 1,229,171 deaths from 61,347,777 infections, and Asia 742,452 deaths from 48,176,802 cases.

The United States and Canada has reported 651,949 deaths from 38,757,295 cases, Africa 187,324 deaths from 7,418,307 cases, the Middle East 172,587 deaths from 11,605,917 cases, and Oceania 1,610 deaths from 104,576 cases.

As a result of corrections by national authorities or late publication of data, the figures updated over the past 24 hours may not correspond exactly to the previous day's tallies.

Agence France-Presse

British study shows COVID-19 vaccine efficacy wanes under Delta

A British public health study has found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months.

It also found that those who get infected after receiving two shots of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the AstraZeneca vaccine may be of greater risk to others than under previous variants of the coronavirus.

Based on more than three million nose and throat swabs taken across Britain, the Oxford University study found that 90 days after a second shot of the Pfizer or Astrazeneca vaccine, their efficacy in preventing infections had slipped to 75% and 61% respectively.

That was down from 85% and 68%, respectively, seen two weeks after a second dose. The decline in efficacy was more pronounced among those aged 35 years and older than those below that age.

"Both of these vaccines, at two doses, are still doing really well against Delta... When you start very, very high, you got a long way to go," said Sarah Walker, an Oxford professor of medical statistics and chief investigator for the survey.

Walker was not involved in work on AstraZeneca's vaccine, which was initially developed by immunology experts at Oxford.

The researchers would not project how much more the protection would drop over time, but suggested that the efficacy of the two vaccines studied would converge within 4-5 months after the second shot.

VIRAL LOAD

Highlighting the increased risk of contagion from the Delta variant, the study also showed that those who do get infected despite being fully vaccinated tend to have a viral load similar to the unvaccinated with an infection, a clear deterioration from when the Alpha variant was still dominant in Britain.

The Oxford findings are in line with an analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and come as the U.S. government outlines plans to make COVID-19 vaccine booster shots widely available next month amid a rise in Delta variant infections. It has cited data indicating diminishing protection from the vaccines over time.

Israel began administering third Pfizer doses last month to confront a surge in local infections driven by Delta. Several European countries are also expected to begin offering boosters to the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

Pfizer has said its vaccine's efficacy drops over time. Last month AstraZeneca said it was still looking into how long its vaccine's protection lasts and whether a booster dose would be needed to keep up immunity.

"The fact that we do see ... more viral load hints (...) that indeed herd immunity might become more challenging," said co-author Koen Pouwels, also of Oxford University.

Herd immunity is when a large enough portion of the population is immune to a pathogen, either by vaccination or prior infection, stopping infection numbers from growing.

"Vaccines are probably best at preventing severe disease and slightly less at preventing transmission," said Pouwels.

The authors cautioned that the viral concentration in the throat was only a rough proxy for severity of symptoms and that they had no new data on the duration of infections.

The survey, which has yet to be peer-reviewed before publication in a scientific journal, underscores concerns by scientists that the Delta variant, first identified in India, can infect fully vaccinated people at a greater rate than previous lineages, and that the vaccinated could more easily transmit it.

To contrast periods before and after Delta became prevalent, the Oxford researchers analyzed about 2.58 million swabs taken from 380,000 randomly picked adults between Dec. 1, 2020, and May 16, 2021, and 810,000 test results from 360,000 participants between May 17 and Aug. 1.

The study was conducted in partnership with Britain's Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

-reuters

Surprise! Scarlett Johansson, Colin Jost welcome baby boy

Scarlett Johansson is a mom to two now. The “Black Widow” star recently gave birth to a son, Cosmo, with husband Colin Jost, the “Saturday Night Live” star wrote on Instagram Wednesday. This is the first child for the couple, who were married last October.

“Ok, OK, we had a baby. His name is Cosmo. We love him very much,” was Jost’s brief note.

People magazine first reported the birth of the baby, which came as a shock to many since news of the pregnancy came out only days earlier after Jost reportedly mentioned it in a stand-up set in Connecticut. No other details were provided.

-Associated Press 

Thailand downgrades 2021 outlook as COVID-19 hampers recovery

BANGKOK - Thailand downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2021 on Monday as it battles its worst COVID-19 wave, which has brought record numbers of new infections and deaths. 

The kingdom last year suffered its worst full-year performance since the Asian financial crisis of 1997 with a 6.1 percent economic contraction.

The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) had initially given a cool forecast for recovery during the first quarter, estimating the growth of 1.5 to 2.5 percent for 2021.

But on Monday, NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan announced it had to revise that figure down to between 0.7 and 1.2 percent. 

"This crisis caused by the pandemic is unlike the financial crises of 1997 and 2009 -- our estimation is based on domestic causes," he said during a press conference.

He added that the new forecast was dependent on the hope that the pandemic's curve will flatten after the third quarter, thus enabling a relaxation of restrictions by October.

"But if the pandemic continues and relaxation cannot start in the fourth quarter... the growth could be lower than 0.7 percent," Danucha said. 

Thailand's GDP for the second quarter was up 7.5 percent on the same period last year, the first sign of recovery since the pandemic.

The growth was most visible in agricultural, industrial and exports sectors, while tourism -- once Thailand's cash cow -- remained sluggish. 

Since the start of the pandemic Thailand has recorded 928,314 cases with 7,733 deaths, the bulk of them detected since April.

The country has seen more than 20,000 new cases reported daily for nearly a week, crowding its already-hampered healthcare system and filling up its state-run quarantine facilities. 

Agence France-Presse

Strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti: USGS

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey said, prompting a tsunami alert and damaging buildings in the west of the disaster-plagued Caribbean nation.

The epicenter of the quake was about 100 miles (160 kilometers) by road from central Port-au-Prince, the densely populated capital.

The long shock was felt in neighboring countries. 

The quake damaged schools as well as homes on Haiti's southwestern peninsula, according to images from witnesses.

Residents shared images on social media of the ruins of concrete buildings, including a church in which a ceremony was apparently underway on Saturday in the southwestern town of Les Anglais.

The USGS said waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) were possible along the coastline of Haiti.

A magnitude-7.0 quake in January 2010 transformed much of Port-au-Prince and nearby cities into dusty ruins, killing more than 200,000 and injuring some 300,000 others.

More than a million and a half Haitians were made homeless, leaving island authorities and the international humanitarian community with a colossal challenge in a country lacking either a land registry or building codes.

Agence France-Presse

TikTok ramps up privacy protection for teens

SAN FRANCISCO – TikTok became the latest tech company Thursday to announce tighter protections for teenagers as social media platforms come under increased scrutiny over their privacy safeguards.

The short video-sharing app will roll out a number of features in the coming months, including a default curb for 16 and 17-year-olds on in-app messaging unless it is switched to a different setting.

Under 16s will see a pop-up message when they publish their first video, asking them to choose who can watch.

And users aged 16 and 17 will be able to receive a pop-up asking them to confirm who can download their videos. Downloads are already disabled on content posted by under 16s.

The Chinese-owned platform will also stop sending push notifications to users aged 13 to 16 from 9pm — and an hour later for 16 to 17-year-olds — with the aim of reducing their screen time at night.

The moves announced by head of child safety public policy Alexandra Evans and global head of privacy Aruna Sharma build on previous measures to protect young users from predators, bullies and other online dangers.

“It’s important to ensure even stronger proactive protections to help keep teens safe, and we’ve continually introduced changes to support age-appropriate experiences on our platform,” Evans and Sharma said.

“We want to help our younger teens in particular develop positive digital habits early on.”

Google, YouTube and Facebook-Instagram have all recently bolstered defenses for teen users, while critics have been urging Facebook to abandon plans for a children’s version of Instagram.

TikTok was the world’s most downloaded app last year, overtaking Facebook and its messaging platforms, according to market tracker App Annie.

The video app surged in popularity, according to market tracker App Annie, despite efforts by former president Donald Trump to ban it or force a sale to US-based investors.

Agence France-Presse

Israel requires COVID tests for children aged 3 and up

Israel is to require Covid tests from next week for children as young as three to enter schools, swimming pools, hotels or gyms as infections surge despite extensive adult vaccinations.

Israel already required children aged 12 and over to show a Green Pass re-introduced late last month showing a person's vaccination and testing status and whether they had recovered from Covid.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said from next Wednesday the state would fund unlimited tests for children aged three to 11.

The Magen David Adom emergency service said it had opened 120 rapid antigen testing centers nationwide.

Screening at these stations costs 52 shekels (around 17 euros) and allows those tested to obtain a Green Pass valid for 24 hours.

On Thursday, Bennett announced that Israel was also considering lowering the age limit for its campaign of booster vaccinations, currently offered only to those aged 60 and over.

"I estimate that this evening we will receive approval from the team on dealing with pandemics to vaccinate a lower age bracket with the booster, the third inoculation," the 49-year-old said. 

"Therefore, you must prepare to expand the range of ages for the third inoculation next week."

The booster vaccinations offered by Israel and some other countries have drawn criticism from the World Health Organization, which has said the global priority should be providing the standard inoculation to all. 

Israel has also announced mandatory quarantine for travelers, vaccinated or not, arriving from most countries of the world beginning Monday.

A country of nine million inhabitants, Israel was one of the first to launch a nationwide vaccination campaign in December, thanks to an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. 

The deal gave Israel quick access to millions of shots in exchange for medical data on the vaccine's effects. 

The campaign saw infection rates plummet, which allowed Israel to resume an almost normal routine, with schools, bars and concert venues open.

However, the more contagious Delta variant of the virus has driven a rise in cases to levels not seen since February.

The health ministry said Thursday it had recorded 5,946 new cases the previous day. 

In total, it has counted 921,083 cases and 6,593 deaths since the pandemic started early last year.

Agence France-Presse

Facebook shuts down anti-vaccine influencer campaign

SAN FRANCISCO - Facebook on Tuesday said it shut down a disinformation operation which sought to spread Covid-19 vaccine hoaxes by duping social media influencers into backing false claims.

The leading social network labeled the operation a "disinformation laundromat" which sought to legitimize false claims by pushing them through people with clean reputations.

Influencers who caught onto the sham turned out to be the undoing of a deceitful influence campaign orchestrated by marketing firm Fazze in Russia, according to Facebook.

"The assumption was the influencers wouldn't do any of their own homework, but two did," Facebook global threat intelligence lead Ben Nimmo said while briefing journalists.

"It's really a warning -- be careful when someone is trying to spoon feed you a story. Do your own research."

Facebook said that in July it removed 65 accounts at the leading social network and 243 accounts at photo-centric Instagram that were linked to the campaign, and banned Fazze from its platform.

Fazze is a subsidiary of a AdNow, an advertising company registered in Britain, according to media reports.

The operation targeted primarily India and Latin America, but also took aim at the United States, as governments debated approving vaccines to fight the pandemic, according to Nimmo.

Late last year, the network of fake accounts tried to fuel a false meme that the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 would turn people into chimpanzees, Facebook reported.

After going quiet for five months, the organizers attacked the safety of the Pfizer vaccine and leaked what it billed as an AstraZeneca document stolen by hacking, Facebook said.

The campaign took advantage of online platforms including Reddit, Medium, Change.org, and Facebook, creating misleading articles and petitions then providing "influencers" with links, hashtags and more to spread vaccine misinformation, according to Nimmo.

"In effect, this campaign functioned as a cross-platform disinformation laundromat," Nimmo said.

CAMPAIGN FELL FLAT

The operation was exposed by influencers in France and Germany who questioned claims made in email pitches from Fazze, prompting journalists to dig into the matter, according to Facebook.

Facebook does not know who hired Fazze for the anti-vaccine campaign, but has shared its findings with regulators, police, and internet industry peers, according to head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher.

The campaign appeared to fall flat, with almost none of the Instagram posts receiving "likes," and English and Hindi language petitions at Change.org each getting fewer than 1,000 signatures, Facebook said.

The security team at the social network has seen a trend of deceptive influence operations targeting multiple social media platforms and trying to recruit established personalities with followings to spread false messages, according to Gleicher.

"When these operations turn to influencers, they often don't give them full context on who is behind it," Gleicher said during the briefing.

"And when influencers find out, they are eager to blow the whistle."

The news comes amid a spat between Facebook and the US administration over reining in virus misinformation, and government efforts to enlist popular social media characters to promote vaccinations.

Agence France-Presse 

NBA: Mavs, Luka Doncic agree to 5-year, $207M extension

Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic agreed to terms on a five-year, $207 million supermax rookie extension, multiple media outlets reported on Monday.

The Mavericks announced they will hold a news conference Tuesday in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Doncic and agent Bill Duffy, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, general manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd are expected to participate.

Doncic, 22, is eligible for the designated rookie max extension since he's been voted first-team All-NBA on two occasions.

"Today is a dream come true," Doncic told ESPN in a statement. "The game of basketball has given me so much and has taken me to so many amazing places. I am humbled and excited to remain in Dallas as part of the Mavericks and appreciate the support of my fans.

"Along with this new contract, I am also happy to announce that I am increasing my efforts and focusing on expanding The Luka Doncic Foundation. My foundation is an international non-profit that will give back to places that mean so much to me like my home country of Slovenia, as well as the communities in North Texas.

"(I'm) happy to share in partnership with 2K Foundations we are unveiling two basketball courts here in Slovenia soon. We are refurbishing my childhood courts where I learned and practiced the game. The opportunity for kids to play on the same courts and pursue the same dreams I had is something I'm excited about."

The two-time All-NBA pick and 2019 Rookie of the Year has averaged 25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 199 games (all starts) for the Mavericks over his first three NBA seasons.

He was taken No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft by the Atlanta Hawks, who then flipped him to Dallas for Trae Young and a 2019 first-round pick (Cam Reddish).

The Mavericks finished first in the Southwest Division this past season but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games. Doncic averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists and 7.9 rebounds in the series.

-reuters  

Football: Tearful Messi confirms Barcelona exit and 'possibility' of joining PSG

BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi fought back tears during a press conference on Sunday at which he confirmed he is leaving Barcelona, where he has played his entire career.

The 34-year-old Argentinian superstar, six times a Ballon d'Or winner, has been out of contract since the end of June and Barca say they cannot afford to keep him, with Messi admitting that a move to Paris Saint-Germain is a "possibility". 

"This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home -- this is what we wanted more than anything," said a suited Messi as he struggled to contain his emotions.

"I have still not come to terms with the reality of leaving this club now, changing my life. I love this club.

Last year he sought to engineer a release from his contract in frustration at some poor showings in Europe by the club where he has won four Champions Leagues but ended up staying.

Last year, he explained, "I was convinced I knew what I wanted say, but this year is not the same", stressing his preference was to prolong his stay rather than contemplate what now seems a likely reunion with former clubmate Neymar at PSG -- ostensibly the only club that can afford him with Manchester City having distanced themselves. 

He hotly denied asking for more money but had, on the contrary, accepted a 50 percent salary cut.

"I would've liked to have won another Champions League," he added while stressing that "I don't regret anything, I tried to give my best and I'm ending my career here with a good number of titles".

- 'Gave everything' -

Last month Barcelona, battling huge debts, had said they were in agreement in principle with the player and his entourage on a new five-year deal on much reduced wages.

"The truth is I don't know what to say," said Messi, who signed for the Catalan giants as a 13-year-old.

"After 21 years I am leaving with my three Catalan Argentine children," said Messi, who won 10 league titles with the club.

"I gave everything for this club from the first day that I arrived right to the last. I never imagined having to say goodbye.

"In recent days I have given lots of thought to what I can say and truth to tell I can't think of anything.

"This is really difficult for me after so many years spent here -- my entire life. I'm not ready for this," he said.

"We have had some good times, some bad times too -- but people always showed me the same love," said Messi, who said leaving was "sad and hard."

As thousands of Barca fans milled outside in disbelief at his exit, Messi told reporters one day he hoped to be back in some capacity.

"I hope I can come back and be part of this club at some moment, in any way and bring something to help this club to be the best in the world."

- 'Nothing signed' -

Messi was at pains to say that "nothing has been signed with anyone" and insisted that a picture of him which has made waves on social media in recent days of him on holiday with PSG stars including Neymar and Angel Di Maria was "just a photo".

He said there was no question of his having engineered a path to the Parc des Princes, adding that there had been interest from other clubs.

"When the press release (of his departure) was published, I received a lot of calls from interested clubs," he told reporters who applauded him for several minutes as he took the stage at the start of the press conference and again as he left the stage to embrace staff in the club's trophy room. 

"For the moment nothing is arranged but, yes, we are in discussion," said the Argentinian, who insisted he has always been "totally transparent" on his intentions.

According to Le Parisien, an agreement between PSG and the Argentinian could take place as early as later on Sunday. 

French sports daily L'Equipe forecast a "record contract" of three years, "with an annual net salary of 40 million euros". 

Agence France-Presse

China steps up measures to protect capital Beijing, reports 107 new cases

BEIJING - China stepped up measures to protect this capital city, as an uptick in coronavirus cases driven by the more infectious Delta variant spread across multiple cities in the country.

The National Health Commission reported on Saturday 107 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland for Aug. 6, compared with 124 a day earlier.

Of the new infections, 75 were locally transmitted, the health authority said. That compares with 80 local cases a day earlier. Most of the local cases were in the eastern province of Jiangsu.

Those currently outside Beijing in higher risk areas should temporarily postpone their return, and others should provide a negative COVID-19 test, according to details of a Saturday meeting by local officials reported by the Beijing Daily. Epidemic prevention measures at railways, highways and airports should be strengthened, they said.

Some local governments have been called out by Beijing for lowering their guard, leading to the spread of the Delta variant from multiple sources.

To deal with the infections, some cities have initiated multiple rounds of mass testing to identify carriers. Inter-city travel restrictions have been imposed, and public places of gathering including entertainment venues have been either shut or restricted.

But a health official said last week he expected China's latest outbreak to be largely under control within weeks.

China reported 32 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases, which it does not classify as confirmed infections, compared with 58 a day earlier.

No new deaths were reported.

As of Aug. 6, mainland China had recorded 93,605 confirmed cases, with the cumulative death toll unchanged at 4,636. (Reporting by Gabriel Crossley; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

-reuters

Drummer Charlie Watts likely to miss Rolling Stones’ tour

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts will likely miss the band’s upcoming U.S. tour to allow him to recover from an unspecified medical procedure.

A spokesperson for the musician said the procedure was “completely successful” but that Watts needs time to recuperate. The Stones are set to resume their No Filter tour with a stadium show on Sept. 26 in St. Louis.

“With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming,” a spokesperson for Watts said in a statement.

Watts, 80, said in a statement he did not want his recovery to further delay the tour, which is set to visit several U.S. cities including Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while,” Watts said.

Watts successfully underwent treatment for throat cancer in 2004. He will be replaced by understudy Steve Jordan, who has played with Keith Richards for years.

-Associated Press

China tests residents with resurgence of COVID-19 cases

Residents queue to undergo swab testing for COVID-19 in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. China tested millions of residents in different provinces as the country reported 71 domestic cases, its highest daily number of coronavirus cases since January.

Agence France Presse

US stocks edge down on virus woes, slowing economy

NEW YORK - The S&P 500 Index closed slightly lower on Monday after erasing early gains as worries about the Delta variant of the coronavirus and a slowing US economy overshadowed optimism around more fiscal stimulus and a strong second-quarter earnings season.

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on CNBC late in the session that the Fed could start to reduce its support for the economy by October if the next two monthly jobs reports each show employment rising by 800,000 to 1 million, as he expects. 

He also suggested the Fed could announce in September it would start to reduce its monthly bond purchases, which could lift yields again - not the best news for the stock market. 

Data earlier in the day showed that although US manufacturing grew in July, its pace slowed for a second straight month as spending rotated back to services from goods, and shortages of raw materials persisted. 

The softer-than-expected data also sent US bond yields to their lowest since July 20 and knocked the blue-chip Dow off an intra-day record high hit in early trading. 

“An issue for the market... is the rise of the growth scare", said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at US Bank, "Whether it's more restrictions in China with infections rising in 14 provinces now, or questions about how far is the US going to have to go with mask mandates.”

Only four of the 11 S&P sectors traded higher by market close, among them utilities and real estate generally considered safe bets at a time of uncertainty.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 97.31 points, or 0.28 percent, to 34,838.16, the S&P 500 lost 8.1 points, or 0.18 percent, to 4,387.16 and the Nasdaq Composite added 8.39 points, or 0.06 percent, to 14,681.07. Square Inc, the payments firm of Twitter Inc co-founder Jack Dorsey, jumped after it said it would purchase Australian buy now, pay later pioneer Afterpay Ltd for $29 billion. 

With manufacturing activity data coming in weaker than expected, investor focus now turns to services sector data on Wednesday and the Labor Department's monthly jobs report on Friday.

After mixed quarterly reports from technology behemoths last week, all eyes this week are on earnings from companies including Eli Lilly and Co, CVS Health Corp and General Motors Co.

Volume on US exchanges was 8.80 billion shares, compared with the 9.77 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days. 

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.07-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.05-to-1 ratio favored advancers.

The S&P 500 posted 76 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 98 new highs and 67 new lows.

-reuters

Thai monks don protective gear as COVID cases surge

BANGKOK - As COVID cases surge in Thailand, some Buddhist monks are donning PPE over their distinctive robes, delivering oxygen cylinders, taking nasal samples to help with testing, and even helping carry the dead to the crematoriums.

Thailand is struggling to contain its latest outbreak fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant, leaving healthcare services stretched and further damaging a battered economy.

"There are a lot of Thais who are still ignored by the public health system," Mahapromphong, 33, the deputy abbot of Suthi Wararam Temple in the Thai capital, told AFP. 

"We take care of everyone we come across."

Since July 21 he has been working in Bangkok's poorer neighborhoods, distributing oxygen tanks, food and medical supplies to the needy as well as taking samples for testing.

Monks are highly respected in the Buddhist kingdom, and they were inundated with donations once word got out, he adds.

He learned how to do nasal swabs from the doctors and nurses working in his temple, which doubles as an isolation center for those infected with the virus. 

One man winced as Mahapromphong removed the swab and deposited the sample in a plastic pot.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," the man said, his eyes watering. 

"Monks are able to live because we rely on people's donation," Mahapromphong told AFP.

"So it's time for us to give back to the people. At the very least, we could encourage them to keep fighting."

Supornchaithammo, a monk at Chin Wararam Worawiharn Temple, helps with the grimmer task of taking the bodies to the crematorium.

"I'm willing to take the risk here," he said. "If I contract the virus then I'm ready to accept it without any regret."

'EVERYBODY NEEDS A HELPING HAND'

Thailand has reported over 597,000 coronavirus cases and more than 4,800 deaths.

The bulk of the new infections were detected since April, when the latest wave was sparked by a cluster at an upscale Bangkok nightlife district frequented by the politically connected.

Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha's administration has been roundly criticized for its handling of the pandemic, from accusations of vaccine mismanagement to the lack of government compensation for affected sectors.

Monk Supornchaithammo says he never expected this to be his routine, but is happy to help.

"I didn't have it in my head that I would be doing something like this when I was ordained," he told AFP.

"But with a situation like this, everybody needs a helping hand and I'm proud to be here."

Agence France-Presse