Brazil's Borges says World Cup hat-trick 'beyond wildest dreams'

ADELAIDE, Australia -- Ary Borges called it beyond her wildest dreams after hitting the first hat-trick of this Women's World Cup as Brazil crushed Panama 4-0 in a scintillating start to their campaign on Monday.

Far tougher challenges lie ahead -- the team faces France next -- but this was an impressive start for a Brazil side who have featured at all eight previous Women's World Cups but never won it.

The stylish victory in Adelaide sent Brazil top of Group F after Jamaica surprisingly held France 0-0 on Sunday.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder Borges, who plays for Racing Louisville in the United States, was the undoubted star of the show, scoring three goals and setting up the other.

"Today is one of the happiest days of my life," she said. "I could not have imagined this in my wildest dreams.

"Just being here was special... it was very special to get a hat-trick in my first game at a World Cup.

"The day was full of emotions, I was emotional even beforehand," added Borges, who covered her face with her hands after her first goal and appeared to break down in tears.

"I don't think the pin has dropped yet," she said.

A constant threat coming in off the right, Borges pounced twice from close range in the first half to leave Brazil in total control at the break and Panama never looked like getting back in it.

- 'Typical Brazil goal' -

Some of the Panama players and fans were in tears during their national anthem, underlining what it means to them to be at the World Cup for the first time.

But this was a debut they will probably want to forget as Swedish coach Pia Sundhage's Brazil put on an exhibition of flowing, attacking football.

They racked up five attempts on goal in the opening 10 minutes and the pressure told in the 19th minute when Borges nodded in unmarked at the back post for a simple close-range header.

Six minutes before the break she scored her second. Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey saved her initial downward header but the rebound went right back to Borges and she slammed the ball into the net.

Any hope Panama had of getting back into the match was extinguished only three minutes into the second half and it was the best goal of the tournament so far.

A fluid team move took the ball to the ever-dangerous Borges, who rolled the ball behind her with her studs, allowing Bia Zaneratto to fire into the back of the net.

Borges put the seal on a hugely impressive personal and team performance by nodding in her third -- and Brazil's fourth -- 20 minutes from time, the ball flying through the middle of Bailey's legs.

The 37-year-old forward Marta, arguably the greatest women's footballer of all time, came off the bench for Brazil in the closing stages but will have to wait a while longer if she is to become the first player to score at six World Cups.

Sundhage was particularly pleased with the third goal, calling it a "typical Brazilian goal".

"The third goal was beautiful," said the coach.

"It was not one we taught them because this is a typical Brazilian goal, where it's so much emotion and so unpredictable."

Agence France-Presse

World Cup: Neymar suffers injury scare in Brazil win vs Serbia

DOHA -- Richarlison scored twice as tournament favorites Brazil beat Serbia, 2-0, in their World Cup opener on Thursday, but the win was soured by an ankle injury to captain Neymar.

The record five-time winners had toiled at times in the first half but improved after the break at the Lusail Stadium and were rewarded when Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison followed in to score the opener in the 62nd minute after a Vinicius Junior shot was saved.

Vinicius then set up Richarlison to score again in the 73rd minute with a stunning acrobatic effort that is surely the goal of the World Cup so far.

However, Neymar was then forced off with a sprained ankle that the Brazilian team doctor said would be assessed over the next 48 hours.

Injuries have hampered Neymar at the tournament in the past and Brazil will hope his World Cup has not ended already, although coach Tite struck a positive tone after the game.

"You can be certain that Neymar is going to play in the World Cup," said Tite.

Thursday's result continues Brazil's superb record in the World Cup group stage, in which their last defeat came in 1998 against Norway.

Tite's side are now already on top of Group G ahead of Switzerland, who beat Cameroon 1-0 earlier and who Brazil meet next.

"We played well, especially in the second half when our opponents started to tire and we took advantage of that," said Richarlison, who called it "a boyhood dream come true" to score the goals.

The scoreline was the same as when these sides met in the group stage in 2018 but Brazil are determined to do far better than four years ago, when they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

They have come to Qatar as the favorites for a sixth title, two decades after their last victory.

Other results in the opening round of matches in Qatar served as a warning, with Argentina suffering a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia at the same stadium and Germany losing to Japan.

Brazil would have known not to take Serbia lightly, but it still would have been a huge shock for them to lose at a ground where they intend to return for the final on December 18.

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic said his team "fell away physically" and added that injuries to key players, including Juventus duo Dusan Vlahovic and Filip Kostic, hindered his side.

"We came here with a lot of injuries to deal with affecting key players. That is the way it is and we have to face this fact," he said.

Acrobatic

Tite sent out a very attack-minded side, with Neymar in support of Richarlison while Raphinha and Vinicius occupied the wings and Lucas Paqueta added creativity in midfield.

Serbia did their best to frustrate Neymar, who come close to scoring direct from an early corner that would have raised the roof at the magnificent Lusail Stadium, where the stands were filled with yellow and green.

The best Brazilian moments in the first half came when Thiago Silva's defence-splitting pass found Vinicius in the box, only for goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to thwart the Real Madrid man, and when Raphinha played a one-two with Paqueta before his shot was saved.

Barcelona winger Raphinha was involved again within a minute of the restart when he hounded Nemanja Gudelj out of possession but was again denied by the goalkeeper.

However, Serbia's resistance was broken just after the hour mark.

The warning had come when Alex Sandro lashed a left-foot shot off an upright and two minutes later the goal arrived.

Neymar set up Vinicius for a shot that Milinkovic-Savic got a hand to, but the ball broke to Richarlison who followed in to score.

Serbia responded by bringing on Vlahovic, but Brazil had now found their stride and the second goal when it came was worthy of the biggest stage.

A Vinicius cross with the outside of his right boot was controlled by Richarlison who then spun around and leapt to score with an outrageous acrobatic effort.

Brazil could have scored more, with Casemiro seeing a shot come back off the crossbar, but this was a promising start, as long as Neymar's injury is nothing serious.

Agence France-Presse

Brazil's central bank holds 13.75 percent interest rate amid 'high' inflation

BRASILIA - Brazil's central bank held its benchmark interest rate at 13.75 percent, remarking that inflation "remains high" despite receding for three months in a row, just four days before a presidential election.

It is the second meeting in a row that the bank's monetary policy committee left the Selic interest rate unchanged after putting the brakes on 12 straight increases.

In a statement, the monetary committee said it remained "vigilant" and that the high interest rate level would be maintained "as long as it takes to control inflation."

The committee did not rule out a "resumption of the cycle of increases" if prices do not lower "as expected." For now, "inflation remains high" despite dropping for several months.

The decision comes as the country braces for a divisive second-round presidential election between far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday.

The interest rate decision was in line with market forecasts, which were reflected in a survey of more than a hundred consultants and financial institutions by the Valor economic newspaper.

The benchmark interest rate has remained at the same level since August, when the committee applied the last increase of half a percentage point.

Haunted by a history of hyperinflation, Brazil was among the first countries to start raising interest rates after the monetary easing of the coronavirus pandemic when the Selic stood at a record low of two percent.

Since March 2021, the central bank had rapidly raised its key rate from an all-time low of two percent, including three whopping hikes of 1.5 percentage points from October 2021 to February 2022.

The long period of high inflation in Latin America's largest economy has been fueled by rising global food and oil prices spurred on by the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Slowing inflation 

This trend has slowed in recent months. 

The consumer price index was negative in July (-0.68 percent), August (-0.36 percent) and September (-0.29 percent). 

Annual inflation stood at 7.17 percent in September, prior to the first round of the presidential elections on October 2.

The successive declines reduced market forecasts, and inflation is now expected to lower to 5.60 percent by the end of the year, almost half of what was initially projected, according to a survey released by the central bank (BCB) this week. 

Bolsonaro has highlighted the "unprecedented deflation" during his campaign.

He is currently polling 45 percent to Lula's 49 percent ahead of the second round, according to Datafolha polling data published Friday.

Economists warn, however, that the negative trend is not yet established and that price increases are still a latent threat.

By keeping the Selic at the current high level, the monetary committee hopes that 2023 inflation will lower to the 3.25 percent target set by the central bank.

Only then can they begin cutting rates, analysts say.

Analysts have warned about the impact of high interest rates on GDP, which is projected to grow 2.76 percent by the end of this year, far from the stagnation that was expected in early 2022, according to the BCB Focus survey.

Brazil is easing up on its interest rate as the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank have shifted into full-on tightening to curb inflation.

Agence France-Presse

Cellphones without chargers? Brazil judge fines Apple $20M over chargerless iPhones

BRASILIA, Brazil - A Brazilian judge fined Apple $20 million Thursday for selling iPhones without chargers, calling it an "abusive practice" that forces customers to buy an additional product.

The decision, which can be appealed, came after Brazil's justice ministry slapped a separate fine of nearly $2.5 million on Apple in September over the same issue and barred the US tech giant from selling its iPhone 12 and 13 models without chargers.

The new fine -- 100 million reais -- was awarded by a Sao Paulo civil court judge as damages in a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian Consumers' Association.

Apple stopped including outlet chargers with new iPhones in October 2020, saying it wanted to help reduce electronics waste.

But the move effectively "requires consumers to purchase a second product in order for the first to work," Judge Caramuru Afonso Francisco wrote in his ruling.

He ordered the California company to supply chargers to all consumers in Brazil who bought iPhone models 12 or 13 in the past two years, and begin including them with all new purchases.

Apple is also facing charger-related headaches across the pond.

Last week, the European Parliament passed a law requiring all smartphones, tablets and cameras to use USB-C ports as the single charger standard from late 2024, which will force Apple to change its phone designs.

Agence France-Presse

Philippines, Brazil, Mexico among those due to get Pfizer shots from COVAX in Q2

GENEVA - Some 14.1 million doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have been allocated to 47 countries and economies for delivery in the second quarter of this year, the Gavi Vaccine Alliance said on Monday.

Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, and Ukraine are set to be among the main recipients of the Pfizer vaccine between April and June, according to Gavi, which co-leads the COVAX facility with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners.

The COVAX program offers a lifeline to low-income countries in particular, allowing them to inoculate health workers and others at high risk, even if their governments have not managed to secure vaccines from the manufacturers.

Australia, Britain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates are due to receive their first shots via COVAX with the Pfizer doses, which is "based on current knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine supply availability", Gavi said in a statement.

The program delivered nearly 38.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 102 countries across six continents, six weeks after it began to roll out supplies, Gavi said last Thursday.

Deliveries of the AstraZeneca vaccine to 142 participants under a previously announced round were underway, "with some delays" that may extend deliveries past May, Gavi said on Monday.

Reduced availability delayed some deliveries in March and April, and much of the output of the Serum Institute of India, which makes the AstraZeneca vaccine, is being kept in India, where the number of daily infections is spiraling.

The chief executive of Gavi, Seth Berkley, said last Friday that COVAX aimed to deliver one third of a billion COVID-19 doses by mid-year, on the way to more than 2 billion in 2021.

-reuters-

Brazil reports 3,650 dead from COVID-19 in one day

Brazil set a new daily COVID-19 death toll record of 3,650 on Saturday, the health ministry said, as the pandemic spins out of control in Latin America's largest economy.

Since February, Brazil has seen record after record in fatalities and new cases of infection as the country second hardest hit anywhere in the world, after the United States, with more than 307,000 dead from the pandemic.

It broke through the threshold of 3,000 fatalities in one day on Tuesday.

The average daily toll over the past week is 2,400 -- more than triple what it was in early January.

The toll has risen steadily due to factors including people's abandoning social distancing norms and a new virus variant that emerged here and is believed to be more contagious than the original strain.

Another big problem is that the country's vaccination drive is moving slowly. So far only 5.9 percent of the population of 212 million has received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine.

President Jair Bolsonaro announced this week he was launching a crisis committee to deal with the pandemic, a change of course amid mounting pressure over a situation he has repeatedly minimized.

The announcements appeared to do little to tame criticism of Bolsonaro, who has flouted expert advice on lockdowns and face masks, pushed a drug regimen that scientists say does not work, and spoken out against vaccines.

Agence France-Presse

For 1st time, Brazil records over 3,000 COVID deaths in one day

BRASILIA - Brazil's daily Covid-19 death toll soared past 3,000 for the first time Tuesday as the hard-hit country struggled to contain a surge of cases that has pushed many hospitals to breaking point.

The health ministry registered a record 3,251 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing Brazil's overall death toll to nearly 299,000 -- second only to the United States.

Supplies of medical oxygen for Covid-19 patients have fallen to "worrying" levels in six of Brazil's 27 states, officials said Tuesday amid a deadly explosion of cases.

The prosecutor general's office said the health ministry had warned about oxygen levels in the six states during a crisis response meeting with suppliers.

One of Brazil's main oxygen suppliers, the company White Martins, said it was racing to keep up with an "exponential increase" in demand of up to 300 percent in some regions, prosecutors said in a statement.

The situation has raised fears of a repeat of horrific scenes in the northern city of Manaus in January, when oxygen shortages left dozens of Covid-19 patients to suffocate to death when hospitals ran out.

Other states are now showing warning signs.

Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populous state and industrial hub, said Monday it would set up an emergency oxygen plant within 10 days with brewing company Ambev to supply overstretched hospitals.

The state, population 46 million, has been hit hard by the new wave of Covid-19.

Globo TV reported last week that at least 135 people had died in Sao Paulo waiting in line for intensive care beds with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus.

In Brasilia, more than 400 people are currently waiting in line for ICU beds. Videos circulating online show bodies piled in hospital corridors awaiting transfer to the capital's overflowing morgues.

The six states whose oxygen supplies are the most critical are Acre and Rondonia in the northwest, Mato Grosso in the center-west, Amapa in the north, and Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte in the northeast, prosecutors said.

Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has defied expert advice on containing the virus, is facing mounting pressure to revamp his response to the crisis.

Brazil's average daily Covid-19 death toll has more than tripled since the start of the year, to 2,306, currently the highest worldwide.

Experts say the surge is being fueled by a local variant of the virus that is suspected to be more contagious.

Agence France-Presse

Brazil's Sao Paulo reports record 1,021 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours

SAO PAULO - The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, the country's most populous, registered 1,021 deaths from COVID-19 on Monday, a new daily record, state authorities said on Tuesday.

Sao Paulo's death toll is a worrisome sign that Brazil's total death toll for the day, which will only be released on Tuesday night, could also be a new record.

In Sao Paulo, the previous highest number of daily deaths was 679 last Tuesday.

The spike in the COVID-19 death toll in Sao Paulo comes as Brazil has become the latest epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, with overwhelmed hospitals and a shortage of oxygen and drugs in many cities.

Brazil, with a population of 211 million, has recorded roughly 12 million cases of COVID-19 and 295,425 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

-reuters-

Argentina detects first cases of Brazilian coronavirus variants

BUENOS AIRES - Argentina has detected the first cases of two Brazilian variants of the coronavirus in travelers from the neighboring nation, the government said on Monday.

"The Amazonas P1 variant was recently detected in two samples, and the Rio de Janeiro P2 variant in two other travelers. All of them from Brazil," Argentina's Minister of Health Ginés González García said in a tweet.

Argentina, which is ramping up its vaccination program with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, has recorded nearly 2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with a total of 49,171 deaths. 

-reuters-

Brazil registers highest COVID-19 daily death toll in almost a month

BRASILIA - Brazil reported 51,088 additional confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and 842 fatalities from COVID-19, its Health Ministry said on Tuesday, marking the highest death toll since Nov. 14.

The South American country has now registered 6,674,999 cases since the pandemic began, while its official death toll has risen to 178,159, according to ministry data.

Brazil has the world's third highest case count and second highest death toll. (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca and Jamie McGeever Editing by Chris Reese)

-reuters-

Brazil surpasses 100,000 coronavirus deaths: officials

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil on Saturday surpassed 100,000 coronavirus deaths and three million cases of infection, according to the latest tally from the Ministry of Health.

With 100,477 fatalities and 3,012,412 confirmed cases, the South American country of 212 million people is the second hardest-hit country in the global pandemic, after the United States.

The health ministry reported 905 new deaths in the past 24 hours, as well as 49,970 new cases. 

But the official figures are most likely an undercount, with experts estimating that the total number of infections could be up to six times higher due to insufficient testing.

Brazil has seen 478 deaths per million people, a figure equivalent to that of the United States (487), but lower than that of Spain (609) or Italy (583).

Senate speaker Davi Alcolumbre announced four days of mourning in Congress to pay tribute to the country's 100,000-plus virus victims.

The coronavirus outbreak in Brazil is showing no signs of slowing as it enters is sixth month.

The country's first confirmed COVID-19 case was identified in Sao Paulo on February 26, with the first death on March 12, also in the city.

Agence France-Presse

Brazil sets daily record of new coronavirus cases

BRASILIA - Brazil recorded a new daily record of coronavirus cases Wednesday with nearly 68,000 infections, a sign COVID-19 is still far from being brought under control in the hard-hit country.

The health ministry said 67,860 new infections and 1,284 deaths had been reported in the past 24 hours in Brazil, which has the second-biggest outbreak in the world, after the United States.

The South American country of 212 million people has recorded 2.2 million infections and 82,771 deaths from the new coronavirus.

It has struggled to set a strategy for responding to the pandemic.

President Jair Bolsonaro faces criticism for downplaying the virus and attacking social distancing measures adopted by state and local authorities.

The far-right leader, who has regularly flouted such measures, has been in quarantine at the presidential palace since July 7 after contracting the virus himself.

His office announced Wednesday he had again tested positive, saying he would continue his quarantine and suspend his upcoming travel plans.

Bolsonaro, 65, argues the economic fallout from stay-at-home measures could be worse than the virus itself, and is instead pushing the unproven malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as remedies, following in the footsteps of US President Donald Trump.

Agence France-Presse

India, US, Brazil, S.Africa: Virus spikes hit big countries hardest

PARIS - India, the United States, Brazil and South Africa are currently experiencing the highest spikes in COVID-19 cases seen since the start of the month.

And the four economic powerhouses are still well off reaching their pandemic peak, experts say.

UNITED STATES

The United States, with 328 million inhabitants, leads the way in the COVID-19 case count, registering more than 50,000 a day since the start of July and more than 140,000 deaths to date -- equivalent to 413 per million population, according to AFP estimates based on official data.

More than 3.5 million US cases have been reported overall and 40 of the 50 states are currently logging rising tolls.

California, the most populous state and the first to implement a lockdown in March, decided Tuesday on a second shutdown to cover bars, indoor restaurants, cinemas, museums and zoos.

Mid-April saw a first peak in cases followed by a leveling-off which then gave way to a new acceleration by mid-June, suggesting the US remains in its first coronavirus wave.

After initially appearing in the northwest and northeast including former epicenter New York, the virus spread to the south, the Midwest and west. Worst-hit states are Texas, Florida, Arizona and California.

As with India, experts say the US response is hampered by its federal governance system whereby state authorities react with a confused patchwork of responses.

President Donald Trump has politicized the science, particularly regarding the wearing of masks, initially suggesting they were a liberal ploy to stoke fear and undermine him.

Although he and his administration have belatedly shifted their stance, states not hit hard initially eased restrictions too quickly, moving to reopen bars and indoor dining, reigniting the spread.

The rate of positive tests remains well above the five percent recommended by WHO guidelines in the worst affected states, suggesting the virus is still out of control.

Administration officials estimate total infections by the end of the year could be 40 million.

BRAZIL

Latin America's largest economy with a population of 209 million led by populist President Jair Bolsonaro has around two million cases or 254 per million and a death toll of 70,000.

Specialists say the true caseload could be understated by as much as a factor of ten and fatalities as much as twofold.

In the Amazonian north indigenous peoples with relatively low immunity are in the firing line as the disease spreads.

But it is Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in the southeast which are leading the way with the bulk of cases -- Rio's mortality rate is particularly high at 665 per million inhabitants. 

The spread is turning southwards, however.

"I can't visualize a real leveling off" of the case curve, Domingos Alves, health research coordinator at the Ribeirao Preto faculty of medicine told AFP on July 10.

"The number of contaminations will continue to rise until October-November, with fluctuations," he said.

Having derided the illness as a "little flu" before catching it himself, Bolsonaro has fought state governors' attempts to impose lockdowns.

INDIA

The world's fifth economy with 1.3 billion inhabitants is set to crash through the one million case barrier.

Narendra Modi's government on Tuesday decided to reconfine around a tenth of the population with a new lockdown for 125 million people in northeastern Bihar state until July 31 as well as for 13 million people in the IT hub of Bangalore. 

Although its fatality rate is low -- at 17 per million inhabitants, compared with 663 in the United Kingdom -- India is one of the four countries where the caseload is rising the quickest.

The most affected state is Maharashtra in western India -- home to Bollywood -- with 260,924 cases by mid-July, followed by the southern state of Tamil Nadu with 142,798 cases. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and the capital New Delhi (113,740 cases) account for nearly 90 percent of cases.

Samit Bhattacharyya, an associate professor at the private Shiv Nadar University, says India's contagion has not yet reached its peak.

"From my observation, not yet, not even in a few days. There may be many reasons behind this -- low testing, dubious data, and asymptomatic infections."

He adds: "It seems the epicenter of the infection is changing from one state to another in India. Important reasons are unplanned implementation of lockdown. 

"Peak is yet to come. I expect it by mid-August. Others predict for October, November or December," says T. Jacob John, a leading Indian virologist.

He said "health is not and never has been" a political or even a popular priority.

"Culturally Indians accept all tragedies and death without complaints. Lockdowns had severe economic repercussions and that too will be stoically accepted."

South Africa

Africa's number one economy, population 58 million, has been seeing exponential growth with some 8,000 COVID-19 cases per day -- 500 per hour -- since the start of July, taking the total caseload past 300,000.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday that "the force and the speed with which it has progressed has, quite understandably, caused great concern".

The most affected province is Gauteng -- home to business hub Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria with 107,070 infections to July 14th, accounting for 35.9 percent of national cases.

Next worst affected is Western Cape province, a favourite destination for tourists, which has 80,199 cases or 26.9 percent of cases.

Then comes Eastern Cape with 53,959 cases for an 18.1 percent share.

The southern KwaZulu-Natal province, where South Africa's patient zero was detected, having arrived from Italy on March 5, is next with 30,587 cases or 10 percent.

"We are seeing very fast increases in the number of cases in Johannesburg. We anticipate this will continue for several more weeks before we reach the peak," South Africa's leading epidemiologist and the government's top coronavirus advisor Salim Abdool Karim told AFP.

"Johannesburg is in many ways like New York, it's very dense, highly populated, social distancing is a challenge," he said.

The initial lockdown had a marked impact on the spread of the virus, but Karim said that was never going to be economically sustainable.

"But we needed to be sure we were better prepared when the restrictions were being eased," said Karim, adding testing rates were being hampered by lack of adequate test kits. 

Agence France-Presse

Brazil's Bolsonaro says lungs 'clean' after coronavirus test

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday he had undergone another test for the novel coronavirus and his lungs were "clean," after local media reported he had symptoms associated with the COVID-19 respiratory disease.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of the virus, even as Brazil has suffered one of the world's worst outbreaks, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 related deaths, according to official data on Monday.

CNN Brasil and newspaper Estado de S.Paulo reported that he had symptoms of the disease, such as a fever.

Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace that he had just visited the hospital and been tested.

"I can't get very close," he said in comments recorded by Foco do Brasil, a pro-government YouTube channel. "I came from the hospital. I underwent a lung scan. The lung's clean."

The president's office said in a statement that the president is at his home and is "in good health."

The right-wing populist has often defied local guidelines to wear a mask in public, even after a judge ordered him to do so in late June.

Over the weekend, Bolsonaro attended several events and was in close contact with the US ambassador to Brazil during July 4 celebrations. The US embassy in Brasilia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bolsonaro tested negative for the coronavirus after several aides were diagnosed following a visit to US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago, Florida, estate in March.

CNN Brasil reported that Bolsonaro has begun taking the drugs hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, which he touts as a COVID-19 treatment despite little proof of their effectiveness.

Bolsonaro's official events on Tuesday have been canceled, according to CNN Brasil.

-reuters-

Brazil set to pass 1.5 million coronavirus cases; cities reopen anyway

SAO PAULO - Brazil was set to pass 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, as the virus continues to ravage Latin America's largest country even as cities reopen bars, restaurants and gyms sparking fears infections will keep rising.

Brazil has the world's second-largest outbreak after the United States and the virus has killed over 60,000 people in the country.

In Rio de Janeiro, crowds gathered to drink on the sidewalk of an upscale beach-side neighborhood on Thursday night, the first evening bars in the city were allowed to reopen.

Pictures of the revelry in Leblon, where few were wearing face masks and people were huddled close together, went viral on social media drawing condemnation and concern.

"A tragedy foretold," David Miranda, a federal congressman for Rio, wrote on Twitter above a picture of the crowded sidewalk. He criticized the city's mayor Marcelo Crivella.

"Crivella's decision to throw open the doors of business will come with a high cost," he added.

In an emailed statement, Crivella's office said local law enforcement had asked several establishments to close on Thursday as public health rules prohibit the gathering of crowds drinking outside bars. It said enforcement would be ramped up over the weekend.

In Rio alone, more than 6,600 people have died of COVID-19 in the past four months. Only 14 countries in the world have a death toll higher than the city. Intensive care units in public hospitals are at 70 percent capacity.

Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest and worst-hit city, is expected to open bars and restaurants next week.

President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticized by health experts for downplaying the severity of the virus which he has dismissed as just "a little flu." Bolsonaro has pressured governors and mayors for months to reverse lockdown measures and reopen the economy.

On Friday, Bolsonaro vetoed parts of a law that would have made wearing a face mask obligatory in enclosed spaces where large groups gather - such as churches and schools.

Bolsonaro has regularly flouted social distancing guidelines advised by most health experts, shaking hands and embracing supporters. He has said publicly that his past as an athlete makes him immune to the worst symptoms of the virus.

-reuters-

US facing 'critical' coronavirus surge

WASHINGTON, United States - Coronavirus infections are surging across large parts of the United States, the top US infectious disease expert has warned, as the death toll in Latin America passed 100,000.

The developments highlighted how far away the world remains from ending the pandemic, six months into a crisis that has claimed nearly 500,000 lives and devastated the global economy.

Even in Europe, which has been loosening travel restrictions following a brutal few months when it was the epicenter of the pandemic, there have been major setbacks.

Germany on Tuesday reimposed lockdowns on more than 600,000 people following a cluster of infections at a slaughterhouse, while world men's tennis number one Novak Djokovic tested positive after hosting an exhibition tournament in the Balkans.

In the United States, White House advisor Anthony Fauci warned the next two weeks would be "critical to our ability to address... surgings" in Florida, Texas and other states.

The United States has already recorded more deaths than any other nation, with nearly 800 more fatalities on Tuesday taking its toll past 121,000.

However President Donald Trump, whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticized as erratic, is determined to fast-track efforts to restore normality.

He continued to stoke controversy on Tuesday, doubling down on weekend comments he wanted to slow testing because so many confirmed infections made the United States look bad.

"I don't kid," Trump said, after a White House official described his initial comments as just a joke. 

With the parts of the United States unable to contain the pandemic, the European Union was considering blocking US travelers as it reopens its borders to tourism, the New York Times reported.

Reflecting the sentiments of many around the world, New York food shop manager Ian Joskowitz said he was determined not to think about the dangers of the virus as he tried to continue running his business. 

"If I thought about it too much, I probably may have a problem doing this. So I put it out of my mind," Joskowitz told AFP.

"With my employees, I have an agreement with them. They keep coming in. I'll continue to do everything humanly possible to keep them safe."

'LITTLE FLU'

Latin America has been one of the world's worst hotspots for weeks, and the number of deaths there and the Caribbean surpassed 100,000 on Tuesday, according to an AFP tally.

Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro has flouted containment measures and described the virus as a "little flu", is officially the worst-hit country after the United States.

More than 1,300 people were confirmed to have died of the virus in Brazil on Tuesday, after a federal judge ordered Bolsonaro to wear a face mask in public.

"The president has a constitutional obligation to follow the laws in force in the country, as well as to promote the general welfare of the people," the judge wrote.

GERMAN SETBACK 

Germany was the first major EU nation to begin easing lockdown measures about seven weeks ago, but two districts in the west of the country were forced to apply the brakes once again.

An outbreak at a slaughterhouse that has infected more than 1,500 workers prompted authorities to impose fresh restrictions on nearly 640,000 people.

Portugal also imposed new restrictions in and around its capital Lisbon on Tuesday. 

And the future of sporting events suffered a major blow when Djokovic, who had organized a series of exhibition events in the Balkans at which social distancing was minimal, tested positive for the virus.

Tennis was hoping to follow team sports like football back into arenas and stadiums, but the positive tests of Djokovic and three others have dampened its prospects. 

"I am so deeply sorry our tournament has caused harm," the 17-time Grand Slam champion wrote on Twitter, adding, "It was too soon."

Agence France-Presse

Brazil records nearly 50,000 coronavirus deaths as crisis deepens

RIO DE JANEIRO - Nearly 50,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Brazil, the world No. 2 hotspot, with 1,022 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

A total of 49,976 people have officially died from COVID-19 in Brazil, according to the ministry, with a total of 1,067,579 confirmed cases. Only the United States has recorded more deaths and cases.

Brazil confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus on Feb. 26 and passed 1 million cases on Friday. Experts say the true numbers are likely far higher due to a lack of widespread testing.

Since first arriving in the continent-size country, the virus has spread relentlessly, eroding support for right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and raising fears of economic collapse after years of anemic growth.

Bolsonaro, sometimes called the "Tropical Trump," has been widely criticized for his handling of the crisis. The country still has no permanent health minister after losing two since April, following clashes with the president.

Bolsonaro has shunned social distancing, calling it a job-killing measure more dangerous than the virus itself. He has also promoted two anti-malarial drugs as remedies, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, despite little evidence they work.

Brazil is not the only country in Latin America to have been hit hard by the outbreak. On Saturday, the region passed 2 million cases, with 2,004,019 registered according to a Reuters tally. 

(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Sandra Maler)

-reuters-

Rio looks to reopen as Brazil approaches Italy in coronavirus deaths

RIO DE JANEIRO - The mayor of Rio de Janeiro allowed more than 10,000 street vendors to go back to work on Thursday and Brazil's president pressed for legal action to force local governments to reopen beaches, as the coronavirus death toll in the country quickly approached that of Italy.

Latin America as a whole has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. While a few other nations in the region have been hit harder in per capita terms, Brazil has by far the most confirmed cases and deaths, with 584,016 cases and 32,548 deaths as of Wednesday night, with its death toll ranking only below the United States, Britain and Italy.


Since the beginning of the pandemic, right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the virus, saying on Tuesday that death is "everyone's destiny," and that hunger and unemployment will ultimately prove more deadly.

Among his allies is Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella, who has also pushed for a reopening in recent weeks after over local governments shutdown business to stem the spread. On Tuesday, the city of nearly 7 million people allowed Cariocas, as residents are known, to exercise outside, while a small subset of shops was allowed to reopen.

On Thursday, Crivella said over 10,000 street vendors could return to work.

"The other day, some kid told me: I prefer to die of coronavirus than see my family die of hunger," Crivella told journalists.

Later in the day, during a Facebook Live session, Bolsonaro encouraged the federal solicitor general to sue states to force them into reopening their beaches.

While state governors and leaders elsewhere in the region have generally taken the virus more seriously than Bolsonaro, growing hunger and shaky public finances are pushing leaders throughout Latin America to reopen commerce, to the chagrin of many epidemiologists.

In Brazil, health officials say there are indications new hospitalizations are stabilizing, but new deaths and confirmed cases are still growing rapidly.

On Wednesday, the country reported 1,349 deaths from the coronavirus, its second consecutive daily record. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier and Gram Slattery; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

-reuters-

Latin America virus cases top 1 million as UK, Russia ease lockdowns

BRASILIA - Confirmed coronavirus cases in Latin America have surged past one million, while hard-hit Britain and Russia eased lockdowns Monday, despite not having their outbreaks fully under control.

Governments around the world are moving to ease restrictions that have wrecked their economies, even as the number of cases tops 6.1 million and virus deaths exceed 371,000.

With more than half a million known infections, Brazil now has the second-highest caseload in the world, but its anti-lockdown President Jair Bolsonaro again defied social distancing recommendations on Sunday.


Wearing no face mask, the far-right leader met a tightly packed group of supporters in the capital Brasilia as the crowd chanted "Myth! Myth! Myth!" -- echoing his dismissal of the virus threat.

Bolsonaro has been a staunch opponent of lockdowns as a tool for containing the coronavirus, saying they are unnecessary and harmful to the economy, but he has faced intense criticism from worried state authorities and angry citizens.

Despite his skepticism, the virus rages on in Brazil and other parts of South America, with the situation in Chile, Bolivia and Peru also worsening.

While South America and parts of Africa and Asia have only just started to feel the full force of the pandemic, hard-hit European countries have cautiously begun easing lockdowns as they seek a return to some form of normality.

But experts have cautioned that moving too fast could spell disaster, with no vaccine or effective treatment yet for COVID-19.

In Britain, where schools were set to partially re-open on Monday, some senior government advisers warned things were happening too rapidly.

"COVID-19 spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England," tweeted Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.

Hard-hit Russia, which saw an explosion of infections in recent weeks, was also set to re-open shopping malls and parks in Moscow, despite the still-high number of cases.

While Muscovites welcomed the opportunity after weeks of being cooped up at home, many ridiculed Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's "experiment" aimed at regulating people's walks and exercise based on their home address.

Popular comedian Maxim Galkin even released a sketch about President Vladimir Putin and Sobyanin discussing a "breathing schedule" for the capital's residents.

'A BEAUTIFUL FEELING'

The pandemic has devastated the global economy, which is facing its worst downturn since the Great Depression, and with businesses and citizens growing tired of confinement, there is pressure on many leaders to press on with reopenings -- especially in nations where outbreaks appear to be slowing.

In the United States -- the worst-affected nation in the world -- Washington and Los Angeles resumed outdoor dining, while New York City is on track to begin re-opening from June 8.

In France, parks in Paris opened on the weekend for the first time in months, ahead of restaurants, cafes and bars being allowed to serve on sidewalks and terraces on Tuesday.

But health experts have continued to warn of the possibility of a second wave of infections if authorities and citizens let their guard down, especially if they risk large gatherings of people like concerts, festivals and religious services.

With the outbreak in Italy slowing, Pope Francis made his first address to the faithful in Saint Peter's square in nearly three months.

In Saudi Arabia, mask-clad worshippers thronged mosques that opened nationwide -- except in the holy city of Mecca.

"I prayed, praise be to God, in the neighborhood mosque... and it was a beautiful feeling," said one worshipper, though he was concerned about others not taking necessary precautions.

"I swear to God that some people do not care about anything. No face mask. No rug."

'DISTANCING IS IMPOSSIBLE IN DHAKA'

Asia was the first continent hit by the virus after it emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, and neighboring countries saw their economies hammered by the outbreak -- especially the aviation and tourism sectors.

Some Asian countries have started on a tentative path to recovery, such as Thailand, which relies heavily on tourist spending. The kingdom has now re-opened beaches nationwide after two months of lockdown to try to revive tourism.

But other, much more populous nations have moved to relax restrictions despite not entirely containing the disease.

India announced it would begin easing the world's biggest lockdown in early June, even as it marked another record daily rise in infections.

Neighboring Bangladesh, meanwhile, lifted its lockdown on Sunday, with millions heading back to work in densely populated cities, even as the country logged record spikes in new deaths and infections.

"I tried to avoid crowds when I walked to my office," banker Badrul Islam told AFP in the Bangladeshi capital. "But social distancing is impossible on Dhaka's footpaths."

Agence France-Presse

Brazil's coronavirus outbreak worsens as total cases near 500,000

BRASILIA - Brazil registered a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, its health ministry said, raising the total to 498,440 in a country with one of the world's worst outbreaks.


The death toll in Brazil from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, increased to 28,834, with 956 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle Editing by Paul Simao)

-reuters-