World News in Brief: October 2

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck near the Vanuatu Islands early on Saturday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said. The quake was at a depth of 528 km, EMSC said.

The French seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases dropped below 5,000 again for the first time since July 13, health ministry data released on Friday showed.
The French seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases dropped below 5,000 again for the first time since July 13, health ministry data released on Friday showed.

* Russia reported 887 coronavirus-related deaths, the largest single-day death toll it has recorded since the pandemic began and the fourth day in a row it has set that record.

* The White House is pressing major US airlines to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees by Dec. 8 - the deadline for federal contractors to do so - and is showing no signs of pushing back the date, four sources told Reuters on Friday.

* Qataris go to the polls on Saturday in the Gulf Arab state's first legislative elections, to choose two-thirds of the advisory Shura Council in a vote that has stirred domestic debate about electoral inclusion and citizenship.

* Authorities told several thousand residents of La Palma to stay home because of worsening air quality as the erupting volcano on the Spanish island spewed red-hot lava and thick clouds of black smoke.

* A US Deputy National Security Adviser met with Panama's president, Laurentino Cortizo, and other officials to discuss the Central American country's infrastructure needs and transparency, the White House said on Friday

* US health officials are hoping data on Israeli military personnel can help clarify the risk of heart muscle inflammation in younger people who have received Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 booster shots - a potential factor for US regulators as they consider granting full approval of these boosters.

* Italy reported 52 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday against 51 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 3,405 from 3,804 .

* Clashes broke out in the Yemeni city of Aden on Saturday between members of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) and at least four fighters were killed, two security sources said.

* Chile's economic activity jumped 19.1% in August year-on-year, the central bank said, as the world's top copper producer continued to recoup lost ground following a successful vaccination drive against the coronavirus.

* Mexico's Health Ministry on Friday reported 7,388 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 471 fatalities, bringing its total to 3,671,611 infections and 277,976 deaths.

* The European Union's drug regulator has identified a possible link between rare cases of blood clotting in deep veins with Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine and recommended the condition be listed as a side-effect of the shot.

* Australia reported 2,357 new cases of the Delta coronavirus variant on Saturday, as the push to vaccinate the country's population continues in order to end lockdowns and allow for the reopening of international borders.

* New Zealand officials reported 27 new cases of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant in Auckland on Saturday, as protestors took to the streets to rally against an almost two-month lockdown in the country's biggest city.

* Swiss citizens who persuade their friends to get COVID-19 shots can look forward to a free restaurant meal or cinema outing courtesy of the state, under a scheme aimed at boosting the country's low vaccination rate.

* Morocco will soon start giving a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Health Ministry said on Friday. Morocco has administered the most doses in Africa, inoculating 19.8 million people out of a population of about 36 million, mostly with Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs.

* Nigeria got approval on Friday for US$400 million in World Bank financing to procure and deploy COVID-19 vaccinations, the Bank said.

Reuters