Covid-19: Donald Trump’s eldest son tests positive; Europe at risk of third wave

Donald Trump Jr, the son of US President Donald Trump, tested positive for Covid-19 this week, although he is experiencing no symptoms. He has been “quarantining at his cabin since the result,” a spokesman said.

Trump on Saturday tweeted that his son was doing “very well”. “My son Donald is doing very well. Thank you!” he posted after the disclosure of the diagnosis.

Andrew Giuliani, the son of the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, also said he tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.

The news came as the US reached a record for daily cases of more than 195,000.

‘China used crisis for strategic gains in region’

China used the Covid-19 crisis for strategic gains across the Indo-Pacific region, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has said in a report which noted the pandemic was replete with “significant” geopolitical ramifications.

China’s increasingly active drive and India’s rivalry with Pakistan will continue to dominate the regional security environment when the pandemic dies down, said Strategic Survey 2020: The Annual Assessment of Geopolitics, which was launched virtually on Friday.

“Competition intensified in the region. Beijing seemed steadily more intent on asserting strategic primacy in its maritime littoral. The US government…saw evidence that China was taking advantage of other governments’ preoccupation with the Covid-19 pandemic to gain strategic advantage throughout what the US, its allies and other states including India and Indonesia increasingly referred to as the Indo-Pacific region”, it said.

Europe at risk of third wave, says WHO official

Europe is risking a third virus wave early next year unless it takes more action now, according to David Nabarro, the World Health Organization’s special envoy on Covid-19 preparedness and response.

His comments came as Germany added nearly 23,000 new coronavirus infections as of Saturday morning, lifting the total above 900,000.

Germany is already in a partial lockdown that has closed museums, bars and restaurants but kept schools and most shops open.

That may be extended well into next month as Europe’s biggest economy seeks to regain control over the spread of the coronavirus before people head home for the holidays, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

The UK government, meanwhile, is preparing to relax its lockdown to allow “several” families to form a bubble for up to a week over the Christmas period, the Telegraph said on Saturday.

Russia had 467 deaths from Covid-19 in the past day, a new daily record, the government’s virus response centre said on Saturday.

There were also 24,822 new coronavirus cases in Russia, which was also a daily record

Toronto to go back into another lockdown

Ontario, Canada’s largest province, ordered a lockdown in Toronto and one of its suburbs from Monday, a declaration that forces shopping malls, restaurants and other businesses to close their doors to slow a second wave. All non-essential retail stores in Toronto and Peel will have to close.

With inputs from Prasun Sonwalkar