A healthcare worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) takes a swab from a woman for a rapid antigen test inside an office, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ahmedabad, India, September 2, 2020. India has recorded more than 5.8 million cases of COVID-19, second only behind the United States. (Photo: Reuters)

* China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi may visit Japan as early as October for talks with his Japanese counterpart Motegi Toshimitsu and Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, public broadcaster NHK reported. The visit would come after Suga on September 25 held talks on the phone with Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping. The two leaders agreed to pursue high-level contacts in a bid to promote regional and international stability.

* The Group of 20 major economies on September 25 said they are looking at structural approaches to secure longer-term financing for developing countries, including development of domestic capital markets and work to catalyze private sector investment.

* More than 32.49 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 985,289 have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

* With COVID-19 deaths in the United States topping 200,000, the role of the economy in the looming presidential election could take on heightened importance -- but it is not clear how.

* Argentina´s novel coronavirus infections were poised to top 700,000 on Saturday as new daily infections and deaths hit the top five globally, Reuters data showed, despite seven months of quarantine that have ravaged the frail economy. Argentina reported a rolling seven-day average of 11,082 new cases daily, behind only India, the United States, France and Brazil, all countries with far larger populations than the South American nation. Argentina's average daily death toll this week hit 365.

* Russia's daily tally of new coronavirus cases hit its highest level since June 22 on Saturday at 7,523, bringing its total to 1,143,571, the country's coronavirus task force reported.

* Indonesia reported 4,494 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking the total number of cases to 271,339, official data from the health ministry showed on Saturday.

* The Philippines' health ministry on Saturday reported 2,747 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 88 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 301,256 cases and 5,284 deaths.

* England's COVID-19 smartphone app launched to curb the spread of the virus does not accept test results processed in the country's state-run laboratories, hospitals or as part of an official survey, it said on Saturday.

* Swiss voters decide on Sunday (September 27) whether to annul a pact with the European Union on the free movement of people, an important test of attitudes towards foreigners who make up a quarter of the population.

* Saudi Arabia plans to resume tourist visas by early 2021 after months of suspension amid strict government measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the kingdom's tourism minister told Reuters. Tourism is a key pillar of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious reform strategy to reduce the economy's dependence on oil. The kingdom, which opened its doors to foreign tourists in September 2019 by launching a new visa regime for 49 countries, wants the sector to contribute 10% of gross domestic product by 2030.

* Slovakia's daily count of new coronavirus cases rose to 552, a fresh record high, the Slovak government said on Saturday.

* Ukraine registered a record 3,833 cases of new coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the national security council said on Saturday, up from a previous record of 3,584 new cases reported on Sept. 17.

* Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday authorised the country’s provinces to impose lockdowns wherever necessary to stem a rapid rise in coronavirus cases.

 Source: Reuters