WNBA: Minnesota Lynx use balanced scoring attack to outlast Indiana Fever

September 13, 2021 | 6:48 pm

NAPHEESA Collier scored 22 points and dished seven assists, Sylvia Fowles recorded 18 points and Aerial Powers added 17 as the Minnesota Lynx weathered a second-half run to hold off the Indiana Fever, 90-80, on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota (20-10) started and finished strong en route to its seventh win in the last eight games. In between, however, the Lynx had to respond to a raucous comeback from the visiting Fever.

After trailing by a double-digit margin for much of the first half — including by as many as 16 points in the second quarter — Indiana (6-23) went on a 14-6 run in the third that changed the game’s tone.

The Fever outscored the Lynx in the period (27-15) to take a two-point advantage into the fourth. The teams exchanged the lead nine times in the final quarter and were tied four times before Minnesota’s game-ending, 12-2 run.

Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 25 points, 15 of which came from behind the 3-point arc. Her 5-of-7 shooting from long distance paced Indiana to an 8-of-17 team performance, and Mitchell connected on two to help keep Indiana on pace with Minnesota for much of the fourth quarter.

Victoria Vivians made two 3-pointers en route to 10 points for the Fever and dished seven assists. Lindsay Allen and Tiffany Mitchell also scored 10 points apiece, and Teaira McCowan added 17 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

Minnesota matched Indiana’s scoring balance with all five Lynx starters hitting in double figures. Joining Collier, Fowles and Powers, Kayla McBride added 12 points and Crystal Dangerfield scored four of her 11 points on consecutive possessions in the game’s waning moments to effectively seal the win.

Powers scored 13 in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor, and Minnesota went into intermission connecting on 56.3 percent of its field-goal attempts as a team. The Lynx finished the night at 56.1 percent from the floor to Indiana’s 50 percent. — Reuters

Raducanu, Fernandez mark depth of women’s game, signal enticing future

September 13, 2021 | 6:47 pm

WITH Serena Williams pulling out due to fitness issues even before a ball had been hit and Naomi Osaka and Ash Barty dispatched in the third round, a loss of interest in the women’s singles draw at this year’s US Open was palpable.

But no one could have predicted that it would be left to two teenagers — ranked 150^th and 73^rd in the world — to create the kind of frenzied hype in women’s tennis as seen over the past fortnight with their fascinating journeys to Saturday’s final.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu and Canadian Leylah Fernandez — born two months apart in 2002 — took the US Open by storm with their youthful exuberance and fearless style of play.

The appreciation of fans across the globe was reflected in the mood of the 23,000-strong crowd during Saturday’s title clash in the colossal Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I have never heard a crowd in Grand Slam tennis being this loud, this appreciative of the players and the player responding,” said Mats Wilander, a seven-time major champion and Eurosport tennis expert.

“This was an epic of the US Open. It was a great comeback of the US Open, it was just an amazing two weeks.”

While 18-year-old Raducanu bagged the ultimate prize to become the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title, women’s tennis was also a winner.

American Williams, who turns 40 this month, has been one of the biggest draws at Flushing Meadows for the last two decades and her withdrawal would have sent shivers down the spines of organizers hoping to bask in the glory of having full capacity crowd at a major for the first time since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

When Fernandez beat two-time US Open winner Osaka in the third round, the mood further dampened as the Japanese player, who has been struggling with mental health issues, left the hardcourt major saying she was unsure when she will compete again.

The following day world number one Barty, who won the Wimbledon title in July, was also ousted.

With Novak Djokovic staying on track to become the first man in 52 years to claim all four major titles in a calendar year, the women’s competition in New York was in danger of turning into an undercard during the second week of the Grand Slam.

But Raducanu and Fernandez ensured it did not, keeping the global audience captivated with their scintillating runs from relative obscurity.

Eleven weeks ago, the ever-smiling Raducanu had just completed school when she made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon as a 338^th-ranked wild card. The US Open was only her fourth tour-level tournament.

Fernandez played in the main draw at majors for the first time last year and was ranked 73^rd at the start of the US Open.

But what would have seemed like an outrageous title clash became a reality when Saturday’s final featured two unseeded players for the first time at a major in the Open Era.

NEW CHAMPIONS
While men’s tennis has crowned only one new major winner outside the trio of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Djokovic in the last five years, there have been 14 different major champions in women’s tennis since the start of the 2017 season.

The depth and unpredictability of women’s tennis has been a cause for celebration.

Bianca Andreescu and Iga Świątek were both 19 when they won the 2019 US Open and 2020 French Open respectively, while Osaka and Sofia Kenin have also been among the young women’s champions on the biggest stage in recent years.

Add in 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, who has already registered some stunning wins in her fledgling career, to the mix and women’s tennis is looking at an exciting future.

“Emma and Leylah represent two of the WTA Tour’s very talented group of young prospects and are leading what is sure to be an incredible era of WTA Tennis,” WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon told Reuters a few hours before Saturday’s final.

“The final looks to be one of the most exciting sporting events of the year as millions of tennis fans around the world will be inspired by these two incredible young female athletes, as they continue to exude great joy in competing on one of the sports’ biggest stages while embodying the true spirit of what it means to be a WTA player, both on and off the court.

“A sports league could not ask for two better role models.”

While pundits are cautious about the prospect of either Raducanu or Fernandez dominating the sport like Williams did after winning her maiden slam in New York in 1999, the duo have already established their star power and can expect sponsors and brands queuing up.

GLOBAL CITIZENS
Data and analytics company GlobalData predicted Raducanu could earn millions after becoming the first British woman to win a major since Virginia Wade’s Wimbledon triumph in 1977.

Their global profile should also be a major draw and prepare fertile ground for new tennis interest and fans for the WTA.

Jorge Fernandez, the father of the 19-year-old Canadian, is from Ecuador while Raducanu’s is from Romania.

Raducanu’s mother is from China while Fernandez’s has Filipino origin.

The British player could potentially tap into the massive market in China the same way Osaka did in her native Japan.

Her recent comments about looking up to China’s two-time major winner Li Na while growing up and her message in Mandarin after Saturday’s win would surely endear her more to fans in the Asian country.

The teenagers were “fantastic” advertisement for the sport in its bid to boost global footprint, Jorge feels.

“I’m glad that they’re touching the Asian community. I think that’s a huge opportunity in the women’s game just to be able to expand and have a new style,” he said this week.

“Those two ladies are touching a lot of young girls. They’re touching a lot of young people.

“I’m getting messages about, ‘please pass this to Leylah,’ little girls saying, ‘you’re making us believe.’ This can only be good for the tennis game and the WTA altogether.” — Reuters

American Horschel wins PGA title; Wiesberger earns Ryder Cup debut

September 13, 2021 | 6:47 pm

LONDON — American Billy Horschel birdied the 18^th hole to claim the BMW Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Championship title in a tense finish on Sunday in a tournament with huge implications for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Horschel was tied for first in a group on -18 as he stood over his third shot at the par-five 18^th at Wentworth, but produced a sensational wedge for a nailed-on birdie to complete a sizzling round of seven-under 65.

With Horschel in the clubhouse, Englishman Laurie Canter needed to find a birdie at the last to force a playoff, but was unable to do so and ended in a tie for second alongside Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat who shot a superb closing 64.

Horschel, whose bag sports the colours and emblem of English soccer club West Ham United, is only the second American to win the title, following in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer.

Afterwards, he said he would celebrate by going to dinner with West Ham’s England international Declan Rice.

“I am speechless really, and that’s rare,” Horschel, who has missed the US Ryder Cup team, said. “To win this event means a lot, this is like the Players’ Championship.”

“I knew if I could birdie one of the last three holes, I could win and one was enough.”

Apart from the title at stake in the European Tour’s flagship tournament, the race to nail down the four remaining automatic spots on Europe’s team for this month’s Ryder Cup offered an intriguing sub-plot throughout the week.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, who required a top-50 finish to book his Ryder Cup debut, ended with a level-par 72 which was enough for a share of 20^th and a seat on the plane, qualifying after finishing fourth on the European points list.

“It’s unreal you know, it was really tough out there today,” Wiesberger told Sky Sports. “You try to stay away from all the noise, but it was difficult. I had to grind. But at the end of the day, I’m really proud and relieved to make the team.”

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick also guaranteed his place after a closing 68 earned him a top-20 finish while Tyrrell Hatton, who missed the cut on the defense of his crown, is also in.

Justin Rose did not claim the title which would have elevated him into the Ryder Cup team on merit despite a sizzling last-round 65 which included him coming close to holing an albatross on the 18^th hole.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry was left sweating on receiving a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup after failing to secure the top-eight finish he required to grab an automatic spot.

But he was handed the third captain’s pick by captain Padraig Harrington and will make his Ryder Cup debut later this month at the expense of Rose who was left out.

Lee Westwood’s dismal round of 77 had opened the door for Lowry to edge above him in the race to grab an automatic place, but Lowry faltered on the back nine.

After moving into a tie for fifth place Lowry bogeyed the 14^th and followed that with a double bogey, ending on 12 under in 17^th place — a relief for veteran Westwood who will make his 11^th appearance in the biennial match.

Five players — Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Paul Casey — had already qualified on merit for the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits from Sept. 24-26.

Harrington’s other two picks were Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia. — Reuters

NFL roundup: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs rally to edge Browns

September 13, 2021 | 6:46 pm

PATRICK Mahomes passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns, all in the second half, as the host Kansas City Chiefs didn’t lead until the fourth quarter, but edged the Cleveland Browns 33-29 on the first Sunday of the National Football League (NFL) season.

Cleveland punter Jamie Gillan failed to handle a snap with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter, and the Chiefs tackled him for a fourth-down loss at the Browns’ 15. Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce three plays later for an 8-yard touchdown and the winning score with 7:04 remaining.

The rally gave the Chiefs their 15^th consecutive September victory as they began their quest for a third straight American Football Conference (AFC) title. Mahomes finished 27-of-36 while also throwing an 11-yard TD to Kelce and a 75-yard scoring bomb to Tyreek Hill.

Baker Mayfield played brilliantly, passing for 321 yards while going 21-of-28 to fuel the Browns, who lost at Kansas City in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs last season.

CARDINALS 38, TITANS 13

Chandler Jones notched a career-high five sacks and Kyler Murray threw four touchdown passes as Arizona dominated Tennessee in Nashville, Tenn.

Jones, who missed the last 11 games of 2020 with a biceps injury, almost single-handedly dictated the game’s tempo with incessant pressure on Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Jones logged three sacks and a forced fumble before the first quarter ended.

Murray completed 21-of-32 passes for 289 yards and added a touchdown on the ground, while Arizona’s running back tandem of Chase Edmonds and James Conner combined for 116 yards on 28 attempts.

TEXANS 37, JAGUARS 21

Tyrod Taylor passed for 291 yards, 229 in the first half, and host Houston matched its interceptions total from all of last season in the victory over Jacksonville.

Taylor, making his first start for the Texans in place of inactive three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson, excelled with his blend of elusiveness and daring. He finished 21-of-33 and threw two touchdown passes to pace a Texans offense that amassed 449 yards.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence made his NFL debut and finished with 332 yards passing and three touchdowns in addition to throwing three interceptions.

SEAHAWKS 28, COLTS 16

Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes, two to Tyler Lockett, as Seattle rolled past host Indianapolis.

Wilson quickly took to new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s system, completing 18-of-23 for 254 yards, posting a near-perfect passer rating of 152.3 (maximum is 158.3).

Carson Wentz, acquired by the Colts in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, was 25-of-38 for 251 yards and two touchdowns, both to Zach Pascal.

STEELERS 23, BILLS 16

Dominant defense and a special-teams score helped Pittsburgh overcome a sleepy first half and knock off host Buffalo.

The Steelers’ special teams crashed a defensive struggle with 9:45 left. Safety Miles Killebrew blocked Matt Haack’s punt at the Buffalo 10-yard line, and Ulysees Gilbert III scooped up the ball for Pittsburgh’s 20^th unanswered point, all in the second half.

Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt had two sacks, and Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 30-of-51 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger rarely attacked downfield and completed 18-of-32 passes for 188 yards.

BENGALS 27, VIKINGS 24

Joe Burrow found C.J. Uzomah with a 32-yard pass on fourth-and-short late in overtime to set up Cincinnati’s victory against visiting Minnesota.

Two plays after Burrow’s pass, rookie Evan McPherson nailed a 33-yard, game-winning field goal for the Bengals as time expired.

Burrow was sharp in his return from a torn ACL, completing 20-of-27 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Mixon rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.

49ERS 41, LIONS 33

Jimmy Garoppolo rebounded from a first-snap fumble to throw for 314 yards and Trey Lance tossed a touchdown pass on his first NFL attempt as San Francisco held off host Detroit.

Trent Sherfield and Deebo Samuel caught TD passes, Elijah Mitchell and JaMycal Hasty rushed for scores after Raheem Mostert got injured, and Dre Greenlaw returned a Jared Goff interception 39 yards for a score, helping the 49ers race to 38-10 lead.

Detroit got a final possession after Samuel’s fumble with a minute remaining, but stalled on downs at the San Francisco 24 in the final seconds.

CHARGERS 20, WASHINGTON 16

Making his first start in a season opener, Justin Herbert picked up where he left off last year for Los Angeles. The second-year pro completed 31-of-47 passes for 337 yards and a touchdown, leading the Chargers past Washington in Landover, Md.

Herbert’s favorite target was Keenan Allen, who finished with nine catches for 100 yards. Even after he was intercepted deep in Washington territory in the fourth quarter, Herbert got another chance when LA’s defense got the ball back on a fumble on the next play.

Three plays later, Herbert hit Mike Williams for a 3-yard touchdown, giving LA the winning score with 11:21 left, and Los Angeles coach Brandon Staley won his NFL head-coaching debut.

PANTHERS 19, JETS 14

Sam Darnold had a solid debut with host Carolina, and the Panthers’ defense ruined New York rookie Zach Wilson’s first NFL game.

Darnold had a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown against his former team, with 279 yards passing by going 24-of-35 with no interceptions. He also made good use of running back Christian McCaffrey, the Carolina standout who was limited to three games last season because of injuries. McCaffrey was Carolina’s leading rusher with 98 yards on 21 carries.

Wilson, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, ended up 20-of-37 for 258 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception.

EAGLES 32, FALCONS 6

Jalen Hurts passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns to help Philadelphia romp past host Atlanta.

Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith caught six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown in his NFL debut, and the Eagles outclassed the Falcons in a matchup featuring two first-time head coaches in Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni and Atlanta’s Arthur Smith.

Dallas Goedert and Jalen Reagor also caught scoring passes and Kenneth Gainwell ran for a touchdown for Philadelphia. Miles Sanders had 113 scrimmage yards (74 rushing, 39 receiving), and Hurts completed 27-of-35 passes and rushed for 62 yards.

SAINTS 38, PACKERS 3

Jameis Winston tied a career-high with five touchdown passes and New Orleans intercepted Aaron Rodgers twice in the Saints’ victory in Jacksonville, Florida.

The game was moved to Jacksonville from the Superdome after Hurricane Ida damaged New Orleans two weeks ago.

Winston made his first start for the Saints and passed for just 148 yards, but he completed 14-of-20 passes with no interceptions. Rodgers completed 15-of-28 passes for 133 yards and a 36.8 passer rating before being replaced by Jordan Love in the fourth quarter.

BRONCOS 27, GIANTS 13

Teddy Bridgewater threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, Melvin Gordon finished it off with a 70-yard TD, and Denver beat New York in East Rutherford, NJ.

Bridgewater delivered an accurate performance in his Denver debut, completing 28-of-36 passes and helping the Broncos maintain possession for just over 35 minutes. Denver linebacker Von Miller recorded two sacks, and the NFL’s active sack leader raised his total to 108.

New York quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 267 yards. He added a rushing TD with no time remaining, but also fumbled deep in Denver territory late in the third quarter.

DOLPHINS 17, PATRIOTS 16

Tua Tagovailoa passed for 202 yards and a go-ahead three-yard touchdown to rookie Jaylen Waddle as Miami spoiled quarterback Mac Jones’ NFL debut with a win over host New England.

Waddle, the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft, grabbed his first career touchdown catch with 10:51 remaining in the third quarter to put Miami on top for good at 17-10. Nick Folk’s 42-yard field goal with 2:50 left in the third and another from 33 yards out at 10:36 of the fourth pulled New England within 17-16.

Tagovailoa, who also had a rushing touchdown, finished 16-for-27 passing and was also intercepted by New England defensive back Jonathan Jones with 8:07 to play in the fourth. Mac Jones and the Patriots drove 41 yards before running back Damien Harris lost a fumble at the Dolphins’ 11-yard line.

RAMS 34, BEARS 14

Matthew Stafford completed 20 of 26 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns in his team debut to lead host Los Angeles to a win over Chicago Bears on Sunday night.

Van Jefferson, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods each hauled in touchdown passes for Los Angeles (1-0). Darrell Henderson, Jr. added 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

David Montgomery had 16 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown to lead the offensive attack for Chicago (0-1). Andy Dalton completed 27 of 38 passes for 206 yards and an interception, and rookie Justin Fields completed both of his pass attempts and rushed for a 3-yard touchdown in limited action during his NFL debut. — Reuters

Chelsea, Brighton and Arsenal win big as Spurs beat Man City in WSL

September 13, 2021 | 6:46 pm

LEICESTER, England — Newcomers Leicester City lost 3-1 to Manchester United in their first FA Women’s Super League home game as Manchester City crashed to a controversial 2-1 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s late kickoff.

City took an early lead, but Spurs equalized against the run of play and got a late winner through an own goal, although there was a clear handball by Tottenham’s Rosella Ayane in the buildup that was missed by the officials.

Earlier in the day, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea all went on scoring sprees on the second weekend of top-flight action in England as Leicester got another baptism of fire in the top flight.

The Foxes, who lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in their first game in the WSL, went behind to strikes from Ella Toone and Maria Thorisdottir before former Red Devil Abbie McManus reduced the deficit, but a goal from Martha Thomas sealed the 3-1 win for United.

Reigning champions Chelsea bounced back from their opening-day defeat with a 4-0 drubbing of Everton that featured some brilliant goals, with Fran Kirby chipping a superb first and Sam Kerr heading home Guro Reiten’s pinpoint cross for the third.

Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema continued her stellar scoring form, netting a brace as her side thumped Reading 4-0 at home, and there were also goals galore at Birmingham City as the home team were hammered 5-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion.

West Ham United and Aston Villa played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Brighton top the table on six points, ahead of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham on goal difference, with Everton bottom after consecutive 4-0 defeats. — Reuters

Expect more coronavirus surges, experts say

September 13, 2021 | 5:36 pm

coconut-vendor-covid19-grafiti — REUTERS

FOR ANYONE hoping to see light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel over the next three to six months, scientists have some bad news: Brace for more of what we’ve already been through.

Outbreaks will close schools and cancel classes. Vaccinated nursing home residents will face renewed fears of infection. Workers will weigh the danger of returning to the office as hospitals are overwhelmed, once again.

Almost everyone will be either infected or vaccinated before the pandemic ends, experts agree. Maybe both. An unlucky few will contract the virus more than once. The race between the waves of transmission that lead to new variants and the battle to get the globe inoculated won’t be over until the coronavirus has touched all of us.

“I see these continued surges occurring throughout the world,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and an adviser to US President Joseph R. Biden. “Then it will drop, potentially somewhat precipitously,” he said. “And then I think we very easily could see another surge in the fall and winter” of this year, he added.

With billions of people around the world yet to be vaccinated and little chance now of eliminating the virus, we can expect more outbreaks in classrooms, on public transport and in workplaces over the coming months, as economies push ahead with reopening. Even as immunization rates rise, there will always be people who are vulnerable to the virus: Newborn babies, people who can’t or won’t get inoculated, and those who get vaccinated but suffer breakthrough infections as their protection levels ebb.

The next few months will be rough. One key danger is if a vaccine-resistant variant develops, although it is not the only risk ahead. In the coming months, Bloomberg will explore the pandemic’s long-term impact on economies and markets, the pharmaceutical industry, travel and more.

“We’re going to see hills and valleys, at least for the next several years as we get more vaccine out. That’s going to help. But the challenge is going to be: How big will the hills and valleys be, in terms of their distance?” Mr. Osterholm said. “We don’t know. But I can just tell you, this is a coronavirus forest fire that will not stop until it finds all the human wood that it can burn.”

The five well-documented influenza pandemics of the past 130 years offer some blueprint for how Covid might play out, according to Lone Simonsen, an epidemiologist and professor of population health sciences at Roskilde University in Denmark. She is an expert on the ebb and flow of such events.

While the longest global flu outbreak lasted five years, they mostly consisted of two to four waves of infection over an average of two or three years, she said. Covid is already shaping up to be among the more severe pandemics, as its second year concludes with the world in the middle of a third wave — and no end in sight.

It’s possible that the virus known as SARS-CoV-2 won’t follow the path set by the pandemics of the past. After all, it is a different, novel and potentially more transmissible pathogen. And with a death toll of more than 4.6 million people so far, it’s already more than twice as deadly as any outbreak since the 1918 Spanish flu.

Despite brutal initial waves and relatively high vaccination rates, countries including the US, UK, Russia and Israel are flirting with record numbers of cases. Immunization is helping to moderate incidences of severe cases and deaths, but surging infections mean the virus is reaching the young and others who remain unvaccinated, leading to rising rates of serious disease in those groups.

Nations where vaccination has been sparse — including Malaysia, Mexico, Iran and Australia — are in the midst of their biggest outbreaks yet, fueled by the contagious delta strain. With the virus still spreading out of control in vast swathes of the planet, another novel variant could quite feasibly emerge.

History shows the commonly held belief that viruses automatically get milder over time — to avoid completely wiping out their host population — is wrong, according to Ms. Simonsen. Although new mutations aren’t always more severe than their predecessors, “pandemics can in fact get more deadly during the pandemic period, as the virus is adapting to its new host,” she said.

MORE COVID SURGES
Early in the Covid outbreak, there was good reason to hope that vaccines would provide long-term protection, much like childhood shots that stop diseases such as polio.

Coronaviruses have a “proof-reading” mechanism that fixes the in-born errors caused when the virus replicates, reducing the likelihood of variants emerging when the virus is transmitted from one person to another.

The number of global cases has been so vast, however, that mutations are occurring anyway.

“With the pandemic, we have this enormous force of infection,” said Kanta Subbarao, director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Influenza at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne. “That has counterbalanced the ability of the virus to proof-read.”

As a result, COVID could be like the flu, requiring regular vaccine top-ups to remain effective as the virus evolves.

Some researchers say SARS-CoV-2 is poised to become completely resistant to the first generation of vaccines. A study from Japan, which has yet to be published or peer-reviewed, suggests that potentially dangerous mutations in the delta variant are already being picked up in a global database used to track such developments. Reports of current strains breaking through vaccinations or triggering higher fatality rates have not held up to rigorous scrutiny thus far.

“This is a scenario we hope won’t happen,” Ms. Simonsen said. “My God, we would have to do it all again.”

Other even grimmer possibilities for the coming months include the emergence of a novel influenza virus or another coronavirus making the leap from animals into humans.

“As long as there are animal reservoirs of coronavirus there is still the possibility that another zoonotic coronavirus could emerge in the future,” Subbarao said. “There is that in the background, the risk of still dealing with this one when another one emerges.”

HOW WILL COVID END?
What seems clear is that the pandemic will not be over in six months. Experts generally agree that the current outbreak will be tamed once most people — perhaps 90% to 95% of the global population — have a degree of immunity thanks to immunization or previous infection.

The key element should be vaccination, they say.

“Without vaccination, one is like a sitting duck, because the virus will spread widely and find most everybody this autumn and winter,” said Ms. Simonsen.

More than 5.66 billion doses of vaccine have been administered around the world, according to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker. But the success of rollouts in some regions, such as the European Union, North America and China, masks the failure in others. Most countries in Africa have only given enough vaccine to cover less than 5% of their populations with a two-dose shot. India has administered enough to cover only about 26%.

The pandemic will end at different times in different places, just as previous outbreaks have, said Erica Charters, associate professor of the history of medicine at Oxford University and the coordinator of a project on how epidemics end. Governments will have to decide how much of the disease they are comfortable living with, she said.

Approaches vary. While some countries are still shooting for zero Covid cases, the world is unlikely to eradicate the virus completely.

Nations like Denmark and Singapore, which have managed to keep cases relatively contained, are already moving toward a post-pandemic future with fewer safety restrictions. Others, such as the U.S. and U.K., are opening up even as infection numbers near records. Meanwhile, China, Hong Kong and New Zealand have vowed to keep vigilantly working to eliminate the virus locally. As a result, they are likely to be among the last places to leave behind the disruption wrought by walling out the pandemic.

“The end process is not going to be uniform,” Charters said. The pandemic “is a biological phenomenon, but it’s also a political and social phenomenon.”

“Even now we have different approaches to it.”

It’s likely to be messy, leaving a lasting legacy for years to come. Until then, most of us will need to brace for many more months in the pandemic’s grip.

“We have to approach it with our eyes wide open and with a great deal of humility,” Osterholm said. “Anybody that thinks we’re going to be over this in the next few days or a few months is sorely mistaken.” — Bloomberg

North Korea tests first ‘strategic’ cruise missile with possible nuclear capability

September 13, 2021 | 5:35 pm

SEOUL — North Korea carried out successful tests of a new long-range cruise missile over the weekend, state media said on Monday, seen by analysts as possibly the country’s first such weapon with a nuclear capability.

The missiles are “a strategic weapon of great significance” and flew 1,500 kms (930 miles) before hitting their targets and falling into the country’s territorial waters during the tests on Saturday and Sunday, KCNA said.

The latest test highlighted steady progress in Pyongyang’s weapons program amid a gridlock over talks aimed at dismantling the North’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in return for US sanctions relief. The talks have stalled since 2019.

North Korea’s cruise missiles usually generate less interest than ballistic missiles because they are not explicitly banned under U.N. Nations Security Council Resolutions.

“This would be the first cruise missile in North Korea to be explicitly designated a ‘strategic’ role,” said Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “This is a common euphemism for nuclear-capable system.”

It is unclear whether North Korea has mastered the technology needed to build warheads small enough to be carried on a cruise missile, but leader Kim Jong Un said earlier this year that developing smaller bombs is a top goal.

The two Koreas have been locked in an accelerating arms race that analysts fear will leave the region littered with powerful new missiles.

South Korea’s military did not disclose whether it had detected the North’s latest tests, but said on Monday it was conducting a detailed analysis in cooperation with the United States.

The US military’s Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said it was aware of the reports and was coordinating with its allies and partners.

“This activity highlights (North Korea’s) continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community,” INDOPACOM said in a statement.

Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, ran photos of the new cruise missile flying and being fired from a transporter-erector-launcher.

The test provides “strategic significance of possessing another effective deterrence means for more reliably guaranteeing the security of our state and strongly containing the military manoeuvres of the hostile forces,” KCNA said.

It was seen as the North’s first missile launch after it tested a new tactical short-range ballistic missile in March. North Korea also conducted a cruise missile test j ust hours after US President Joseph R. Biden took office in late January.

SERIOUS CAPABILITY
Jeffrey Lewis, a missile researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said intermediate-range land-attack cruise missiles were no less a threat than ballistic missiles and were a pretty serious capability for North Korea.

“This is another system that is designed to fly under missile defense radars or around them,” Mr. Lewis said on Twitter.

Cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles that can be armed with either conventional or nuclear bombs are particularly destabilizing in the event of conflict as it can be unclear which kind of warhead they are carrying, analysts said.

Kim Jong Un did not appear to have attended the test, with KCNA saying Pak Jong Chon, a member of the Workers’ Party’s powerful politburo and a secretary of its central committee, oversaw it.

The reclusive North has long accused the United States and South Korea of “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang.

The unveiling of the test came just a day before chief nuclear negotiators from the United States, South Korea and Japan meet in Tokyo to explore ways to break the standoff with North Korea.

China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, is also scheduled to visit Seoul on Tuesday for talks with his counterpart, Chung Eui-yong.

Biden’s administration has said it is open to diplomacy to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization, but has shown no willingness to ease sanctions.

Sung Kim, the US envoy for North Korea, said in August in Seoul that he was ready to meet with North Korean officials “anywhere, at any time.”

A reactivation of inter-Korean hotlines in July raised hopes for a restart of the negotiations, but the North stopped answering calls as annual South Korea-US military exercises began last month, which Pyongyang had warned could trigger a security crisis. — Reuters

Globe takes you to GIFLand

September 13, 2021 | 5:28 pm

Amidst the ongoing global health crisis, Globe endeavors to bring joy to its customers via better connectivity and innovations that uplift the lives of the Filipino people.

Through its annual 917 Day celebration, Globe continues to reinvent ways to share compassion and care and provide customers with #SariSaringRewardingExperiences.

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu shares a message of thanks to customers

GIFLand is a virtual amusement park featuring the new offerings, treats, and activities that are in store for Globe customers, which they can access right at their fingertips.

The festival highlights the many ways Globe values its customers, to play a more meaningful part in their everyday lives.

Issa Cabreira-Guevarra, Globe Chief Commercial Officer welcomes customers to GIFLand

Chief Commercial Officer Issa Guevarra-Cabreira shared in the Globe Innovation Fest (GIF), “The core of what we do is to provide a richer, fuller, more rewarding experience to our customers. We continuously strive to deliver innovations across our products and services — with our customers at front and center of why we do it.”

September 17 or 917 is the time of the year when Globe shows its appreciation to its loyal customers. It is inspired by the company’s original and longstanding 917 prefix.

“Tuwing nasisiyahan ang isang Globe customer, ibig sabihin we did our job well. Their wonderful experience is the reward Globe strives for. Yan ang joy na hinahabol namin, whether it’s joy between two people or the joy that brings hope to a nation of more than a hundred million,” added Guevarra-Cabreira.

A GDay to share rewarding experiences with our customers and communities

Bianca Wong, Head of the Feel Valued Tribe at Globe, showed how people could enjoy GDay Everyday with the sari-saring rewarding experiences at GIFLand, encouraging the audience to multiply good vibes through sharing. What makes the 917 celebration really special this year is that customers can share their rewards with communities needing help.

An example of this is Globe’s G Legends Cup, an amateur mobile gaming tournament that lets winners share their prize with their beneficiary of choice. Other exciting activities include G Chance the Raffle, the G Super Sale, G Business Summit, and G Music Fest where customers’ participation in each program contributes to collective support to Globe’s partner beneficiaries.

“Our bayanihan spirit is playing a crucial role in helping our fellow Filipinos face our current challenges. And, we want to give our customers the opportunity to further ignite this bayanihan spirit. Which is why with GDay Everyday, we reward our customers and at the same time, empower them to support the wider community through Globe’s 15 partner beneficiaries,” she said.

Customers can also use their Globe Rewards points to donate to sustainability partners that support education, environment, health and well-being, poverty reduction, and disaster relief.

Digitizing transactions with Globe Shop & Pay

Another innovation launched at GIFLand is Shop & Pay, a self-service, highly-interactive one-stop shop for all your essentials in Globe.

Gino Guinto, Globe’s Vice President for Retail Sales Operations gave audiences a virtual walk-through of the new technology, highlighting its convenience and accessibility.

He said, “Sa panahon ngayon, kailangan talaga nating makasiguro na ligtas tayo tuwing lumalabas tayo ng ating mga bahay, kaya pinadali namin ang mga transactions ng ating mga customers to lessen their risk of exposure sa Globe Shop & Pay.”

Be it a request for a mobile or broadband plan, a handset, 917 apparel and merchandise, the new Globe Shop & Pay is sure to make transacting with Globe safer and more convenient for customers. It also features a vending machine to pay bills, buy load, call card or SIM, and cash-in via GCash.

Everything you need and love in the new GlobeOne Super app!

At the GDay Circus Tent, Globe unveiled the new GlobeOne Super App, which combines the features and experiences of all existing apps — GlobeOne, TM, Globe At Home, and Globe Rewards. It aims to be the one app that will empower Globe customers to access all of their essential transactions and accounts, be it topping up their prepaid mobile or broadband plans, redemption of rewards or payment of bills.

“With an app that has everything, we made sure that the experience is easy for our customers for their everyday use. Sa GlobeOne app, customers can have easy access to Globe Rewards that they need in their everyday lives — rewards such as KonsultaMD, game pins, discounts to restaurants,” said Juuya Reyes, Product Owner of the GlobeOne App.

Globe Prepaid Brand Head Eric Tanbauco also unveiled GoCREATE, an exclusive feature on the GlobeOne app that allows prepaid customers to take charge and customize their own promo.

Overview of the new GoCREATE feature on the new Globe One App

He shared, “We think it’s also important for our customers to have control over their promos. With GoCREATE, customers can customize their own promos based sa needs nila. Sila mismo have a say on what goes in their own promo. Pwede nilang piliin, for example, how much data to use, how long it will run, and kung saan gagamitin.”

Para #GDayEveryday, customers can now download the new GlobeOne app for FREE in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.

In line with Globe’s mission to drive digital adoption and transformation in the Philippines, they also shared exciting updates on the Globe Online Shop. Globe’s Digital Experience Lead, Mitch Opao, happily shared to customers that they can do more on the platform, including renewing their mobile plans, ordering their Home Prepaid WiFi devices online, tracking its delivery, and paying cashless via GCash.

Globe supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which recognizes the importance of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development, and UN SDG No. 12 on sustainable consumption and production. It is committed to upholding the UN Global Compact Principles and 10 UN SDGs.

To know more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Aiming for 10,000 steps? It turns out 7,000 could be enough to cut your risk of early death

September 13, 2021 | 5:03 pm

By Matthew Ahmadi

Many Australians are walking for their permitted fitness activity during lockdown. Some, emerging from winter hibernation, are taking part in STEPtember — a global initiative to raise money for cerebral palsy services and research.

The goal for participants is to reach 10,000 steps each day during the month of September. Indeed, 10,000 steps is the de-facto target around the world that many people associate with being fit, healthy and ageing well.

Now, a new study says a lower — and more achievable — daily goal of 7,000 steps will still yield substantial health benefits.

The 10,000-step benchmark originated from a marketing campaign rather than a specific health objective. A Japanese company (Yamasa Corporation) built a campaign for their new step-tracker off the momentum of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The pedometer’s brand name — Manpo-Kei means 10,000 step meter in English — and a new phenomenon was born.

The new study from the US in 2,100 adults aged over 40 found that while 10,000 steps may well be an optimal health goal, adults can still achieve significant health benefits from only 7,000 steps per day.

The researchers in the new study collected data using wearable sensors (triaxial accelerometers similar to those used in smartwatches and phones) and followed participants over a period of around 10 years. Researchers looked at the average step counts and analyzed the risk of death (after controlling for other factors that might influence the result, like poor health, smoking, and diet).

Compared to adults who walked less than 7,000 steps per day on average, those who reached between 7,000 and 9,999 steps per day had a 60% to 70% lower risk of early death from any cause. The effect was the same for both men and women. But there wasn’t significant further reduction in the risk of early death for those who walked more than 10,000 steps.

The effective step target might be even lower in older women. A 2019 study of 16,741 women with a mean age of 72 years found those who averaged around 4,400 steps per day had significantly lower mortality rates when they were followed up more than four years later, compared with the least active women in the study.

The researchers found health benefits were not affected by walking pace (based on the peak steps per minute over a 30-minute period) or intensity (the total time with over 100 steps per minute).

These findings corroborate a 2020 publication and further confirm the WHO’s 2020 physical activity report that tells us “every move counts.” Such messaging is echoed in Australia’s Move it campaign.

Research has shown walking to increase our individual speed could be more important than absolute speed — emphasizing the goal to challenge ourselves while out walking for exercise.

A large UK study shows prolonged lockdown conditions may limit our movement to 3,500 steps a day. And we know less physical activity not only affects physical health, but also mental health.

Exercise during lockdown is considered an essential activity by national and international authorities — as important as obtaining food and medical care.

For the millions of Australians in lockdown right now, this new study brings positive news and a more achievable goal for protecting their health.

There is no one-size fits all when it comes to fitness. And there are many different innovative ways to stay active while we’re at home.

For those people who don’t have mobility issues, walking provides therapeutic benefits and is an excellent activity for health. It is free of charge, expends energy at any pace, can be done all year round and is a habit forming activity.

While it is estimated more than a quarter of the world’s population is physically inactive, an easy and achievable solution might be right on our doorstep.

Whether we walk or do other physical activities, it is important we do so at a speed and intensity appropriate to our personal abilities and physical capacity.

More research is needed to understand the potential long-term health benefits across the lifespan of light-intensity activities such as household activities like gardening, watering the garden or vacuuming. But evidence continues to affirm that stepping to the beat of your own drum can ensure health benefits, prevent premature death and set attainable benchmarks to make us want to keep active and motivated to continue.

Public health messaging has emphasized the need to sit less and move more. Events like STEPtember add to heightened public awareness around the health benefits of physical activity and present an opportunity to focus on efficient ways to be active.

Whether you take 7,000 or more steps a day, the most important message is every single step counts. — The Conversation

Matthew Ahmadi is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney, Australia.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Vietnam’s biggest city to keep virus curbs, flight resumption sought

September 13, 2021 | 4:30 pm

HANOI — Vietnam’s coronavirus outbreak epicenter Ho Chi Minh City will extend its restrictions, state media reported on Monday, as the capital Hanoi and several provinces sought an easing of curbs and the aviation authority proposed domestic flights resume.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities said an extension until the end of September was necessary to isolate clusters, speed up inoculations and prevent hospitals being overwhelmed in the city of 9 million people.

Although more than 1 million vaccine shots have been administered daily of late, Vietnam vaccination rate of 5.2% of its 98 million population is one of the region’s lowest.

“Overall, Ho Chi Minh City will still be under restrictions for another two weeks,” state-run Dan Tri newspaper quoted city vice chairman Duong Anh Duc as saying.

“Although in some districts of the city where the virus is being kept at bay, restaurants are allowed to open for takeaways and people can go out for food.”

Vietnam has recorded more than 610,000 infections and 15,000 deaths, the majority of those since May. Business hub Ho Chi Minh City accounts for half of those infections and 80% of fatalities.

Vietnam had until late April maintained one of the world’s best containment records. The current outbreak and movement curbs have impacted its manufacturing-led economy, with industrial output, exports and retail sales all down in August. The prime minister earlier warned of a long coronavirus battle for which lockdown and quarantine measures could not be relied on indefinitely.

The capital Hanoi, the southern industrial hub Binh Duong and some provinces in the rice bowl Mekong Delta are seeking to gradually ease curbs, authorities said.

The civil aviation authority has proposed to the transport ministry a resumption of domestic flights in three phases, state-run Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported, after a months-long suspension. — Reuters

Britain begins world’s largest trial of blood test for 50 types of cancer

September 13, 2021 | 3:17 pm

LONDON — Britain’s state-run National Health Service (NHS) will on Monday begin the world’s biggest trial of Grail Inc.’s flagship Galleri blood test that can be used to detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear.

The Galleri test looks at the DNA in a patient’s blood to determine if any come from cancer cells. Earlier diagnosis of cancers leads to dramatically increased survival rates.

The NHS said it wanted to recruit 140,000 volunteers in England to see how well the test worked as part of a randomized control trial. Half of the participants will have their blood sample screened with the Galleri test right away.

“We need to study the Galleri test carefully to find out whether it can significantly reduce the number of cancers diagnosed at a late stage,” said Peter Sasieni, professor of cancer prevention at King’s College London.

“The test could be a game changer for early cancer detection and we are excited to be leading this important research.”

Lung cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer death in the United Kingdom, accounting for around a fifth of all cancer deaths. Lung, bowel, prostate and breast cancers account for 45% of the United Kingdom’s cancer deaths, the NHS said.

US life sciences company Illumina Inc. said last month it had completed its $7.1 billion acquisition of Grail. Illumina said it will operate Grail separately from its existing business. — Reuters

IAEA-Iran agreement raises hopes for fresh nuclear talks with US

September 13, 2021 | 2:32 pm

VIENNA — The UN atomic watchdog reached an agreement with Iran on Sunday to solve “the most urgent issue” between them, the overdue servicing of monitoring equipment to keep it running, raising hopes of fresh talks on a wider deal with the West.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi obtained the agreement in a last-minute trip to Tehran he called “constructive” before a meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors this week at which Western powers were threatening to seek a resolution criticizing Iran for stonewalling the IAEA.

A resolution risked an escalation with Tehran that could kill the prospect of resuming wider, indirect talks between Iran and the United States on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, aimed at keeping Iran at arm’s length from being able to develop a nuclear weapon if it chose to. It denies ever wanting to do so.

Those talks stopped in June, and Iran’s hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, took office in August. Western powers have urged Iran to return to negotiations and said time is running out as its nuclear program is advancing well beyond the limits set by the deal, which Washington abandoned in 2018.

“This is not a permanent solution, this cannot be a permanent solution. This has always been seen, for me at least, as a stopgap, as a measure to allow time for diplomacy,” Mr. Grossi told reporters at Vienna airport after his trip.

He added: “We managed to rectify the most urgent issue: The imminent loss of knowledge we were confronted with until yesterday. Now we have a solution.”

The coordinator of the now-stalled nuclear talks, European Union political director Enrique Mora, said on Twitter that the agreement “gives space for diplomacy,” adding it was crucial for the talks to resume as soon as possible.

The 2015 agreement introduced monitoring of extra areas of Iran’s nuclear program beyond those supervised under Iran’s core legal obligations to the IAEA. Iran said in February it was abandoning that monitoring, which covers areas like the making of parts for centrifuges — the machines that enrich uranium.

Concerned that without monitoring of those areas, Iran could secretly siphon off unknown quantities of equipment and material that could potentially be used to make a nuclear weapon, Mr. Grossi had previously reached agreement with Tehran for it to keep servicing the equipment, although Iran later abandoned that too.

That equipment must be serviced every three months to make sure its memory cards do not fill up and there are no gaps in the monitoring. With three months having passed more than two weeks ago, the agreement came as time was running out.

Mr. Grossi stopped short of saying that so-called continuity of knowledge had been maintained but said the agreement gave the IAEA the technical means it needed.

“The reconstruction and the coming together of the jigsaw puzzle will come when there is an agreement at the JCPOA level, but at that time we will have all this information and there will not have been a gap,” he said, referring to the 2015 deal by its full name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The servicing of the monitoring equipment will start “within a few days”, Mr. Grossi said, adding that even cameras damaged and removed from a centrifuge workshop that was the victim of suspected sabotage in June would be replaced.

MORE PROBLEMS AHEAD
The agreement did little to resolve another issue between the IAEA and Iran — Tehran’s failure to explain uranium traces found at three undeclared former sites. Mr. Grossi said Iran had invited him to return soon and he expected to meet the country’s “highest authorities.”

“This may take time. It’s not heroic but it’s much better than any alternative,” he said of efforts to resolve that issue.

Diplomats said the United States and its European allies had not yet decided whether to seek a resolution against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, which starts on Monday.

“Clearly a resolution is less likely now,” one Vienna-based diplomat said.

While describing Iran’s “concessions” on monitoring as “very modest,” Eurasia Group analyst Henry Rome said “they will almost certainly be sufficient to avert censure at this week’s Meeting.” — Francois Murphy/Reuters

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