The International Olympic Committee's chief said he was confident Tokyo could host spectators at the postponed Games, while two more U.S. states imposed new curbs on gatherings as the country's total COVID-19 cases crossed 11 million on Sunday.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread of COVID-19, open https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/ in an external browser.
* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.
EUROPE
* Hungary will veto the European Union's 2021-27 budget and its COVID-19 recovery scheme if access to funds is made conditional on governments' adherence to the rule of law.
* French Health Minister Olivier Veran said it was too early to claim victory over a resurgence in infections.
* German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders are expected to impose new measures to tame a second coronavirus wave before Christmas.
* The new coronavirus was circulating in Italy in September 2019, a study by the National Cancer Institute (INT) of the Italian city of Milan shows, signaling that it might have spread beyond China earlier than thought.
* Britain said it will open two new "mega" laboratories in early 2021 for carrying out tests, a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson went into self-isolation after coming into contact with someone diagnosed with the virus. [nL8N2I21D5]
AMERICAS
* Brazil's health ministry said it had taken the system used to report COVID-19 case numbers and deaths offline in recent days to protect against a suspected cyber attack.
* A member of the International Monetary Fund mission in Argentina has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the team to isolate and conduct next week's meetings online.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Countries across the Asia-Pacific region reported record new numbers and fresh outbreaks, with Japan facing mounting pressure to reimpose a state of emergency and South Korea warning it was at a "critical crossroads".
* South Australia reported 14 new cases, a rapid spike in the state's first outbreak since April, prompting officials to impose social distancing restrictions.
* New Zealand has made masks mandatory from Thursday for users of public transport in Auckland as well as on all domestic flights.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Iran reported a record 13,053 new infections and 486 deaths over the past 24 hours as the government planned tougher restrictions.
* Algeria will reimpose restrictions from Nov. 17, including closing gyms, cultural centres, leisure venues and used car markets.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Moderna Inc's experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19 based on interim data from a late-stage trial, the company said, becoming the second U.S. drugmaker to report results that far exceed expectations.
* Europe's health regulator said it had launched a real-time review of U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc's experimental vaccine.
* Russia expects to produce primarily freeze-dried Sputnik V vaccine doses by the spring, a top official said, eliminating the need for transport at ultra-low temperatures as part of an ambitious plan to inoculate its population.
* Johnson & Johnson launched a new large-scale late-stage trial to test a two-dose regimen of its experimental vaccine.
* Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc said it had received the U.S. health regulator's clearance to begin a mid-stage study of its vaccine candidate.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Global stocks eyed a fresh record high as signs of economic recovery in Asia, strong corporate earnings and additional positive data about a COVID-19 vaccine boosted investor sentiment.[MKTS/GLOB]
* Japan's economy grew at the fastest pace on record in the third quarter, rebounding sharply from its biggest post-war slump.
* China's industrial output rose at a faster-than-expected pace in October, while retail sales continued to recover albeit at a slower-than-forecast pace.
(Compiled by Linda Pasquini and Ramakrishnan M.; Editing by Anil D'Silva/Mark Heinrich)
