International

UN chief praises South Korea’s simultaneous fight against virus, climate change

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised South Korea Thursday for combatting the novel coronavirus while simultaneously fighting climate change. The country was providing a “remarkable example” of how “the two things can be put together,” Guterres told journalists during a press conference. Under a so-called Green Deal, South Korea has put together what Guterres called “very ambitious” plans for a post-coronavirus economic recovery which include a reduction of emissions […]

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California to shut down certain beaches to prevent spread of virus

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Beaches in some parts of southern California will be shut down from Friday, the state’s governor announced, to avoid a repeat of the huge crowds that flocked there last weekend. “We’re going to do a hard close … just in the Orange County area,” Gavin Newsom said. “Specific issues on some of those beaches have raised alarm bells,” he added, referring to the thousands of people who packed beaches […]

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Los Angeles offers free virus tests for all residents

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Los Angeles will offer free coronavirus tests to all residents regardless of whether they show any symptoms, Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Announcing that L.A. is now the first major city in America to offer free COVID-19 testing to all residents,” Garcetti tweeted Wednesday. Priority will be given to those with symptoms and front-line workers but individuals without symptoms can also be tested. Along with hand-washing and social distancing “testing […]

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South Korea reports zero new domestic coronavirus cases

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea Thursday reported no new locally transmitted coronavirus cases for the first time since the disease was detected in the country more than two months ago. Health authorities said, however, there was an additional death — taking the toll to 247. “For the first time in 72 days, we have zero new domestic cases,” President Moon Jae-in posted on his Facebook account. The country has seen 10,765 cases […]

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German jobless total soars in April due to coronavirus

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — The jobless total in Germany rose unusually sharply in April, official data showed Thursday, highlighting the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Europe’s top economy. The jobless total soared to 2.6 million in April from 2.3 million in March, according to data compiled by the federal labor agency BA. And in seasonally adjusted terms, the unemployment rate jumped to 5.8 percent this month from 5.0 percent the previous month, the agency […]

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Spain daily virus death toll drops below 300

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spain on Thursday counted another 268 people who have died from the coronavirus, the lowest daily number since March 20 as the country prepares to ease its tough lockdown measures. The figures from the health ministry bring the total number of deaths from the pandemic in Spain to 24,543 — the fourth-highest after the United States, Italy and Britain. This is the fifth straight day that the number of daily deaths […]

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South Korea leads virus success in Asia as drug trial raises hope

by Kang Jin-kyu with AFP bureaus Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea, once one of the hardest-hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic, reported no new cases on Thursday, boosting hopes of an eventual return to normality as US scientists hailed the results of a major drug trial. The good medical news caused equities to rally, despite mounting deaths worldwide and abysmal economic figures caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Data showed the […]

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Japan to extend state of emergency over virus: reports

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to extend a nationwide state of emergency imposed over the coronavirus, possibly by another month, local media reported on Thursday. The measure was initially declared on April 7 across seven regions experiencing a spike in infections, but was later expanded to cover the entire country. With the initial month-long period coming to an end next week after the country’s annual Golden Week holidays, local […]

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France in recession as virus-hit economy shrinks 5.8 percent

by Joseph Schmid Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — The French economy officially fell into recession after contracting 5.8 percent in the first quarter, the national statistics office said Thursday, underscoring the massive toll of the country’s nationwide shutdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Even though the business closures and stay-at-home orders were imposed only the final two weeks of the quarter, the drop-off in activity was a hammer blow that has put more […]

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South Korea reports zero new domestic coronavirus cases

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea reported zero new locally transmitted coronavirus cases Thursday, the first time no infections have been recorded since the disease was detected in the country more than 70 days ago. Health authorities reported one new death, taking the toll to 247. The country has seen 10,765 cases since its first infection was reported on February 18. For a time it had the world’s second-largest outbreak before the spread was […]

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‘Don’t waste a minute’: Chinese firm readies mass vaccine production

by Patrick BAERT Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — A researcher in a lab coat in Beijing holds up the hopes of humanity in his fingers: “Coronavac”, an experimental vaccine against the coronavirus that has upended the world. Sinovac Biotech, which is conducting one of the four clinical trials that have been authorized in China, has claimed great progress in its research and promising results among monkeys. While human trials have just started, the […]

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Rare inflammatory syndrome seen in children with COVID-19

by Issam AHMED with Paul Ricard in Paris Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Children have largely been spared the worst of COVID-19, but there may be a rare complication — an inflammatory syndrome that one doctor described as causing patients to feel like “every blood vessel in the body is on fire.” Britain’s National Health Service first sounded the alarm over the weekend, warning about a small rise in children infected with […]

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