Indonesia's capital Jakarta has launched a special police unit to guard the burials of coronavirus victims over concerns that scared residents could try to block funerals, authorities said Monday.
The move comes days after angry mobs in several cities on Sulawesi island and in Central Java blocked streets to prevent ambulances from transporting victims of the deadly illness to local cemeteries.
Launched at the weekend, the 120-strong Jakarta team will watch over victims' bodies as they are taken from hospitals to two cemeteries in the sprawling city, where virus corpses are being wrapped in plastic and quickly buried.
"We've seen cases in other cities and we don't want such a thing to happen in Jakarta so that's why we immediately formed the team as a preventative measure," said Mokhamad Ngajib, head of the new unit.
On Monday, health authorities said 209 people had died of the virus with nearly 2,500 confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 260 million, where ..

Indonesia launches police unit to guard virus burials

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Germany will put all arriving travellers in quarantine for 14 days, the interior ministry said Monday, as Berlin ramps up entry curbs to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure, which will come into force on April 10, is expected to affect mostly German or EU nationals and residents, as the European Union has already banned all arrivals from outside the bloc.
Workers in the health sector living outside Germany in border regions will be exempted from the restriction, which will also not apply for business travellers entering for a short period of time.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had decided on the toughened rule during a cabinet meeting focus on the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
During the same meeting, which is ongoing, ministers agreed that 100 percent of loans made by banks to small- and medium-sized firms will be guaranteed by the state.
The federal government will stand fully behind 500,000 euros ($540,000) of lending to companies with up to 50 employees .

Germany to put all arrivals in 14-day quarantine

Asian and European equity markets rebounded Monday as some of the world's worst-hit countries reported falling death rates, providing much-needed hope in the battle against coronavirus, but oil prices sank after a meeting of top producers was delayed.
While deadly COVID-19 continues its deadly sweep across the planet, with more than 1.25 million now declared infected and nearly 70,000 dead, news out of Europe that the rise of fatalities was easing has lifted spirits on trading floors.
Italy reported its lowest daily death toll in two weeks, while Spanish officials said deaths fell for the third straight day and France reported its lowest daily toll in a week.
In early afternoon eurozone deals, Frankfurt stocks rallied 4.5 percent, Paris won 3.7 percent, Madrid gained 3.0 percent and Milan added 3.2 percent.
"European markets are trading higher because investors are shrugging off the pessimism," said AvaTrade analyst Naeem Aslam.
"They are focused on more optimistic things: the slowing 

Stock markets rebound on easing virus crisis but oil dips

Sudan's justice ministry said Monday it has finalised a settlement with families of the victims of the USS Cole bombing, ending long-running litigation in US courts.
Khartoum agreed in February to compensate the families of 17 American sailors who were killed in a suicide bombing targeting their navy destroyer in Yemen's Aden harbour in 2000, an attack that was later claimed by Al-Qaeda.
A US court held Sudan responsible for the attack and ordered compensation, finding that the bombers were trained in the country.
In March 2019, the US Supreme Court overturned the ruling on procedural grounds.
On Monday, Sudan's justice ministry said it had submitted on Friday a petition alongside families who pursued the case with the relevant US court to end pending lawsuits against Sudan regarding the USS Cole.
"The settlement procedures have now been completed in such a way that would permanently scrap lawsuits," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry did not give further details on the ...

Sudan says settlement deal closes USS Cole bombing case

The trajectory of coronavirus infections in Iran appears to have started a "gradual" downward trend, the government said Monday, but it warned the disease is far from being under control.
The COVID-19 outbreak claimed 136 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing Iran's overall death toll to 3,739, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised news conference.
Iran registered 2,274 new cases of infection over the same period, he said, putting the total number at 60,500 across the country.
The figure shows a drop in officially reported new cases of the novel coronavirus for the sixth consecutive day after a peak of 3,111 reached on March 31.
Iran is by far the country most affected by the pandemic in the Middle East, according to official tolls released by each state.
"Due to the intensification of the social distancing policy, we have seen a gradual and slow decline in the number of new cases in recent days," Jahanpour said.
President Hassan Rouhani reiterated a call for ..

Iran says virus infections show 'gradual' decline

Spain declared on Monday a fourth consecutive drop in the number of coronavirus-related deaths with 637 over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in nearly two weeks.
Fatalities, which were sharply down on the record 950 on Thursday, brought the total deaths in the country to 13,055, second only to Italy.
The official figures represent an increase of 5.1 per cent over the last 24 hours, compared to a 4.8 per cent rise on Sunday and a 32.63 per cent leap as recently as March 21.
The number of new infections also slowed, rising 3.3 per cent to 135,032, down from a rise of 24.8 per cent on March 21.
"These figures confirm again this downwards tendency which we have been observing," said Maria Jose Sierra of the health ministry's emergencies coordination unit.
Over 40,000 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospital, or nearly 30 percent of all confirmed cases of the disease, she added.
With deaths and new infections falling the Spanish government is studying how to gradually ..

Spain says virus deaths down for 4th day

The new coronavirus has killed more than 70,000 people across the globe, the majority in Europe, according to an AFP tally Monday at 1100 GMT.
Out of a total of 70,009 killed in the pandemic, 50,215 are in Europe, according to figures compiled from official government data and the World Health Organisation.
Italy is leading the global death toll with 15,877 fatalities, followed by Spain with 13,055, the United States with 9,648 and France with 8,078.

Global coronavirus death toll tops 70,000

Berlin will guarantee 100 per cent of loans made by banks to small- and medium-sized firms, German government sources told AFP Monday, in an extension to the 1.1-trillion-euro coronavirus crisis package in Europe's top economy.
The federal government will stand fully behind 500,000 euros (USD 540,000) of lending to companies with up to 50 employees and 800,000 euros for larger ones, upping its guarantee level from a previous 80 percent for large firms or 90 percent for smaller ones.
Berlin's economic aid so far totals over 1.1 trillion euros, the finance ministry said in an answer to an opposition parliamentary question seen by AFP Monday.
Ministers have agreed a 600-billion-euro "economic stabilisation fund" offering 400 billion euros of guarantees for companies' debts, 100 billion to lend directly to or buy stakes in troubled firms, and 100 billion euros to fund state investment bank KfW.
Meanwhile the amount of company borrowing KfW can guarantee has been boosted by 357 billion ...

Germany to guarantee 100% of loans to smaller firms in virus aid package

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 50,000 people in Europe, mostly in Italy, Spain, France and Britain, according to an AFP tally using official figures at 0945 GMT on Monday.
With a total of 50,209 deaths, Europe is the continent with the most COVID-19 fatalities, out of 675,580 declared cases. Hardest-hit Italy has 15,877 deaths and Spain 13,055.
France has reported 8,078 fatalities while Britain has 4,934.

Coronavirus kills more than 50,000 in Europe: AFP tally

It is midday on Saturday and smoke rises off the grill even though the doors are closed at the Timesburg restaurant in Barcelona.
The chefs are making hamburgers, not to be served at tables but packed up and delivered to doctors, nurses and other health staff on the front line of Spain's battle against coronavirus.
"Contributing in any way we can at the moment makes us feel better," Vanessa, one of the cooks, tells AFPTV as she garnishes the burgers, wraps them up and loads them into takeout bags.
Bars and restaurants have been closed in Spain since the middle of March but a dozen of them have joined forces with delivery companies as part of an initiative called "Delivery for Heroes".
Every day, between 200 and 300 dishes are prepared and donated to Barcelona's hospitals, in the hope of offering some solace to those trying to save lives inside.
"We know we are not an absolute necessity because they already have food and catering. But we are trying to give them that moment of ...

Shuttered restaurants dish out for Spain's health workers

Austria could start easing its coronavirus lockdown measures from next week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Monday, but warned that this depended on citizens abiding by social distancing rules.
"The aim is that from April 14... smaller shops up to a size of 400 square metres, as well as hardware and garden stores can open again, under strict security conditions of course," Kurz said at a press conference.
He added that if the government's timetable goes to plan, larger shops will reopen on 1 May and from mid-May hotels, restaurants and other services could also start to open their doors again in stages.
However, he stressed that the restrictions on movement that Austria has introduced to fight the spread of COVID-19 remained in place and called on Austrians not to celebrate Easter with people outside their household.
Schools will remain closed until mid-May and public events will remain banned until the end of June, Kurz said.
If trends in infection began to worsen again, the ...

Austria could start loosening lockdown from April 14

British cycling superstar Mark Cavendish says he has successfully come through a two-year battle with clinical depression revealing on Monday he was "dark" but is now on the "other side".
The 34-year-old is just four stage wins shy of equalling Belgian legend Eddie Mercx's record of 34 stage victories in the Tour de France.
However, with the coronavirus pandemic playing havoc with the sporting calendar -- both Euro 2020 and the Olympics have been postponed for a year -- there is no guarantee the Isle of Man-born rider will get a chance to have a go at the record this year.
The Tour is due to start on June 27.
Cavendish, though, is just happy that should the Tour go ahead he will be in a healthy state of mind for the challenge facing him.
"It's not just been my physical health which has been dealt a blow over the last couple of years," he told The Times.
"I've battled quite hard with depression during this time "I was diagnosed with clinical depression in August 2018."
Cavendish said ..

Cycling ace Cavendish opens up about battle with depression

Iran on Monday welcomed the launch of a European barter system to bypass US sanctions as a "good omen" but said it was insufficient in light of the Europeans' commitments.
Britain, France and Germany said last week they had carried out the first transaction through the Instex mechanism to deliver medical supplies to Iran, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
In the first official reaction to the development, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the transaction had involved "a few hundred thousand euros (dollars)".
"We see the launch of Instex as a good omen," Mousavi said in a televised news conference.
But "what the Islamic Republic of Iran expects (from now on) is for the Europeans to fulfil the rest of their commitments in various fields (such as) banking, energy, insurance," he added.
Iran has struggled to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus which officials say has claimed over 3,600 lives and infected more than 58,000 in the country since ...

Iran says European barter system 'good omen' but insufficient

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said the government plans to declare a state of emergency and proposed a stimulus package worth USD 1 trillion as new coronavirus infections spike in Tokyo and elsewhere.
"We hope to declare a state of emergency as early as tomorrow after listening to the opinions of the advisory panel," Abe told reporters.
"We're currently seeing rapid increases of new infections particularly in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka," he said.
"Considering that medical institutions are facing a critical situation, I have received opinions that the government should prepare to declare a state of emergency," Abe said.
A state of emergency, which falls far short of the strict lockdown measures seen elsewhere in the world, would be declared for Tokyo, Osaka, and five other prefectures, according to Abe.
Pressure has increased on the government to take fresh action as Tokyo announced a record 148 new cases on Sunday, with another 83 infections on Monday.
Abe added ..

Japan PM proposes state of emergency over virus

More than 215,000 people have signed a petition urging French officials to let more doctors prescribe the anti-malaria drug chloroquine for coronavirus patients, a controversial proposal that has divided health experts worldwide.
Support for the treatment has gained ground as doctors try to keep the COVID-19 outbreak from overwhelming hospitals, with some saying early use of chloroquine and similar treatments could keep symptoms from worsening to the point that intensive care is needed.
The French petition on the Change.org website was launched Friday by a group of doctors including Philippe Douste-Blazy, a cardiologist and former French health minister.
On Monday, three of France's most respected doctors penned an open letter backing chloroquine use despite the absence of randomised and peer-reviewed studies on its efficiency.
In the absence of anti-virals for the new coronavirus, "we think it is legitimate, given preliminary results, to implement a new strategy," the doctors wrote ..

Thousands sign French call for chloroquine in virus fight

France could see its deepest recession this year since the end of World War II, due to the coronavirus crisis, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire warned Monday.
"The worst growth figure in France since 1945 was -2.2 percent in 2009, after the financial crisis of 2008. We will probably be very far beyond -2.2 percent" this year, Le Maire told a Senate panel.

France heading for worst recession since WWII: minister

A cruise ship that has accounted for a quarter of all COVID-19 deaths in Australia was allowed to dock near Sydney on Monday after 200 crew members began exhibiting coronavirus symptoms.
The Ruby Princess berthed at Port Kembla, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Sydney, after weeks stranded at sea to allow doctors to assess sick crew members and take the most serious cases ashore for medical treatment.
The government last month allowed 2,700 passengers to walk off the Carnival Australia-owned vessel and return to their homes around the country -- despite a ban on cruise ships docking in Australia being announced just days earlier.
Hundreds of passengers were later diagnosed with coronavirus and at least 10 have died, accounting for a quarter of Australia's death toll of 40. The country has recorded almost 6,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
New South Wales police said the ship could remain at the port for up to 10 days to restock and refuel before departing Australian waters, but .

Virus-stricken cruise ship docks near Sydney

Spain saw a fourth consecutive daily drop in the number of coronavirus-related deaths with 637 fatalities recorded over the past 24 hours, official figures showed on Monday.
The health ministry said the number, the lowest in 13 days, brought the total number of deaths to 13,055, second only to Italy.
The number of new infections also slowed, rising 3.3 percent to 135,032, down from a rise of 4.8 percent the day before.

Spain says coronavirus deaths down for 4th day at 637

Some 20 Malian soldiers were killed in an apparent jihadist attack Monday, local politicians and a military official said, in the latest bout of violence in the war-torn West African state.
Militants attacked a military base in the northern town of Bamba early on Monday morning, according to a local government official, who called the assailants "terrorists" and said at least 20 soldiers had died.
Another local official gave a similar account, but suggested the death toll was likely higher than 20, while a leading army official also confirmed an attack had taken place, with losses on both sides.

20 Mali soldiers killed in jihadist attack

Austria could start loosening its coronavirus lockdown measures from next week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced at a press conference Monday, but warned this depended on citizens abiding by social distancing rules.
"The aim is that from 14 April... smaller shops up to a size of 400 square metres, as well as hardware and garden stores can open again, under strict security conditions of course," Kurz said.

Austria could start loosening lockdown from April 14: chancellor

Italy recorded a shocking spike in coronavirus deaths Friday with 969 new victims, the worst daily record for any country since the pandemic began.
The infection rate however continued its downward trend, with the civil protection agency reporting nearly 86,500 confirmed cases in Italy -- a 7.4 percent increase, down from around 8.0 percent in previous days.

AFP

AFP

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