China reported more than 50 imported cases of the coronavirus on Friday, hours after announcing a ban on foreigners entering the country.
In recent weeks China's tally of infections has dwindled dramatically, with only a handful of domestic patients each day. But just as the country appears to bring the outbreak under control, nations around the globe have been battling to control soaring numbers of infections in new hotspots.
There were another 55 new infections in China Friday, the National Health Commission said, with one local infection and 54 imported cases from overseas.
Beijing has been racing to control the number of infections being brought into the country -- mostly Chinese nationals returning home from overseas, including large numbers of students abroad.
On Thursday Beijing announced dramatic measures to curb arrivals into the country, including reducing the number of international flights, limiting the capacity on board to 75 percent, and imposing a ban on foreigners ...

China's imported cases rise as foreigners banned and flights cut

PTI Automatic

Venezuela reported its first coronavirus death on Thursday after a 47-year-old man with a pre-existing lung disease died, the government said.
The man from the northern Aragua state had previously suffered from an "occupational disease in the lungs," Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez said in a television address.
The patient had been admitted to a private clinic suffering from pneumonia and three days later tested positive for COVID-19, Rodriguez said. The South American country has now reported 107 coronavirus cases. It is under a total lockdown with businesses and schools closed and its borders closed to commercial flights, although cargo arrivals are still allowed.
The pandemic is causing particular concern in Venezuela because its economy has collapsed, with people already suffering shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine, and the breakdown of public services such as water, electricity and transport.
Meanwhile a "special flight" organized by several European ...

Venezuela records first coronavirus death

The United States Space Force launched its first national security mission Thursday, sending an ultra-secure military communication satellite into orbit even as the coronavirus pandemic paralyzes much of the country.
The Lockheed Martin Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 4:18 pm (2018 GMT) aboard an Atlas V551 rocket.
AEHF-6, as the satellite is called, is the sixth and final in the Lockheed Martin AEHF constellation.
It will join the other five, which were launched between 2010 and 2019, on Friday around 0400 GMT after reaching geostationary orbit.
The satellite constellation provides "global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms," according to Lockheed Martin.
And it gives "senior leadership a survivable line of communications to military forces in all levels of conflict, including nuclear war," it said.
The system ...

US Space Force launches first mission despite coronavirus

South Africa came under a nationwide military-patrolled lockdown on Friday, joining other African countries imposing strict curfews and shutdowns in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus across the continent.
Some 57 million people are to be restricted to their homes during South Africa's three-week total lockdown which began at midnight.
Kenya, Rwanda and Mali are some of the African countries that have imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has been confirmed to have infected 3,203 people and killed 87.
Although Africa's toll is far lower than in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, health experts say the world's poorest continent is especially vulnerable and the figures likely fall far short of the reality.
Donning camouflage uniform complete with a cap, President Cyril Ramaphosa saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in Soweto township outside economic hub Johannesburg.
"I send you out to go and defend our people .

South Africa begins 'unprecedented' military-patrolled lockdown

Germany remains opposed to the idea of so-called "corona bonds" that would pool the debt of the 19 eurozone countries in response to the coronavirus crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday.
Speaking after a video conference with other EU leaders, Merkel rejected the proposal backed by France and Italy.
"From the German side and from other sides, we said that this was not the view of all member states," Merkel said, adding that the existing European Stability Mechanism was her "preferred instrument".

Merkel says Germany opposes 'coronabonds' in virus crisis

Cuba hit out at the United States on Thursday over a "campaign of discredit and lies" against the doctors it has sent around the world to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Following requests in recent weeks, communist Cuba has sent medical teams to Italy, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Grenada, Suriname, Jamaica and Belize.
The export of medical services is one of the pillars of the Cuban economy that has suffered almost six decades of crippling US sanctions, bringing in USD 6.3 billion in 2018, according to official figures.
"The American government's campaign of discredit is immoral in any circumstances, and it's particularly offensive for Cuba and the world in times of a pandemic that threatens all of us," said the foreign ministry.
The US State Department is waging "a continuous and exacerbated campaign of discredit and lies against the international medical cooperation supplied by Cuba," the ministry said in a diplomatic protest statement.
"#Cuba offers its international medical ...

Cuba blasts US 'lies' over virus medical help

EU leaders on Thursday gave the finance ministers of the 19-member eurozone single currency bloc two weeks to come up with a strong economic response to the coronavirus crisis.
The call was agreed after what officials said was a difficult video summit at which hard-hit Italy and Spain pushed their reluctant northern partners to do more.
"At this stage, we invite the Eurogroup to present proposals to us within two weeks," the leaders said, in a statement released after the talks, held at a distance to protect participants from infection.
"These proposals should take into account the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 shock affecting all our countries and our response will be stepped up, as necessary, with further action in an inclusive way, in light of developments, in order to deliver a comprehensive response.

EU leaders give Eurogroup two weeks for virus response

Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of setting a "dangerous example" amid the coronavirus pandemic by failing to respect social distancing.
Lopez Obrador had initially maintained his routine of public appearances and contact with supporters despite health authorities calling on Mexicans to take more precautions.
"President Lopez Obrador's behaviour in the face of the COVID-19 crisis is a profoundly dangerous example that threatens Mexicans' health," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.
Late in February, after Mexico's first case had been confirmed the president "blatantly misinformed the Mexican public, saying: 'According to the information available, it is not terrible or fatal. It is not even as bad as the flu,'" HRW said.
The New York-based rights group said he had "continued to hold rallies and attend events across the country, hugging, kissing, and shaking hands with supporters despite recommendations .

HRW slams 'reckless' Mexican leader over COVID-19

Fitch Ratings on Thursday reaffirmed the United States's AAA credit rating, even with the country facing rising unemployment and a looming recession as the coronavirus pandemic exacts its toll.
"The US sovereign rating is supported by structural strengths that include the size of the economy, high per capita income and a dynamic business environment," Fitch said.
The rating came as the Department of Labour reported unemployment claims surging to 3.3 million in the week ending March 21 after the pandemic caused many businesses to close.
Fitch predicted that US GDP will shrink by about three percent this year, worse than during the global financial crisis in 2009, but the economy could recover in 2021 if the virus is contained.
The Senate passed a massive USD 2.2 trillion stimulus measure late on Wednesday, and expectations of its swift enactment pushed Wall Street to rally with the Dow closing up 6.2 per cent.
"As fiscal and monetary policy effectively merge, government will spend in ..

Fitch maintains US AAA rating despite coronavirus

Venezuela's foreign minister accused Washington of a coup attempt Thursday after the US Justice Department indicted President Nicolas Maduro for "narco-terrorism."
Jorge Arreaza charged that President Donald Trump was "once more attacking the Venezuelan people and its democratic institutions, using a new form of coup d'etat based on miserable, vulgar and unfounded accusations."
In an extremely rare criminal case against a foreign head of state, the Justice Department indicted Maduro and several of his top ministers after accusing him of leading a cocaine trafficking group called "The Cartel of the Suns.

Venezuela blasts US Maduro indictment as 'coup'

Zimbabwe has re-introduced the use of foreign currency for domestic transactions in what was seen as a bid to tap into private forex savings as the country gears up for the battle against the novel coronavirus.
In a statement the central bank governor John Mangudya said the move is part of "measures to mitigate the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the Zimbabwean society and the economy".
The government outlawed the use of foreign currency as legal tender last June after having used a basket of currencies when hyperinflation forced the government to ditch the Zimbabwe dollar in 2009.
The US dollar became the main currency for payment of goods and services, but a shortage of  greenbacks forced the government to introduced a quasi currency called the bond note which was supposed to be equal to the US dollar in 2016.
In February 2019 Zimbabwe launched currency reforms including reintroducing the local currency and banned the use of the US dollar in a bid to solve a monetary crisis.
The ..

Coronavirus pushes Zimbabwe to re-introduce use of US dollar

Athletes who had already qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before they were postponed will keep their places when the showpiece takes place in 2021, according to sources.
Around 57 per cent  of the 11,000 scheduled participants for Tokyo had already made sure of taking part when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pushed the Games back to 2021 due to the coronavirus on Tuesday.
The IOC and international sports federations held a teleconference on Thursday where it was decided to respect the qualification process, the sources told AFP.

Athletes qualified for Tokyo 2020 will keep 2021 spots: Sources

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is blocking a joint response that EU leaders are trying to put together to the coronavirus crisis, an Italian government source said Thursday.
Conte told other European leaders that Italy wanted the EU to apply "innovative financial instruments truly adapted to a war," the AGI news agency reported, confirming the prime minister was blocking the draft response being discussed at the videoconference.

Italy PM blocking joint EU response to virus crisis: Source

China and Iran led a group of countries in a joint push Thursday for the UN to pressure Washington to lift sanctions, which they charged are hindering the global fight against COVID-19.
"We urge you to request the complete and immediate lifting of such illegal, coercive and arbitrary measures of economic pressure (...) in order to ensure the full, effective and efficient response of all members of the international community to the coronavirus," they said in a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Dated Wednesday, the letter was published on Twitter by the Iranian mission to the UN.
The letter does not specifically mention Washington but all eight signatories currently face US sanctions.
The signatories said they want to "reject the politicization of such a pandemic." In addition to Iran and China, two of the countries most affected by the coronavirus, the signatories include Russia, Venezuela, North Korea, Nicaragua, Cuba and Syria.

AFP

AFP

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