Companies are prohibited from laying off workers and rents are reduced under Italy's economic survival plan for life at the European epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed his 25-billion-euro ($28-billion) programme as the "Italian model" that the rest of Europe could adopt as it imposes its own painful lockdowns.
Italy's 2,503 official COVID-19 deaths account for more than half of those reported outside China.
"When we talk about the Italian model, we are not only talking about health but also the economic response to the crisis," Conte said while unveiling his "Cura Italia" ("Italian Cure") plan at the start of the week.
Other European countries will probably never take on all 127 points Conte -- a former law professor -- and his team of technocratic ministers drafted during Italy's gravest emergency since World War II.
But here is a broad look at some of the measures outlined in the 72-page decree Italian President Sergio Mattarella signed on ...

No layoffs, reduced rent: 'Italian cure' for pandemic

PTI Automatic

A shallow 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Salt Lake City Wednesday, shaking residents in the western US state, the US Geological Survey reported.
The USGS said the quake hit at 1309 GMT 2,5 miles (four kilometers) north of Magna, a township in Salt Lake County, at a depth of six miles (10 kilometers).
The quake was felt throughout the area, a map on the monitoring agency website showed, although there were no immediate reports of serious damage.

Earthquake rattles Salt Lake City, Utah

Russia may have suspended all basketball, football and ice hockey fixtures over the coronavirus pandemic, but sports fans may find solace in a different competition beginning this week: chess.
The 2020 Candidates Tournament opened in a luxury hotel in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg this week despite a large series of suspensions of sporting events in Russia and Europe to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Europe's football governing body UEFA said Tuesday it was postponing the EURO 2020 championship involving 24 nations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The chess tournament that began Monday sees eight players compete for 500,000 euros ($545,000 and the chance to face off against the world number one, 29-year-old Magnus Carlsen from Norway, who has held the world's number 1 place since 2013.
The games between players from countries including the United States and China are being broadcast on a YouTube channel run by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) with commentary in Chinese, ...

Missing sports on TV? Russians still have chess

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the closure of the US-Canada border to non-essential travellers as the coronavirus epidemic intensified in both countries -- but said that trade would not be impacted.
The shutdown built on Trump's barring of visitors from most of Europe, China and other parts of the world, as the number of confirmed virus cases in the US surged past 6,500, with 115 deaths.
"We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!" Trump tweeted.
Canada's Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also expected to make an announcement on the issue, without providing specifics.
"What the prime minister is going to announce will reassure people," he said in an interview with public broadcaster Radio-Canada.
Champagne promised new measures "proposed by both sides," noting that hundreds of thousands of people cross the ...

US to close Canada border to 'non-essential' traffic: Trump

The COVID-19 pandemic will push millions more into unemployment, underemployment and working poverty, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning that workers globally stood to lose up to USD 3.4 trillion in income this year alone.
"Falls in employment... mean large income losses for workers," the International Labour Organisation said, releasing a report showing workers stand to lose between USD 860 billion and USD 3.4 trillion by the end of 2020.

Workers may lose up to USD 3.4 trillion in 2020 income over virus: UN

An unnamed Ottawa Senators player has become the first National Hockey League player to test positive for the coronavirus COVID-19, the club announced.
The player is in isolation after displaying mild symptoms, the Senators said in a posting on their website on Tuesday.
"The Ottawa Senators are in the process of notifying anyone who has had known close contact with the athlete and are working with our team doctors and public health officials," the club said in a statement.
"As a result of this positive case, all members of the Ottawa Senators are requested to remain isolated, to monitor their health and seek advice from our team medical staff."
The NHL put its season on hold last week, agreeing to follow health officials' recommendations that gatherings of 50 or more people be canceled for the next two months.
"The health of our players, fans, and community remains our highest priority," the Senators said.
"We will continue to do everything we can to help ensure our players, staff, ...

Ottawa player is NHL's first with positive coronavirus test

Leftist Bernie Sanders was under fresh pressure Wednesday to bow out of the race for the Democratic White House nomination after losing the three latest primaries in contests hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic.
Political moderate Joe Biden swept all three of Tuesday's contests, building a solid lead in delegates to the party's July nominating convention as Democratic voters appeared to coalesce around him as the best chance to defeat President Donald Trump in November.
Sanders, once the race's frontrunner, was considering his options as more states postponed their primary votes amid a national shutdown for the COVID-19 emergency.  "The next primary contest is at least three weeks away," said Sanders' campaign manager Faiz Shakir in a statement.
"Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign." Biden handily trounced Sanders in each of Tuesday's battlegrounds. In the biggest prize of Florida, the 77-year-old former vice president grabbed 62 per 

Sanders to 'assess' campaign after Biden sweeps latest primaries

Russia on Wednesday announced coronavirus cases had jumped almost 29 per cent overnight to 147 despite the Kremlin imposing tight controls on movement and saying the situation is under control.
The number of cases has gone up by 33 to 147, Russia's state health watchdog said, with 31 of those testing positive in Moscow after recently flying in from European countries including France, Italy, Spain and Germany. The other two new cases were in Siberia.
Russia has prided itself on relatively low numbers infected and no deaths and President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said "the situation is generally under control." It's not clear how long it takes to be tested in Russia. The Moscow cases were people who flew into Russia over a week ago, before the latest measures went into effect.
Strict measures aimed at stopping the virus spreading widely have included an entry ban for foreigners that came into force Wednesday and lasts till May 1 and the suspension of cultural and sports events.
The ...

Russia's virus cases jump 29 per cent amid crackdown

British MPs were told to stay away from their weekly question time with the prime minister on Wednesday over fears of spreading coronavirus, as parliament remained open but became increasingly deserted.
Around 25 lawmakers -- including a cabinet minister -- are already thought to have isolated themselves for fear of infecting others as the outbreak accelerates across Britain.
London has been particularly badly hit, and a leading disease expert who advises the government warned on Wednesday that the area around parliament was a hotspot.
"There is a lot of COVID-19 in Westminster," Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London tweeted, as he announced that he himself had developed symptoms.
Parliament had already closed its doors to the public and shut its bars after Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday told Britons to avoid all unnecessary social contact to try to slow the outbreak.
Many MPs have asked staff to work from home, and employees across the parliamentary estate are ...

UK parliament remains open, but increasingly deserted

Iran said its novel coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday as President Hassan Rouhani defended the response of his administration, which has yet to impose a lockdown.
The COVID-19 outbreak in sanctions-hit Iran is one of the deadliest outside China, where the disease originated.
Rouhani's government says the virus has killed 1,135 people out of 17,161 cases of infections since it first emerged in the Islamic republic a month ago.
"Some ask why the government isn't intervening, but I think we have intervened significantly," the president said.
"Great things have been done (including) measures no other country has taken," he said in televised remarks after a weekly meeting of his cabinet.
"We will get past these hard days," added Rouhani, who was flanked by ministers wearing face masks.
The health ministry said 5,710 people have overcome the virus.
One person who recovered was a 103-year-old woman, state media reported, despite overwhelming evidence that the elderly are ...

Iran defends response as virus deaths surpass 1,000

- Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders was reassessing his campaign future Wednesday after he lost the three latest presidential primaries to rival Joe Biden, his campaign said.
"The next primary contest is at least three weeks away," said Sanders' campaign manager Faiz Shakir in a statement to US media.
"Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign,"  he said.

Sanders to 'assess' campaign after Democratic primary losses

Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia cancelled Wednesday a planned visit to the United States on April 21 where they were due to meet with US President Donald Trump due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The royal palace said in a statement that the goal was to allow "the United States and Spain to continue to dedicate all of their resources and attention to the response to COVID-19." Trump and his wife Melania hope to host the Spanish royal couple in the United States in the future, the statement added.
Spain is the fourth hardest-hit nation in the world by the coronavirus pandemic, with over 13,700 confirmed cases as of Wednesday and the number of deaths rising to almost 600.
The nation of around 46 million people is on a near total lockdown since the weekend, with people allowed out of their homes only to buy food, medicine or to go to work if they can not do so from home.
The king is scheduled to deliver a televised address on Wednesday about the health crisis.
The speech comes ...

Spanish royals cancel US visit due to coronavirus

The new coronavirus has infected more than 200,000 globally since the beginning of the outbreak in December, according to any AFP tally on Wednesday.
Nearly 200,680 people around the world have been infected, with more than 8,000 deaths, as of 1300 GMT Wednesday.
The tallies are calculated using data collected by AFP offices from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Global coronavirus infections shoot past 200,000

Former Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has quit Turkish football club Trabzonspor, the team said, after the former Chelsea midfielder said he did not want to play as the new coronavirus spread worldwide.
"The contract has been ended by mutual agreement with John Obi Mikel," Trabzonspor said in a statement late Tuesday.
The deal between the player and the team had begun on June 30 last year and was meant to last until May 31, 2021.
He criticised the Turkish Football Federation's (TFF) move to let Super League matches continue without spectators, unlike in other countries where games have been suspended.
"There is more to life than football. I do not feel comfortable and don't want to play football in this situation," Obi Mikel wrote on Instagram on Saturday.
"Everyone should be home with their families and loved ones in this critical time. Season should be cancelled as the world is facing such turbulent times," he added.
The 32-year-old played for Chelsea for over 10 years. He ...

Footballer Obi Mikel leaves Turkish team over virus fears

European captain Padraig Harrington expects the Ryder Cup to go ahead in September despite the sporting chaos caused by the coronavirus.
The Masters and the US PGA Championship, golf's first two majors of the year, have been postponed due to the deadly pandemic.
The European Tour and PGA Tour has suspended tournaments until May.
But Harrington believes the eagerly anticipated clash between Europe and the United States remains on schedule to take place in Wisconsin from September 25-27.
"September is a long way off so there's no change to the situation at all at this stage," the three-time major winner told Today FM.
"I know there's been some rumours and they had to put out a statement to say there's been no change, but there's definitely no change."
It has been reported that the European Tour will hold a board meeting next week, with a Ryder Cup steering committee due to talk a week later.
Organisers of the Masters and US PGA Championship hope to stage their events later this year.

Europe's Harrington optimistic Ryder Cup will go ahead despite virus

Sterling tanked on Wednesday against the dollar, hitting its lowest level since 1985 as investors snapped up the safe haven US currency in markets panicked by the coronavirus outbreak.
The pound slid about 1.9 per cent to USD 1.1828 according to Bloomberg data. It later stood at USD 1.1861.
"Sterling has completed one of its steepest declines in memory by hitting its weakest level since 1985, excluding... the brief dive of the October 2016 flash crash," said Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson.
"This seems to be an offloading of risky-ish pounds in favour of safer dollars.

British pound nosedives against dollar to 1985 low

Automakers will modify production operations at US plants to mitigate coronavirus risks, but will continue to operate, the United Auto Workers union said late Tuesday.
General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler agreed to new social distancing measures to avert transmission of the virus following a meeting with the union.
The UAW, which has about 150,000 members at US auto companies, had previously pushed for a two-week shutdown of American auto plants.
"All three companies have agreed to review and implement the rotating partial shutdown of facilities, extensive deep cleaning of facility and equipment between shifts, extended periods between shifts and extensive plans to avoid member contact," the UAW said on its website.
Other expected changes include less overtime to permit additional time for cleaning, a company official said.
GM said, "we will continue to take aggressive steps to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep families safe," but did not offer any specifics.
GM directed 

US auto giants to adjust manufacturing processes to mitigate virus risk

Dutch organisers postponed the annual classic Amstel Gold Race Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, following in the footsteps of other major cycle races in Europe.
The announcement which affects both the men and women's races scheduled for April 19 comes after the cancellations of the Paris-Roubaix race and the Tour of Flanders.
"It's a difficult decision and a real shame," race organiser Leo van Vliet said in a statement. "We have no other choice." The organisers said they hoped to reschedule a new date with the International Cycling Union (UCI) but doing it this year seemed uncertain.
First ridden in 1966, the Amstel Gold Race is the Netherlands' premier one-day cycling event featuring a track winding through the low hills of the country's southern Limburg province.
Organisers postponed the Paris-Roubaix race on Tuesday amid fears that the same might happen for the Tour de France due to the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

Dutch postpone cycling's Amstel Gold Race over virus

Paris Saint-Germain have suspended all sporting activities until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Ligue 1 leaders said on Sunday.
The French top-flight has already been put on hold as has the Champions League since last week due to the deadly spread of COVID-19.
"Sporting activities for all our professional clubs will remain provisionally suspended for a period starting tomorrow March 16 until an undetermined date," the Ligue 1 champions said.
PSG had announced the freezing of all their sporting sections including football and handball until Sunday and will announce a further update on Wednesday.
Elsewhere in France, which has recorded more than 4,500 cases and 91 deaths from the illness, fellow Ligue 1 side Nice also stopped their activities and closed their training centre.
Earlier on Sunday, Lyon defended president Jean-Michel Aulas after he had suggested wiping out the French season.
On Friday, Aulas told newspaper Le Monde: "The most logical thing would be to ..

PSG put all sporting activity on hold due to coronavirus

The Premier League has postponed all matches until at least April 3 as the coronavirus wreaks havoc with the sporting schedule across Europe.
That has left the league's players and clubs at a loose end, so AFP Sport looked at what some of them have been getting up to: Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has been keeping himself in good shape -- and virus-free -- in case the season can resume any time soon.
The German, whose manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the virus on Thursday, posted a video of his cardio workout, which featured plenty of dancing and gesturing along to some of his favourite music.
Clearly enjoying being about to dictate the terms of his fitness regime away from Arsenal, Mustafi's video was accompanied with the words: "The feeling when the fitness coaches can't tell you to put your phone away whilst doing bike".
Following the health guidelines over combating the virus, Mustafi also took time to video himself washing his hands, while doing keepie-uppies.
Three ..

How Premier League stars keep busy during the coronavirus shutdown

Atalanta players and staff are self-isolating after five of their Champions League opponents Valencia's players tested positive for coronavirus, the Serie A club announced on Sunday.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side beat Valencia 4-3 at the Mestalla last week to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals 8-4 on aggregate, and Argentina defender Ezequiel Garay is among the La Liga outfit's players to have since tested positive for COVID-19.
As a result Atalanta said in a statement they would be "self-isolating at home in compliance with hygiene rules".
All sports in Italy have been suspended until April 3, but Atalanta had been due to resume training on Monday. They will now be stopped until March 24.
On Saturday Atalanta forward Josip Ilicic donated the ball with which he scored all four of his team's goals against Valencia to a hospital in Bergamo, which is at the centre of Italy's coronavirus drama.
The northern Lombardy region in which Bergamo is situated has reported 1,218 deaths ..

AFP

AFP

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