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 ..

Atalanta in quarantine after Valencia coronavirus cases

PTI Automatic

Mowing the lawn, playing football with your dog, turning on the TV... footballers around Europe are struggling to fill the "big void" created by the coronavirus shutdown.
Many are writing about the unfamiliar experience on social media. Some have already come to the conclusion that "there is nothing to do".
Real Madrid players, forced into quarantine by a case of coronavirus in the club's basketball squad, have been training at home, where most of them already had facilities and equipment.
Captain Sergio Ramos posted a video on Instagram showing him sprinting on a treadmill.
Marco Asensio, who suffered a knee injury last summer, posted a video showing that he was continuing his recovery programme in his garden.
But even for sportsmen used to working out, there is a limit.
"I'm here, in my garden, there's nothing to do," French striker Karim Benzema said in a video on social media where he appeared alongside his dog, earning him a comparison with Will Smith in the post-apocalyptic film 

Deprived of football, players try to fill the 'big void'

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the first NBA player to test positive for the coronavirus, says he is feeling better every day but wishes he had taken it more seriously.
The 27-year-old Frenchman updated his condition Sunday in a video released by the NBA on social media in which he urged people to take precautions not to spread the virus.
"It's all about protecting yourself and the people around you," Gobert said. "I wish I would've taken this thing more seriously and I hope everyone else is going to do so because we can do it together.
"Take care and stay safe."
Gobert tested positive for coronavirus just before the scheduled tip-off between Utah and Oklahoma City on Wednesday and the game was postponed.
"I've been feeling a little better every single day thanks to the health care people of Utah and Oklahoma City and all the great people around," Gobert said.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced minutes after Gobert's positive test that the league was putting the season on ...

Gobert: 'Wish I would've taken this thing more seriously'

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said Sunday it is suspending all matches until further notice because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The CBF had initially avoided an all-out suspension, instead ordering Friday that matches be played in empty stadiums in the country's two largest cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
But as fears over the virus' spread continued to mount, it ultimately followed the lead of the Champions League, Premier League, Bundesliga and a long list of other sporting events worldwide that have suspended their seasons.
"We know and accept the responsibility the football world has in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Brazil," CBF president Rogerio Caboclo said in a statement.
"The CBF will remain in permanent contact with the health ministry, joining together to help the country and the sport overcome the challenge posed by the pandemic," it added.
Several key matches were played in empty stadiums this weekend in Brazil, including a Sao ...

Brazil suspends football matches over coronavirus

Italy coach Roberto Mancini said Sunday he was ready for the European Championship to be postponed until 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We would have won the European Championship this summer, we can also win it in 2021," Mancini told Italian television station Rai Sport.
"Let's wait to see what UEFA decides, but I adapt to everything, right now the priority is to save lives." European football's governing body meet on Tuesday to discuss all domestic and European competitions, as well as Euro 2020, which is due to take place from June 12 to July 12.
Italy are set to host the opening match in Rome on June 12, in a tournament which will be played in 12 countries across the continent.
All sport in Italy has been suspended until April 3 with the nation's 60 million inhabitants in lockdown to avoid the spread of the virus which has killed 1,809 and infected over 24,000.
"The fact is that the problems we are having now other nations will have shortly," continued the former Manchester .

'Football can wait': Italy coach Mancini ready to play Euros in 2021

The NBA and other major sports leagues in the United States could be idle for longer than intially anticipated under new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The CDC recommended Sunday that sporting events and other "large events and mass gatherings" be cancelled or postponed for the next eight weeks.
"Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities," the agency said in a statement.
"Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies."
The NBA became the first major US pro sports league to suspend its season in the face of the coronavirus pandemic after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Three NBA players are now known to have tested positive.
The NHL and Major ...

CDC recommendation suggests lengthy sports shut-down

Major League Soccer has extended its halt on training for all its 26 teams until at least next Friday, the league announced on Sunday.
"MLS players are expected to remain in each club's respective market, and have been advised to exercise safe social distancing measures," a spokesperson for the league said in a news release.
The league said it is continuing to work with public health officials, coronavirus experts, the players' union and officials from other North American professional sports leagues to come up with a set of safety guidelines so teams can continue to train while the league is shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.
"MLS remains in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Public Health Agency of Canada on this continually evolving situation and will provide further updates as they become available," the league said Sunday.
On Thursday, the MLS suspended all games for 30 days. Two matches scheduled for March 21 were the first to be ...

MLS extends training shutdown to Friday

The Mexican football league announced Sunday it would suspend first and second-division play and women's competition in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It has been decided to suspend all matches of Liga MX (first), Ascenso BBVA MX (second) and the Liga MX Women's based on the general recommendations of the Federal Government's Health Secretariat, with whom Liga MX has coordinated closely," the league's executive president said in a statement.
The suspension came into effect on Sunday night after the conclusion of the match between America and Cruz Azul that closed the 10th round of season and was played behind closed doors.
The closure will remain in effect "until further notice" and resumption of activities will be determined in coordination with Mexican government health authorities.
Measures to safeguard the health of players and fans have been steadily ramped up over the course of several days.
As of last Wednesday, Liga MX and Ascenso MX were scheduled to carry out their ..

Mexican football suspended over coronavirus concerns

Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda scored in his debut for Brazilian club Botafogo Sunday, a 1-1 draw against Bangu played in an empty stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Honda, 33, got a hero's welcome from thousands of fans when he arrived in Brazil on February 7, but played his first match in the eery quiet of Botafogo's deserted stadium.
He was photographed training ahead of the Rio Cup tie with a mask on.
It may be his last match for some time: the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has suspended the season until further notice because of the pandemic, effective Monday.
Wearing the number four jersey, Honda scored on a penalty kick in the 28th minute.
But Bangu equalized in the 58th.
Coach Paulo Autuori substituted Honda four minutes later.
Honda, one of the best players in Japanese football history, had been without a club since leaving Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem in December, less than two months after joining.
Since arriving in Brazil, he has tweeted about hitting ...

Japan's Honda scores in Botafogo debut

New York on Sunday ordered all its bars and restaurants to close except for take-outs, in the latest dramatic shutdown as authorities worldwide struggle to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.
"I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery," city mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement, calling for "a wartime mentality."
"Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close." New York has already banned gatherings of more than 500 people, including in Broadway theatres.

New York bars, restaurants to be take-out only: mayor

New Zealand's central bank slashed its base rate to a record low of 0.25 percent Monday, but economists said the surprise move was unlikely to prevent a coronavirus-induced recession.
The official cash rate was already at an all-time low of 1.0 percent and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand was not scheduled to make a monetary policy statement until March 25.
Instead, it unannounced a 0.75 point cut before markets opened Monday and said the emergency measure would remain in place for at least 12 months.
The bank warned "the negative impact on the New Zealand economy is, and will continue to be, significant," pointing to curtailed global trade, travel and consumer spending.
New Zealand currently has just eight confirmed coronavirus cases and no fatalities, for a population of nearly five million.
The government over the weekend ordered all international arrivals to self isolate in a bid to slow its spread and is due to announce an economic stimulus package on Tuesday.
Market reaction to ..

New Zealand slashes rates amid virus recession fears, market shrugs

Andrew Bailey on Monday takes over the helm at the Bank of England just days after the BoE, under predecessor Mark Carney, slashed its key interest rate to combat the coronavirus.
Bailey steps up from his role as head of the UK's financial regulator where he faced strong criticism over his role overseeing investment scandals in Britain.
Carney is stepping down as governor of the BoE after nearly seven years in the post and having already delayed his departure due to Brexit.
"Although the disruption from COVID-19 could be sharp and large, it should be temporary," Bailey said last Wednesday, after participating as an observer in emergency policy meetings that prompted the shock rate reduction.
Bailey spoke sitting alongside Carney at a press conference after the BoE slashed its main interest rate to a record-low 0.25 percent from 0.75 percent -- its biggest cut since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago.
The reduction headed a package of measures to help UK businesses and .

New Bank of England chief starts under virus cloud

White House hopeful Joe Biden has committed to picking a woman as his vice presidential candidate should he win the Democratic nomination, a race he currently leads against Bernie Sanders.
"If I'm elected president, my cabinet, my administration, will look like the country, and I commit that I will in fact appoint a woman to be vice president," Biden, himself a former vice president, said during a debate against his leftist rival Sanders on Sunday.
"There are a number of women who are qualified to be vice president tomorrow," the moderate Biden added.
The leftist Sanders, for his part, responded by saying that "in all likelihood" he would do the same.
"To me, it's not just nominating a woman. It is making sure that we have a progressive woman and there are progressive women out there." Two women have been chosen as running mates for major party nominees.
Democrat Walter Mondale put Geraldine Ferraro on the ticket in 1984, while Sarah Palin was Republican John McCain's pick in 2008, ...

Biden commits to female running mate if he is Democratic nominee

China reported 12 more imported cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday as the capital tightened quarantine measures for international arrivals to prevent a new wave of infections.
After declaring they had "basically" curbed the spread of the disease within China, where the virus first emerged, authorities are now worried about an influx of infections arriving from other countries.
Beijing's city government has ordered international arrivals from Monday onwards to go into quarantine facilities for 14 days.
Travellers had previously been allowed to undergo the mandatory isolation at home, but now only those with "special circumstances" will be exempted from the new rules, and those sent to the facilities must pay for their stay.
Authorities have not given further detail on which travellers will be exempted from the new quarantine.
A total of 123 cases from abroad have now been reported, with four of the 12 latest detected in Beijing.
Imported cases have now outnumbered domestic ...

China logs more coronavirus cases imported from abroad

United States' airlines have announced drastic reductions in flights after President Donald Trump's administration banned foreign travellers arriving from Europe.
American Airlines said it would reduce all international capacity by 75 per cent.
"This suspension will last through May 6," the carrier said. "This change is in response to decreased demand and changes to US government travel restrictions due to coronavirus."
It also said domestic service would be reduced by 20 per cent in April compared to last year.
Its competitor Delta said it would "significantly reduce its US to Europe flying beginning Monday, March 16, following the US government directive restricting travel between the US and Europe."
Southwest Airlines said it "will likely make service reductions based on demand." The restrictions on travel from Europe took effect at midnight Friday and were later extended to Britain and Ireland as of Tuesday.
US airlines had already suspended flights between the US and Italy, ...

US airlines slash flights over virus crisis

The Czech government has imposed new restrictions on movement to combat the spread of the coronavirus, adding to measure that have closed shops, restaurants, pubs and schools and banned gatherings of more than 30 people.
Czechs are only allowed to go to work and back, go shopping, see their family or a doctor, take care of their animals, buy petrol or spend time in nature, Prime Minister Andrej Babis told a press conference on Sunday.
The measure will apply until 0500 GMT on March 24 in the central European nation of 10.7 million people which has 293 confirmed cases of the novel virus and no deaths.
Babis called on employers to allow staff to work from home whenever possible and asked Czechs to keep a distance of two metres (six feet) from those they meet and use cards instead of cash if possible.
Prague had earlier also announced foreigners would no longer be allowed to cross into the country and Czechs would not be allowed to leave as of Monday.
The government has come under fire ...

Czech govt imposes new restrictions on movement over virus

Turkey has quarantined thousands of pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia, officials said, as the country recorded a dozen more coronavirus cases.
The total number of confirmed incidents in over 80 million strong Turkey has reached 18, with 12 new cases -- two related to the first case, seven from Europe and three from the United States, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Twitter.
"All the passengers returning from pilgrimage as of last night (Saturday) are being placed into separate rooms for quarantine" in student dorms in the capital Ankara and nearby Konya provinces, the minister said on Sunday.
Approximately 10,000 pilgrims returned from Saudi Arabia Saturday night, youth and sports minister Mehmet Kasapoglu was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.
Koca said one of the pilgrims who returned from the umrah -- the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca -- over the last week had tested positive.
"Those found suspicious are hospitalised as soon as they return and ...

Turkey quarantines pilgrims returning from Saudi

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro has ordered a "collective quarantine" in seven states, including the capital Caracas, from Monday to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
All activities in the seven states are to be suspended from 5:00 am on Monday, except food distribution, health services, transport and security, Maduro said in a television address on Sunday.

Venezuela puts seven states, including Caracas, in virus quarantine

King Felipe VI of Spain moved to distance himself from his scandal-hit father, stripping him of his palace allowance and renouncing what he was due to inherit from him.
A statement from the palace on Sunday announced that he had stripped the former king Juan Carlos, of his allowance and was himself renouncing what he was due to inherit from him.
The announcement came after media reports that Juan Carlos had received 100 million dollars (90 million euros) from Saudi Arabia via an offshore account -- and that King Felipe himself was also a beneficiary.
The money was lodged in a Swiss bank account in the name of a Panamanian foundation.
In the palace statement, the reigning king said that in April he had made it clear to a notary that he would accept no money from the foundation in question.
He also that he had absolutely no knowledge of having been named as a beneficiary to another foundation, which according to press reports paid millions of euros towards his father's flights in ...

Spanish king distances himself from scandal-hit father

Faced with a growing economic shutdown amid the global new coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Reserve has announced drastic emergency measures to shore up confidence and keep the financial sector running, including slashing the key interest rate to virtually zero.
The Fed on Sunday made its second emergency rate cut in less than two weeks, cutting the benchmark borrowing rate to a range of 0-0.25 percent, where it was during the 2008 global financial crisis, and pledged to keep it there "until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events."
The central bank also announced massive asset purchases, opened its discount lending windows to banks and urged them to use it to help businesses and households.
In another move, it removed bank reserve requirements to allow them to use cash backstops.

US Fed slashes key interest rate to 0-0.25% amid pandemic

Six Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by jihadist gunmen in the restive northeast, military sources told AFP.
The assailants opened fire on an army convoy on Sunday near the village of Mayanti, near the border with Cameroon, in an area plagued by attacks by insurgents.
"We have lost six soldiers in an ambush by Boko Haram terrorists," one officer told AFP.
A second source, giving the same toll, said the military convoy had been on its way to the nearby town of Banki when they were targeted by heavy gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades.
The decade-long jihadist uprising has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes in northeast Nigeria.
The United Nations has complained of a surge in violence in the conflict zone in recent weeks.
Anger has been growing among local residents about the army's failure to stem the attacks.
The military has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency has largely been defeated but attacks against civilians and soldiers ...

AFP

AFP

Page 97 - Afp