Iran said Saturday that 123 more people had died from coronavirus, raising the official death toll to 1,556 in the Islamic republic, one of the world's worst affected countries.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 966 more cases had been confirmed over the past 24 hours and 20,610 people were now known to have been infected in Iran.
A total of 7,635 people have recovered from the disease, he told a televised news conference.
The Islamic republic is among the three countries hardest hit by the virus with an official death toll behind only Italy and China.
The authorities have asked people to avoid all travel during the Persian New Year holidays, which usually sees almost all citizens take to the roads.  But the pleas have been ignored by many.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, around three million people have left the 13 most virus-affected provinces by road since March 17.
Jahanpour said there was "a minority who did not follow the guidelines", warning that ...

Iran's coronavirus death toll climbs to 1,556

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Manchester United and Manchester City have joined forces to donate a combined ?100,000 ($117,000) to help local foodbanks affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collections are normally made at home games for both Manchester giants by fans' groups supporting foodbanks, but football in England is suspended until at least April 30 due to restrictions on mass gatherings due to coronavirus.
"We are proud of the role our supporters play in helping local food banks and recognise the increased strain likely to be placed on these charities by the impact of coronavirus," the clubs said in a joint statement.
"At a time of challenge for our community, we are pleased to come together with our fans to help vulnerable members of society in a City United." The donation will support the Trussell Trust's 19 foodbank centres in the Greater Manchester area.
United have been taken steps to try to alleviate the burden on their staff and supporters during the crisis.
The Red Devils have vowed to pay 3,000 ...

Man Utd, Man City unite to help Manchester foodbanks

Syrian refugee Mahmoud Ajlouni was due to pick up his new German residency permit last week but found the door firmly shut at the processing office in Berlin.
"I had an appointment," he said, adding he has "no idea" when he'll be able to replace the flimsy sheet of paper that is his only official identification.
For Ajlouni, the uncertainty could last weeks if not months as Germany has suspended refugee intake programmes or asylum seeker hearings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Beyond Germany, fears are also growing about the fate of migrants and refugees in the bloc as Europe takes increasingly stringent measures to fight contagion.
With Europe now the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union has slammed shut its external borders to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Countries like France, Spain and Italy have also imposed lockdowns on their populations to restrict movements and halt the spread of the virus.
Migrants and asylum seekers have become one of the most vulnerable 

Coronavirus risks taking heavy toll on migrants in Europe

A strong 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday in northwest Greece, damaging property in the city of Parga, authorities said.
The quake struck at 0049 GMT (0249 local time), with the epicentre 11 kilometres (around six miles) from Parga in Kanalaki district, and 316 kilometres northwest of Athens, the Athens geodynamic observatory said.
"No casualties have been reported at the moment," Parga mayor Nikolas Zacharias told AFP by telephone.
"Some old abandoned houses in Kanalaki collapsed and some houses suffered significant damage in this district of 2,500 inhabitants," Zaharias said, adding the temblor was strong throughout the area.
Landslides partially damaged the region's roads, he added.  Greece lies on major faultlines and is regularly hit by earthquakes, but they rarely cause casualties.
In 2017, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake killed two people on the island of Kos in the Aegean sea, causing significant damage.
In 1999, a 5.9-magnitude quake left 143 people dead in Athens ...

Greek quake damages buildings, no casualties reported

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has offered free accommodation to medical staff in his London properties as they treat patients with coronavirus.
The 27-year-old Ivory Coast international is the latest football personality to offer a free bed, following in the footsteps of former Manchester United star Gary Neville and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Zaha, reported to earn ?130,000 ($150,000) a week at the Premier League club, willingly took up the baton saying he had friends working in the National Health Service and he could provide accommodation for the hard-pressed staff who could not return home after their shifts.
He has built up a property portfolio of around 50 properties in London, including in trendy Notting Hill. The flats are usually used by corporate clients but with global travel severely restricted there is not much call for them at the moment.
"If you do good, good will come to you," said Zaha cited in The Times on Saturday. "It is clear that my intentions are that 

Palace star Zaha offers health staff free accommodation

North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Saturday, the latest in a series of such launches by Pyongyang as the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic.
The South Korean military condemned the launches as "extremely inappropriate given the difficult situation the world is experiencing due to COVID-19... We urge them to stop immediately."
North Korea has not reported any cases of the coronavirus, which has turned into a major crisis with more than 11,000 deaths and over 250,000 infections worldwide.
There has been widespread speculation, however, that the virus has reached the isolated nation, and health experts have warned that it could devastate the country given its weak medical infrastructure and widespread malnutrition.
Japan's defence ministry also confirmed the North Korean launches.
For decades, North Korea's leadership has faced international criticism for prioritising spending on its military and nuclear weapons ...

North Korea fires two 'ballistic missiles' into sea

IndyCar racing, its season in limbo in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, remains committed to staging the Indianapolis 500 even if it means delaying the US classic, IndyCar chief executive Mark Miles said Friday.
"What I can say is that organizing the 104th Indianapolis 500 mile race is our highest priority," Miles told AFP.
"It's impossible to know exactly what effect the crisis will have on this, but I'm completely sure, if it's possible to be sure, that we'll run the 500." The fabled race on the 2.5 mile (4 km) oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled for May 24.
"Our objective is to stay the course, for now, and to see if it's possible to do it as scheduled mid-may," Miles said. "If that's not possible we'll find another date. But that's a decision we'll come to when it's clear what the future looks like."
IndyCar, like sports around the globe, is in limbo as authorities limit large gatherings in hopes of slowing the spread of potentially deadly COVID-19.
The first ...

Indy 500 top priority as IndyCar eyes revamped season

Chinese football star Wu Lei, who plays for Espanyol in Spain, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on Saturday.
"Wu Lei has mild symptoms and is currently undergoing treatment," the CFA said in a statement, adding that they had been given the news by La Liga strugglers Espanyol.
"The Chinese Football Association has maintained close communication with Wu Lei and the club, and will provide all necessary assistance as appropriate.
"We wish Wu Lei a speedy recovery."
The 28-year-old striker, China's best-known player, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona, Xinhua news agency said.
Wu is the only Chinese playing in one of Europe's five top leagues, having moved to Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January last year.
The coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has since turned into a pandemic that has killed thousands around the world.

Chinese football star Wu Lei has coronavirus in Spain

New York and Illinois followed California Friday in locking down to stem the coronavirus pandemic as President Donald Trump declared the United States was already "winning" the war despite a rapid rise in confirmed cases and deaths.
The move effectively seals off America's largest cities -- New York, Los Angeles and Chicago -- with the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Nevada following suit.
But Trump insisted there was no need for a national lockdown, arguing that other parts of the US weren't hurting as much as its most populous states.
Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered non-essential businesses to close and banned gatherings in New York state, a day after his counterpart Gavin Newsom told California's 40 million residents to stay home.
"We're all in quarantine now," Cuomo told reporters, warning of civil fines and mandatory closures for anyone violating the order, which takes effect on Sunday evening.
The restrictions so far imposed in seven states now cover around 100 

Trump says US on top as outbreak shuts largest cities

A cluster of 35 coronavirus cases linked to a marriage ceremony near Sydney and new government measures have hit Australia's multi-billion-dollar wedding industry and forced many tearful couples to cancel the big day.
Restrictions on gatherings of more than 100 people were announced this week in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.
Among the new rules was the stipulation that indoor events should allow at least four square metres (43 square feet) per person, while the government has advised people to stay at least one metre away from one another.
The outbreak and new rules have thrown the wedding industry -- worth around USD 2.3 billion a year in Australia -- into limbo.
"You're not just dealing with having to cancel an event... that people have been literally dreaming and thinking non-stop about," Sydney-based wedding planner Lara Beesley told AFP on Saturday.
"It's very heartbreaking to see and there's been lots of teary phone calls." From florists to photographers, those working .

Tearful couples cancel as virus hits Australian weddings

Authorities closed Sydney's Bondi Beach Saturday after huge crowds flocked to the popular sunbathing spot despite a government ban on large gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary measure comes after photos of mostly young beachgoers packed on the famous sands were widely shared online, drawing howls of protest in the media and from officials.
"What we saw this morning here on Bondi Beach was the most irresponsible behaviour of individuals that we've seen so far," New South Wales state Police Minister David Elliott said.
"This is not something we are doing because we are the 'fun police'," he told a beachside news conference.
The ban could be extended to other beaches if social distancing rules are not followed, he warned.
Non-essential outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people have been barred as officials seek to stem the spread of the virus. Australia has nearly 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
"This is a disease that young people can get -- they can go into ...

Sydney's Bondi Beach closed after crowds ignore virus warnings

Boston Celtics star Marcus Smart said he has the new coronavirus and urged young people to take the threat seriously and practice social distancing.
Smart tested positive Thursday but said he was not showing any of the symptoms.
"I feel great. I feel fine. I feel like I can go play a game right now," the 26-year-old from Texas told CNN Friday.
But he had a warning for young Americans like those shown partying on Florida beaches undeterred by the threat of COVID-19.
"I advise my generation, I am 26, to take it seriously," Smart said.
"Be alert. Take precautions. By protecting yourself, you protect others.
"That's the key. People are not showing symptoms so it is hard for anyone to know they have the virus. But being around a group of people, friends, family and not isolating themselves, you are a carrier. You can spread the virus around without knowing."
On Twitter he also stressed that the younger generation must self-distance.
"This is not a joke. Not doing so is selfish. Together we 

Celtics' Smart has coronavirus, warns young to take it seriously

Colombia will go into compulsory general confinement from Tuesday until April 13 to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, President Ivan Duque announced Friday.
"As part of the state of emergency, we will apply compulsory preventive isolation for all Colombians from next Tuesday," he said in an address to the nation.
Nearly half of the population are already taking part in a full-scale isolation exercise from Friday to Monday midnight to test the effectiveness of such measures.

Colombia to begin mandatory isolation from Tuesday

US lawmakers urgently negotiating a USD 1 trillion emergency package to salvage an economy ravaged by the coronavirus missed a Republican-imposed deadline to reach an agreement by the end of Friday.
Senate Republicans were seeking a rapid deal in order to hold a final vote Monday on a bill aimed at allocating vast sums of federal dollars to American households as well as for industries that help form the backbone of a suddenly teetering economy.
But Democrats have been pushing for stronger worker protections and more substantial outlays for families devastated by the crisis, and the party's top Democrat Chuck Schumer said the Republican package was "inadequate" for millions of Americans facing dire straits.
Negotiations stalled despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell setting a Friday night deadline.
Senators said they would work through the weekend, and if a deal is struck Saturday then a first procedural vote is likely Sunday.
Negotiators held talks with Treasury Secretary ...

Negotiations lag on USD 1 trillion stimulus for virus-hit US

Forced into lockdown by the coronavirus, English teams outside the lucrative Premier League are facing an unprecedented period of financial uncertainty.
Championship, League One and League Two matches will not resume until April 30 at the earliest and even that date looks optimistic given the chaos caused by the pandemic.
A grim reality is taking hold in boardrooms around the country and some teams fear they could be forced out of business if football doesn't return until after the summer.
Aware of the growing panic, the Football League agreed a ?50 million ($58 million) relief package, based on an early payment of bonuses, television money and an interest-free loan, to assist financially stricken clubs.
But reports this week claimed that will only be enough to tide clubs over for the next four weeks.
Cambridge chief executive officer Ian Mather admits the rescue package may not be enough, with the nightmare prospect of having to lay off staff a possibility.
"These are unprecedented ..

Virus chaos leaves English clubs fearing for their future

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued new guidelines to facilitate continued testing amid the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.
Noting that the spread of COVID-19 had evolved into "an even greater health and societal emergency" since its March 6 communique, WADA urged Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to act in accordance with restrictions placed by local health authorities "to ensure proper protection of athletes and doping control personnel, while protecting the integrity of doping control programs, particularly in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games."
WADA's latest guidelines advise anti-doping organizations to make sure that sample collectors are free from any symptoms of illness.
Collectors should also ask athletes if they have any symptoms or if they or anyone at the collection site are in the groups thought to be at heightened risk from COVID-19.
If test collection personnel are found to have contracted the virus, athletes they tested should be 

WADA issues dope testing guidelines amid coronavirus pandemic

As the deadly coronavirus spreads around the globe, doubts grow over whether the 2020 Olympic Games, set for Tokyo from July 24 to August 9, will go ahead.
AFP Sport looks at who's saying what as the debate becomes even more heated: "Of course we are considering different scenarios, but we are contrary to many other sports organizations or professional leagues in that we are four-and-a-half months away from the Games." -- International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach on Friday.
"No solution will be ideal in this situation, and this is why we are counting on the responsibility and solidarity of the athletes." -- IOC spokesman Wednesday
"Anything is possible at the moment." -- World athletics chief Sebastian Coe when asked whether the Games could be postponed to September or October.
"Respectfully requested...that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee advocate for the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 by one year to 2021." -- USA Swimming chief executive Tim ...

On or off?: Who's saying what over status of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

US Olympic chiefs said more time was needed to determine the fate of the Tokyo Olympics as a major US sports federation called for the Games to be postponed over the coronavirus pandemic.
In a conference call with reporters, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chairwoman Susanne Lyons said there was no need for the International Olympic Committee to make an immediate decision on Tokyo.
"I think we would concur with the IOC to say that we need more expert advice and information than we have today to make a decision," Lyons said on Friday.
"And we don't have to make a decision. Our games are not next week, or two weeks from now. They're four months from now.
"So we are affording the IOC the opportunity to gather that information and expert advice.
"At this point in time, we do not feel that it's necessary for us to insist that they make a decision."
But just hours after Lyons' comments, USA Swimming underscored the growing divisions within US sport on the issue by ...

No need to rush Tokyo Olympic decision say US as splits emerge

UEFA were forced into an embarrassing about-turn after they mistakenly tweeted that Euro 2020 would keep its original title despite being pushed back to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus.
"Although it will provisionally take place from 11 June - 11 July 2021, #EURO2020 will still be known as UEFA EURO 2020," UEFA had confidently said on Twitter on Friday.
However, just hours later, they were less assured.
"With apologies for the earlier error, to be clear no decision has yet been made on the name of the rearranged EURO to be held in 2021. The earlier tweet was sent by mistake," they tweeted.
Euro 2020 has been pushed back 12 months to June 11 to July 11 next year to clear the way for suspended domestic competitions to wrap up if conditions allow.
UEFA said the postponement "will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed" as it made a "commitment" to finishing club seasons by June 30.
Twenty of the 24 nations set to take part in .

Leap year: UEFA admit error over 'Euro 2020' name for 2021 tournament

USA Swimming has urged the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to back the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Games amid the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter to US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chief executive Sarah Hirshland, posted on USA Swimming's Twitter feed on Friday, swimming federation chief executive Tim Hinchey "respectfully requested" that the USOPC "advocate for the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 by one year," to 2021.
"We urge the USOPC, as a leader within the Olympic Movement, to use its voice and speak up for the athletes," Hinchey wrote.
USA Swimming made the letter public after the US Olympic chiefs said in a conference call on Friday that more time was needed to determine the fate of the Tokyo Games.
USOPC chairwoman Susanne Lyons said the American governing body agreed with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that there was no need to make an immediate decision.
USA Swimming said Hinchey's letter was the result ..

USA Swimming calls for Tokyo Olympics postponement

California's Yosemite National Park, one of the most visited parks in the nation, shut down to visitors on Friday because of the coronavirus crisis.
"Yosemite National Park is announcing modifications to operations at the request of the local health department," park officials said in a statement.
Beginning at 3:00 pm local time (2200 GMT), they said, the grounds would be "closed to all park visitors until further notice." The only people allowed access to the park, located in northern California, will be employees, the statement said.
The park's landmark Ahwahnee Hotel and other lodgings and restaurants had closed on Tuesday as a precaution over coronavirus concerns and campgrounds were also shut down.
Services at other parks throughout the country have also been suspended because of coronavirus but the parks have not been shut down.
Earlier this week, US Interior Secretary David Bernhardt announced that entrance fees would be waived at national parks, drawing criticism that the move 

AFP

AFP

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