France closes Louvre as virus cases mount in Europe

PARIS (AFP) -- France's famed Louvre museum closed Sunday as coronavirus cases mounted across Europe and beyond, with the global death toll nearing 3,000 and Italy reporting a near doubling of cases in 48 hours. The virus has now infected more than 88,000 people and spread to more than 60 countries around the world, well beyond the epicentre in China where it first emerged late last year. It has rattled global markets and prompted unprecedented measures from governments scrambling to contain

World NewsMarch 2, 2020

Virus spreads to over 60 countries; France closes the Louvre

PARIS (AP) -- Coronavirus cases surged in Italy, and France closed the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday as the deadly outbreak that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe, threatening its tourism industry. The number of countries hit by the virus climbed past 60, and the death toll worldwide reached at least 3,000. New fronts in the battle opened rapidly over the weekend, deepening the sense of crisis that has already sent financial markets plummeting, emptied the streets i

World NewsMarch 2, 2020

Empty streets, economic turmoil as virus alters daily life

TOKYO (AP) -- The coronavirus has claimed its first victim in the United States as the number of cases shot up in Iran, Italy and South Korea and the spreading outbreak shook the global economy. Governments stepped up efforts to contain the disease. Saudi Arabia closed Islam's holiest sites to foreign pilgrims. In Japan, professional baseball teams played in deserted stadiums. The French government advised the public to forgo customary greeting kisses. Ireland and Ecuador among the countries

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

Ireland confirms first coronavirus case

DUBLIN (AFP) -- Ireland on Saturday confirmed its first case of coronavirus after a man who had returned from northern Italy tested positive, the government said. Health officials said the man, from the east of Ireland, was "receiving appropriate medical care" after they followed "established protocols" in testing and diagnosing him with COVID-19. "The case is associated with travel from an affected area in northern Italy, rather than contact with another confirm

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

Luxembourg reports first coronavirus case, linked to Italy

LUXEMBOURG (AFP) -- Luxembourg on Saturday announced its first case of infection by the new coronavirus: a man who recently returned from Italy, Health Minister Paulette Lenert told reporters. The man in his 40s returned to Luxembourg "at the beginning of the week" and, after "more recently" exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, had a test that confirmed the disease, she said. A second test is being carried out in the Netherlands and the results should be known on Sunday, she adde

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

US, Taliban sign deal to pull foreign forces from Afghanistan

DOHA (AFP) -- After nearly two decades of conflict that has ravaged Afghanistan's impoverished population, the United States and the Taliban signed an accord Saturday that Washington hopes will mark the beginning of the end of its longest war. The pact signed in Doha would see the United States and foreign partner forces pull all their troops from Afghanistan within 14 months, provided the Taliban stick to pledges to open a dialogue with the Western-backed Kabul government and push back agains

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

First coronavirus death on US soil confirmed, Trump calls for calm

SEATTLE (AFP) -- The first fatality from the novel coronavirus has been confirmed on US soil, as President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Americans not to panic. Health officials said the man who died in Washington state was one of a handful with no known links to global hot zones to have contracted the virus -- indicating that the pathogen was now likely spreading in communities. The death occurred in King County, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,00

World NewsMarch 1, 2020

Japan PM defends school closure plan despite critics

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's prime minister on Friday defended his call for schools across the country to close over the new coronavirus, an abrupt decision that stunned officials and parents alike. The move, announced Thursday, came as the country stepped up its response to the outbreak, and the operator of Tokyo's Disney resorts said its two parks would close for around a fortnight -- the latest in a string of closures and cancellations. Shinzo Abe's surprise move prompted criticism, with official

World NewsFeb. 28, 2020

[Graphic News] Ronaldo becomes 1st person to reach 200m Instagram followers

　Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first person in the world to reach 200 million Instagram followers. 　Ronaldo follows just 434 accounts but had more than 200,468,000 followers as of Jan. 30. 　Singer Ariana Grande has the second-most Instagram followers, at 173 million, followed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Selena Gomez. (UPI)

WorldFeb. 27, 2020

Coronavirus: latest developments worldwide

PARIS (AFP) -- The situation improves in China while the list of countries hit globally grows, with a first case in Latin America. The WHO warns the world is "simply not ready". Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis. More than 45 countries hit There have been more than 82,100 infections and 2,800 deaths worldwide, according to the latest toll from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. The number of deaths in China -- where the virus was first detected --

World NewsFeb. 27, 2020

Denmark announces first coronavirus case

COPENHAGEN (AFP) -- Denmark reported its first coronavirus case Thursday, a man who had returned from a skiing holiday in northern Italy which has become a hotspot for the disease. "The man who came back from a skiing trip with his wife and son on February 24 has been suffering since then from a cough and a temperature," Denmark's public health agency said in a statement. "The man tested positive, but the results of his wife and son are negative," it said. The man is rela

World NewsFeb. 27, 2020

Trump says US coronavirus spread 'not inevitable,' mulls new travel bans

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday said it was not inevitable that the novel coronavirus would continue to spread in the United States, as he said he is considering travel restrictions on Italy and South Korea and appointed his vice president to lead the response. His optimism about containing the pathogen contradicted a senior health official in his own administration and came as authorities said they had identified the first case in the US that was of unknown origin. &q

World NewsFeb. 27, 2020

Italy sees virus cases rise 45% in a day; deaths up to 11

ROME (AP) -- Italy reported a 45 percent one-day increase in people infected with the coronavirus as other countries in Europe recorded their first cases Tuesday, producing evidence that travelers are carrying the virus from the European outbreak's current epicenter. Italian officials reported 11 deaths and 322 confirmed cases of the virus, 100 more than a day earlier. While the majority were concentrated in northern Italy, some of the new cases registered outside the country's two hard-

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Dow ends 3.1% lower as virus worries lead to 2nd straight rout

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Wall Street stocks suffered a second straight rout Tuesday, with losses picking up after US health officials warned the virus was likely to hit the world's biggest economy. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 27,083.46, down 3.1 percent and about 875 points. The broad-based S&P 500 sank 3.0 percent to 3,128.51, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 2.8 percent to 8,965.61. The losses were slightly more modest than Monday, when the Do

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Algeria reports first novel coronavirus case

ALGIERS (AFP) -- Algerian authorities on Tuesday announced the country's first case of the novel coronavirus, in an Italian citizen who arrived in the country on February 17. "One case was confirmed positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), out of two suspected cases (both) of Italian nationality," the North African country's health ministry said. State television said the infected person had been placed in isolation, without offering further details. The health ministry said it had rei

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

Health authorities expect coronavirus spread on US soil

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- American health authorities said Tuesday they ultimately expect the novel coronavirus to spread in the United States and are urging local governments, businesses, and schools to develop plans like canceling mass gatherings or switching to teleworking. Officials are also worried the outbreak poses a threat to the the security of the US drug supply chain because a high proportion of ingredients used to make medicine is made in China, where the virus was first identified. &qu

World NewsFeb. 26, 2020

White House unveils $2.5B emergency coronavirus request

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Monday sent lawmakers an urgent budget request for $2.5 billion to address the deadly coronavirus outbreak,  whose rapid spread and threat to the global economy rocked financial markets. The White House budget office said the funds are for vaccines, treatment, and protective equipment. The request could advance quickly through Congress and came as coronavirus fears were credited with Monday's 1,000-plus point drop in the Dow Jones Industrials and are

World NewsFeb. 25, 2020

China reports 71 more virus deaths

BEIJING (AFP) -- China on Tuesday reported another 71 deaths from the novel coronavirus, the lowest daily number of fatalities in over two weeks, which raised the toll to 2,663. The National Health Commission also reported 508 new confirmed cases, with all but nine in hard-hit Hubei province. It is up from Monday's 409 cases nationwide. Multiple provinces in China have reported zero new cases for several days in a row now, with the World Health Organization saying Monday that the coronavirus

World NewsFeb. 25, 2020

WHO warns coronavirus may be 'around for months'

BEIJING (AFP) -- The World Health Organization warned Monday that the new coronavirus might be around for months but said the measures China implemented have prevented the infections of hundreds of thousands of people. Bruce Aylward, leader of a joint WHO-China mission of experts, said the world can learn from the nation's approach to restraining the virus. "The single biggest lesson is speed. Speed is everything and what worries me most is, has the rest of the world learned the lesson o

World NewsFeb. 25, 2020

Coronavirus: latest developments worldwide

PARIS (AFP) -- Infections jump sharply outside China. Italy locks down several cities. Stocks tumble on world markets. Here are the latest developments in the new coronavirus crisis. 2,592 dead in China Mainland China's official death toll hits 2,592, with more than 77,000 people now reported infected. For the first time since the Cultural Revolution, China postpones its annual parliament session when Communist Party leaders including President Xi Jinping gather to rubber-stamp bills and bu

World NewsFeb. 25, 2020