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International News (601)
March
Scenarios for a potential return of the Premier League
Written by nuke
English football's major stakeholders will meet on Friday to discuss their options to rescue a season derailed by the coronavirus outbreak. The Premier League campaign has been postponed until at least April 30 because of the pandemic, but the chances of a return in May look bleak. As quoted by AFP.com (31/3) , AFP Sport takes a closer look at the various scenarios that are likely to be considered in the talks over if and how to finish the season. One option is for clubs to converge on a neutral location in which all remaining games are played behind closed doors, with only essential personnel and broadcasters allowed to attend.There is believed to be growing support among clubs for this plan, with nine rounds of matches potentially in line to be staged in June and July//AFP
March
Harsh lockdowns aimed at halting the march of the coronavirus pandemic extended worldwide Monday as the death toll soared past 37,500 amid new waves of US outbreaks. Despite slivers of hope in stricken Italy and Spain, the tough measures that have confined some two-fifths of the globe's population to their homes were broadened. As quoted by AFP.com (31/3), Moscow and Lagos joined the roll call of cities around the world with empty streets, while Virginia and Maryland became the latest US states to announce stay-at-home orders, followed quickly by Washington DC, leaving three-quarters of Americans under some form of lockdown. A US military medical ship steamed into New York, where it will relieve pressure on the city's badly stretched health system. A field hospital set up in Central Park was due to go online later Tuesday. The scale and speed of the US pandemic continued to expand, with the death toll topping 3,000 out of 163,000 known infections -- the highest case count for any country. President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that authorities were ramping up distribution of desperately needed equipment such as ventilators and personal protective gear. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world is now above three-quarters of a million, with around 37,000 deaths.The toll on health systems is staggering, with medical professionals under enormous strain//AFP
March
President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed plunging oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic Monday, as Trump said Moscow is pressing for an end to US sanctions. As quoted by AFP.com (30/3) the White House said in a separate statement Trump and Putin had "agreed to work closely together through the G20" against the virus and the economic shock resulting from travel bans and social distancing. Both statements reported that the oil market turmoil was discussed, with the White House version stating agreement on the "importance of stability in global energy markets. Earlier, Trump had said he was going to use the call to raise objections over a Russian-Saudi price war driving down world oil prices and "really hurting" the US energy industry//AFP
March
Great Pyramid in Egypt lights up in solidarity against virus
Written by nuke
Egypt's famed Great Pyramid was emblazoned Monday evening with messages of unity and solidarity with those battling the novel coronavirus the world over. As quoted by AFP.com (31/3) "Stay safe", "Stay at home" and "Thank you to those keeping us safe," flashed in blue and green lights across the towering structure at the Giza plateau, southwest of the capital Cairo. Egypt has so far registered 656 COVID-19 cases, including 41 deaths. Of the total infected, 150 reportedly recovered. Tourism and antiquities minister Khaled al-Anani, at the site stated the tourism sector is one of the most affected industry but the priority is health. Senior antiquities ministry official Mostafa al-Waziri thanked all the medical staff who help to keep the people safe. Egypt has carried out sweeping disinfection operations at archaeological sites, museums and other sites across the country. In tandem, strict social distancing measures were imposed to reduce the risk of contagion among the country's 100 million inhabitants//AFP
March
N Korea confirms 'successful' missile tests; fourth in a month
Written by Ani Hasanah![A combination of pictures showing what North Korean official media said was the testing of a super-large multiple rocket launcher on Sunday [KCNA via Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2020/3/30/e06f2e7c42cb49ffb623a990f4d22e78_18.jpg)
(Reuters)
North Korea confirmed on Monday a series of missiles tests, claiming the test a day earlier of what state media said were super-large multiple rocket launchers had been a success. North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Sunday, the latest in a series of launches that South Korea has called "inappropriate" as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
KCNA news agency said the launch was aimed at examining the strategic and technical features of the "super-large multiple rocket launchers", which have been tested a number of times since last August usually overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.
KCNA, the official news agency, did not mention Kim's attendance at the latest test, which was led by governing party vice chairman Ri Pyong Chol and conducted at the Academy of National Defense Science.
"The operational deployment of the weapon system of super-large multiple rocket launchers is a crucial work of very great significance in realising the party's new strategic intention for national defence," Ri was quoted as saying during the test, without elaborating.
"The test-fire was conducted successfully," KCNA added.
It marked the fourth round of tests this month since North Korea staged military drills and resumed missile launches following a three-month break.
Talks between the United States and North Korea on denuclearisation have been largely stalled since the collapse of the summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February 2019. (Aljazeera)
March
More coronavirus cases in Libya as fighting rages
Written by Ani Hasanah
Artillery blasts shook Libya’s 's capital Tripoli on Sunday as fighting raged and the nation confirmed five more cases of the coronavirus for a total of eight. The National Centre for Disease Control said the new cases were in the northwestern city of Misrata, held by the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is at war with the Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar.
In chaos and without central authority since 2011, Western-backed uprising that overthrew strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is poorly placed to withstand any pandemic. The United Nations has urged warring parties to stop fighting so the overstretched health system can prepare. Cycles of conflict have destroyed much of Libya's infrastructure, and a financial crisis has stopped salaries to many medics.
The current phase of warfare began last year when Haftar's LNA began an offensive to capture Tripoli, the seat of the UN-recognised GNA. The conflict escalated last week when pro-GNA fighters mounted assaults on several fronts with clashes, bombardment and air raids. Loud blasts could be heard in central Tripoli on Sunday from fighting in the south of the city, one of the fiercest front lines, witnesses said. (Al Jazeera)
March
Coronavirus: India's PM Modi Seeks 'forgiveness' over Lockdown
Written by Ani HasanahCriticism has mounted over the lack of planning ahead of the coronavirus shutdown, which was introduced with less than four hours' notice.
Many of India's 1.3 billion citizens have been left jobless and hungry.
Tens of thousands of migrant labourers have been forced to walk hundreds of kilometres to their native villages.
In his weekly radio address PM Narendra Modi apologised for the impact of the strict stay-at-home measures.
But he said there was "no other way" to stop the rapid spread of the virus.
"Especially when I look at my poor brothers and sisters, I definitely feel that they must be thinking, what kind of prime minister is this who has placed us in this difficulty?
People are banned from leaving their homes for three weeks under the "total lockdown" measures announced on Tuesday. All non-essential businesses have been closed and almost all public gatherings are banned.
It has sparked an exodus from major cities such as Delhi, where thousands of migrant workers are setting out on long journeys back to their home villages after transport was stopped.
One worker died on Saturday after he attempted to walk a 168 mile (270km) journey back home, a police officials told Reuters news agency. (BBC)
March
Coronavirus: Trump Extends Restrictions beyond Easter
Written by Ani Hasanah"The highest point of the death rate is likely to hit in two weeks," Mr Trump said on Sunday, adding: "Therefore we will be extending our guidelines."
Dr Anthony Fauci, the face of the Trump administration's coronavirus task force, earlier warned that the virus could kill up to 200,000 Americans.
The US has 139,675 confirmed cases.
As of Sunday evening, 2,436 deaths had been recorded in the country in relation to Covid-19, according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University.
The United States overtook both China and Italy last week for the number of reported cases.
Dr Fauci said that it was "entirely conceivable" that millions of Americans could eventually be infected and that between 100,000 and 200,000 could die.(BBC)
March
Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed the official figure from China, becoming the second highest in the world. As quoted by BBC.com (25/3) the number of deaths rose by 738 in 24 hours - a daily record - to 3,434, higher than the 683 announced in Italy. By comparison, China has officially reported 3,285 deaths, while Italy – the worst affected country – has 6,820. Spain's rate of infection has increased by a fifth and almost 27,000 people are being treated in hospital. Madrid is the country's worst affected region but Catalonia in the north-east has seen a rapid increase in cases. Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo has tested positive for the virus, the government says. She was admitted to hospital on Sunday with respiratory symptoms//BBC
March
There is a strong chance that the new coronavirus could return in seasonal cycles, a senior US scientist said Wednesday, underscoring the urgent need to find a vaccine and effective treatments. As quoted by AFP.com (26/3 ) Anthony Fauci, who leads research into infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NI), told a briefing the virus was beginning to take root in the southern hemisphere, where winter is on its way. he said What his side is starting to see now in southern Africa and in the southern hemisphere countries, is that his side having cases that are appearing as they go into their winter season. And if, in fact, they have a substantial outbreak, it will be inevitable that we need to be prepared that we'll get a cycle around the second time//AFP