‘It’s okay to feel scared’: Coronavirus brings countries close to standstill
Bars, restaurants, cinemas and schools were shutting down from New York and Los Angeles to Paris and Dubai in a worldwide effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, as financial markets tumbled despite emergency action by global central banks.
Swiss ban all events at midnight as virus spreads
Switzerland’s government on Monday banned all public and private events from midnight and mobilized up to 8,000 members of the military after declaring the rapidly spreading coronavirus an “exceptional” emergency.
Portugal, Spain suspend passenger air, rail traffic due to coronavirus
Portugal’s Interior Minister Eduardo Cabrita said on Monday that all passenger air and rail traffic with neighbouring Spain will be suspended until April 15 from 2300 GMT on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak after an agreement between the two cou…
World Health Organization says ‘test, test, test’ for coronavirus
The World Health Organization called on all countries on Monday to ramp up their testing programmes as the best way to slow the advance of the coronavirus pandemic.
Armenia postpones referendum until after coronavirus emergency
Armenia will hold a referendum on constitutional reforms after a state of emergency linked to the coronavirus pandemic ends, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Monday.
G7 leaders express “strong” will to cooperate to tackle virus: EU’s Michel
G7 leaders have expressed a strong desire to work together to tackle what is likely to be a long and difficult health crisis, European Council President Charles Michel said on Monday.
Ukraine wants talks with IMF, food export curbs to fight virus fallout
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked his government on Monday to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund to ask for financial support to counteract the effect of the coronavirus on the economy.
EU executive proposes shutting bloc’s external borders for 30 days
The European Union’s executive on Monday proposed a 30-day ban on incoming travel to the bloc for foreigners to battle the spread of coronavirus.
Chinese official warns against U.S. effort to limit foreign medicine supplies
A Chinese official on Monday warned that a push by the White House to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign medicines in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak was “neither realistic nor wise.”
U.S. military modifies major exercise in Europe over coronavirus
The U.S. military said on Monday that it had stopped the movement of personnel and equipment to Europe for a major military exercise because of the coronavirus outbreak.
