IMF lends $191.8 million to North Macedonia to soften coronavirus blow
The International Monetary Fund will disburse $191.8 million in emergency aid to North Macedonia to help it cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMF said on Friday.
Brazil ‘Ghostbuster’ deep cleans favela streets to fight coronavirus
When coronavirus hit and tourists stopped coming to Thiago Firmino’s Rio de Janeiro favela tour, he decided to act. Unwilling to wait for officials to react, he donned a white suit and set about disinfecting the streets of the Santa Marta slum.
U.S. offers $10 million for information on Hezbollah commander in Iraq
The United States on Friday offered up to $10 million for information on Sheikh Mohammad al-Kawtharani, a senior military commander of the Islamist group Hezbollah in Iraq who was an associate of the late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
French coronavirus toll over 13,000 as nursing home deaths jump
The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France jumped by nearly 987 or 8% to 13,197 as nursing home deaths swelled but fewer people were in intensive care as the effect of nationwide confinement started to show.
WHO warns about dangers of premature lifting of COVID-19 restrictions
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned countries on Friday to be cautious about lifting restrictions introduced to curb the spread of the new coronavirus and voiced alarm it was taking hold in Africa.
Two-day lockdown imposed in much of Turkey, coronavirus death toll tops 1,000
Istanbul, Ankara and other major Turkish cities locked down for two days from midnight on Friday to combat the spread of the coronavirus under an Interior Ministry order, as the country’s death toll from the pandemic rose above 1,000.
IMF lends 51.6 million euros to Kosovo to address virus crisis
The International Monetary Fund has approved a 51.6 million euro ($56.06 million) loan for Kosovo to tackle the economic crisis caused by the new coronavirus and address urgent balance of payments issues, the international lender said.
On Good Friday, Pope hears sorrows of prisoners and victims
Pope Francis presided at a “Way of the Cross” service held in an empty St. Peter’s Square on Friday because of the coronavirus outbreak and listened as both prisoners and their victims recounted their sorrows.
Brazil’s Bolsonaro hits the streets in latest social distancing snub
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took to the streets of Brasilia on Friday, drawing crowds and greeting followers in his latest public pushback against social isolation measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Quarantines extended at Austrian ski resorts as coronavirus lingers
Lockdowns at two of Austria’s top ski resorts in the province of Tyrol are being extended for two more weeks as tests have confirmed the coronavirus is still widespread there, the provincial government said on Friday.
