Other News

PM urges France ‘not to let down guard’ to prevent new virus lockdown

LILLE, France (AFP) — Prime Minister Jean Castex on Monday urged France “not to let down its guard” in the fight against the coronavirus in order to prevent the need for a new national lockdown, as concern grows over a recent surge in cases. “The virus has not gone on holiday and neither have we,” the premier said on a visit to the northeastern city of Lille. “We need to protect ourselves against this virus, […]

Top coronavirus advisor warns US in ‘new phase’ of pandemic; says virus “extraordinarily widespread’

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States has entered a “new phase” of the pandemic, White House coronavirus advisor Deborah Birx warned Sunday, with rural areas just as threatened as major cities. Birx, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that local virus mitigation procedures were starting to work, but added that “what we are seeing today is different from March and April”. “It is extraordinarily […]

Australian city begins curfew as global virus cases top 18 million

  by Carly Waters, with AFP Bureaus Agence France Presse MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s second-largest city started a six-week curfew and the Philippine capital was ordered back into lockdown, as the number of global coronavirus cases on Monday topped 18 million. The spread of the virus is gathering pace with worldwide deaths nearing 700,000, and a White House adviser warning that it was “extraordinarily widespread” in the United States — the worst-hit nation. There […]

COVID-19 cases in PHL breach 106,000 mark with 3,226 additional cases announced today

(Eagle News) — The number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the country breached the 106,000 mark on Monday, Aug. 3, after the Department of Health reported 3,226 cases on the same day. According to the DOH, of the 106330 total COVID-19 cases, 38,405 were active. Of this, 90.3 percent are mild, 8.2 percent are asymptomatic, 0.9 percent are severe, and 0.6 percent are critical. The DOH said of the 3226 newly-announced cases, 1541 come […]

“Dindo” slightly intensifies as it leaves PAR

(Eagle News) — “Dindo” slightly intensified on Monday, Aug. 3, but is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, occasional rains, however, will be experienced over Batanes and Babuyan Islands. The weather bureau said this was due to the southwest monsoon. PAGASA said a low pressure area estimated 450 kilometers east southeast of Davao City may also bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over Caraga and […]

Revised protocols for MECQ to be followed in NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna starting Aug. 4

(Eagle News) – With the return to the stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, strict home quarantine shall again be observed in all households, with their movement limited to only accessing essential goods and services, from Tuesday, August 4 to 18. President Rodrigo Duterte announced the return to MECQ of these areas as COVID-19 cases in the country passed 100,000, with the addition of a record-high of […]

Westbrook, Harden rally Rockets over NBA-best Bucks

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and James Harden added 24 Sunday to rally the Houston Rockets over NBA overall leader Milwaukee 120-116 despite a big night for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks led 112-104 after Khris Middleton’s three-pointer with 3:14 to play, but Houston closed the game with a 16-4 run. “It’s amazing,” Westbrook said. “We fought through. Adversity showed up and we showed off. All the guys in our locker […]

Microsoft to keep exploring TikTok deal after talks with Trump

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Microsoft announced Sunday it would continue talks to acquire the US operations of popular video-sharing app TikTok, after meeting with President Donald Trump who seemingly backed off his earlier threats to ban the Chinese-owned platform. “Following a conversation between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Donald J Trump, Microsoft is prepared to continue discussions to explore a purchase of TikTok in the United States,” the company said in a statement, […]

DTI: Gyms, Internet cafés, salons to close again in M. Manila, parts of CALABARZON under MECQ

(Eagle News)–Businesses that were recently allowed to operate in Metro Manila and other general community quarantine areas will again have to shut down as the National Capital Region and parts of CALABARZON revert to a modified enhanced community quarantine starting Tuesday, Aug. 4. Before President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement on the return to the stricter community quarantine, the DTI said gyms, review centers and Internet cafes in general community quarantine areas, which at that time also […]

China’s young jobseekers struggle despite economic recovery

by Beiyi SEOW ZHENGZHOU, China (AFP ) — Biology student Ma Jingjing wandered the hall of a job fair in central China among other young Chinese hoping to find work in an economy crushed by the coronavirus pandemic. Ma, 26, is one of almost nine million people graduating and entering the job market this year at a time of great uncertainty, an issue that has the ruling Communist Party worried to the point that President […]

Dozens of police injured in Berlin protests against virus curbs

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Some 45 police officers were injured in a wave of weekend demonstrations in Berlin including protests against coronavirus restrictions, police said as protesters gathered again in smaller numbers on Sunday. The unruly protests, in which many demonstrators failed to wear masks or respect social distancing rules, have sparked a chorus of condemnation including calls for tougher penalties against those who violate restrictions aimed at curbing transmission of the deadly virus. A […]

Kosovo PM tests positive for coronavirus

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AFP) — Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti said late Sunday he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and would self-isolate for the next two weeks. “Today I did the test for the COVID-19 and tested positive,” Hoti wrote on his Facebook account. The prime minister said he had started 14 days of self-isolation, during which he would perform his duties from home. “I have no signs (of the disease), except a very […]