by Stéphane ORJOLLET Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — “The world will never be the same again,” has been the oft-repeated refrain since the coronavirus brought the global economy to a juddering halt. For many it has shown how fragile our civilization is. The crisis has come as a new movement called “collapsology” — which warns of the possible collapse of our societies as we know them — is gaining ground. With climate change exposing how […]
Tag: Virus
US Senate approves new $480 bn pandemic relief plan
by Michael Mathes Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Senate approved a bipartisan, nearly half-trillion-dollar coronavirus relief package Tuesday, with funding earmarked for devastated small businesses, overwhelmed hospitals, and a ramp-up of testing nationwide during the pandemic. The essential job-saving measure, which passed by unanimous consent after more than a week of negotiations between Democrats, Republicans and the White House, now heads to the House of Representatives where a vote […]
UK coronavirus death toll rises by 828 to 17,337: ministry
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A total of 17,337 people in hospital with coronavirus have died in Britain, new health ministry figures showed Tuesday, an increase of 828 on the previous day. The daily increase in deaths, which excludes those in care homes, is a significant increase on Monday’s tally but numbers are always lower at the start of the week due to reporting delays over the weekend. © Agence France-Presse
Netflix sees record sign-ups during pandemic lockdowns
by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Netflix on Tuesday reported soaring profits as subscriptions surged by almost 16 million at the streaming television service during lockdowns to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. “After record subscriber additions, Netflix is and will continue to be the media company least impacted by COVID-19,” said eMarketer forecasting analyst Eric Haggstrom. “Their business is a near-perfect fit to a population that is […]
US starts contact tracing the old-fashioned way, but ‘it’s late’
by Ivan Couronne Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) — Taiwan and South Korea have led the world in digital contact tracing for the COVID-19 pandemic — an example the US with its emphasis on personal privacy and decentralized system of government is unlikely to be able to follow. Instead, states and cities are opting to hire thousands of public health workers who will have to carry out the laborious task of phoning everyone with […]
Italy sees second successive drop in active virus cases
ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy reported its second successive drop Tuesday in the number of current coronavirus cases as it neared a crucial decision on whether to extend its national lockdown. The civil protection service said the number of people officially being treated for COVID-19 fell by 528 to a total of 107,709. The number went down by 20 on Monday — its first decline since the Mediterranean country reported its initial cases two months […]
Trump curbs immigration as UN warns of food shortages
by Chris Lefkow with AFP bureaux Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump announced partial curbs on immigration Tuesday to “protect American workers” amid the economic carnage of the coronavirus pandemic. As Trump announced a 60-day pause in the issuing of “green cards” to people seeking permanent residency in the US, the United Nations warned that the virus could trigger famine in already vulnerable countries. The bleak warning came as […]
More than 2,700 dead in US from coronavirus in last 24 hours
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The coronavirus death toll in the United States — the country with the most fatalities in the pandemic — has climbed by 2,751 in the past 24 hours, the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University showed Tuesday. The US has recorded more than 800,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Baltimore-based university, with 44,845 deaths. Nearly 40,000 new cases were reported between Monday […]
Cuomo presses Trump for more federal help in coronavirus testing
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pressed President Donald Trump Tuesday for more help from the federal government to carry out coronavirus testing during a face-to face-meeting he described as cordial and productive after weeks of sometimes nasty exchanges. As the virus death toll in the US keeps rising and now stands at nearly 45,000, widespread testing is viewed as key to states being able to lift stay-at-home orders and reopen […]
Coronavirus takes mental toll on New York’s medical staff
by Laura BONILLA Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Battling to keep intensive care patients alive at a hospital in one of New York City’s worst-affected coronavirus neighborhoods is taking a toll on nurse Debbie Sanchez’s mental health. “I have extreme anxiety,” said Sanchez, who has been working 12-hour shifts covered head-to-toe in protective clothing since New York became the epicenter of America’s COVID-19 outbreak last month. Sanchez, 57, was working in […]
Trump says immigration suspension to last 60 days
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was suspending immigration for green card seekers for 60 days, arguing the controversial move would help Americans find work again after coronavirus caused a surge in unemployment. Trump told reporters at the White House the suspension would come into force through an executive order that he would likely sign on Wednesday as he offered the first details about a vague announcement he made Monday […]
France reports 531 new coronavirus deaths, total toll 20,796
PARIS, France (AFP) — France on Tuesday reported 531 deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours as the number of people in hospital and intensive care continued to decline. The daily tally — 387 deaths in hospital and 144 in nursing homes — brought France’s total epidemic death toll to 20,796, top health official Jerome Salomon told reporters. There were 30,106 infected people in hospital, he said — a daily decline of 478 in an encouraging […]





