Coronavirus latest global developments

The pandemic has killed at least 590,132 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year and more than 13.8 million have been infected. Image: Maridav/IStock.com via AFP Relaxnews

EU’s ‘moment of truth’

Deeply divided European Union leaders begin their first face-to-face summit for months to thrash out the terms of a planned 750-billion-euro (P42 trillion) post-coronavirus economic rescue plan, in what French President Emmanuel Macron describes as a “moment of truth” for the economically battered bloc.

New record for US

The United States sets another record for new daily cases with 68,428 infections recorded in 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University. In that period the death toll also climbs by 974 people in the world’s worst-hit country, which is seeing a resurgence in the south and west.

Meanwhile, Brazil tops two million coronavirus cases, while India records one million, meaning they rank with the United States among the three worst-hit countries.

New restrictions

The regional government in Spain’s second city Barcelona urges residents to stay home after a rise in virus cases. It also orders the closure of cinemas, theatres and nightclubs and bans gatherings of more than 10 people.

And Israel’s government imposes new restrictions in the hope of avoiding a general lockdown further along the line. They include the closure every weekend of malls, stores and other venues.

More than 590,000 deaths

The pandemic has killed at least 590,132 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year and more than 13.8 million have been infected, according to an Agence France-Presse tally at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time Zone on Friday based on official sources.

The United States has the most deaths with 138,360. It is followed by Brazil with 76,688, Britain with 45,119, Mexico with 37,574, and Italy with 35,017.

BA retires 747 fleet early

British Airways says it is retiring its 747 jumbo jet fleet of 31 planes, saying: “It is unlikely our magnificent ‘queen of the skies’ will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

Meanwhile, Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific issues a profit warning, estimating it has lost 9.9 billion Hong Kong dollars (P63 billion) in the first half of the year due to the pandemic.

UN needs $3.6 billion more

The United Nations asks for an extra $3.6 billion (P177 trillion) for its Global Humanitarian Response Plan to battle the pandemic, warning developed countries of the “price of inaction” if poorer nations do not receive help.

Russia accused of vaccine hacking

The U.S., Britain and Canada accuse Russia of trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research from their laboratories, saying that a hacking group called APT29 is “almost certainly” linked to Russian intelligence.

New China outbreak

The capital of China’s far-western Xinjiang region, Urumqi, curtails most flights into the city and shuts down the subway and public bus services after at least five coronavirus infections are detected there, government authorities and state-controlled media say.

Record rise in Melbourne

Australia’s second-biggest city of Melbourne reports a record rise of more than 400 new coronavirus cases despite a week-old lockdown of more than five million residents, with Victoria state’s chief health officer saying: “We have not turned the corner here, worse than that.”

Olympics face ‘new war’

Athletes and the Olympic movement face their greatest crisis since the 1980s Cold War-era boycotts in the COVID-19 pandemic, which has become a “new war”, long-time International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound tells AFP. CL

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