Covid-19: Thousands of schools reopen as France eases lockdown

PARIS, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of schools reopened throughout France on Tuesday as the government eases its coronavirus lockdown rules despite some fears of a second waves of infections. According to official figures there were 348 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the national total to 26,991. Primary and…

Laos to press ahead with new dam, its third on Mekong

BANGKOK, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Environmentalists have criticised Laos for pressing ahead with plans for another dam on the Mekong River, a waterway already strangled by hydropower schemes. The flow of the Mekong, Southeast Asia’s longest river, is interrupted by a cascade of dams in China — where it is…

US Senate threatens sanctions on China over COVID-19 accounting

WASHINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Republican senators proposed legislation Tuesday that would empower President Donald Trump to slap sanctions on China if Beijing does not give a “full accounting” for the coronavirus outbreak. “The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this…

Covid-19: Brazil registers one-day record for deaths

BRASILIA, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil registered its highest COVID-19 death toll for a single day, with 881 new deaths confirmed over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said. Brazil, the Latin American country hit hardest in the pandemic, appears to be quickly becoming a new global flashpoint. The…

Covid-19: Pres Maduro extends lockdown measures in Venezuela

CARACAS, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro announced he was extending his country’s lockdown measures against the coronavirus for a further 30 days. “I will renew the 30-day state-of-alert decree in order to continue to protect our people,” the Socialist president said in one of his near-daily televised…

Covid-19: Vice President Pence to ‘keep distance’ from Pres Trump – White House

WASHINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Vice President Mike Pence, whose press secretary tested positive for coronavirus, has decided to “keep his distance” from President Donald Trump for a few days, the White House said. Katie Miller, Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for the virus last week along with a…

Covid-19: Chile asks IMF for a $23.8 billion line of credit

WASHINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities in Chile have asked the International Monetary Fund for a flexible line of credit of around $23.8 billion over two years, the Washington-based institution said in a statement. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva intends to recommend approval of the request due to Chile’s “very…

Covid-19: US Democrats unveil $3 trillion virus relief package

WASHINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Democrats unveiled a $3 trillion coronavirus response package, the largest yet, to fund efforts to fight the pandemic and provide emergency payments to millions of American households. The Heroes Act was introduced in the House of Representatives and could be voted on in the…

Covid-19: Global death toll passes 290,000

PARIS, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The coronavirus pandemic has now claimed more than 290,000 lives worldwide, according to official sources at 2200 GMT on Tuesday. In total, 290,477 deaths have been registered, with Europe accounting for 159,205 of them. The United States is the worst-affected country with 82,105 deaths, followed…

Covid-19: Saudi to enforce round-the-clock virus curfew at Eid

RIYADH, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia will enforce a round-the-clock nationwide curfew during the five-day Eid al-Fitr holiday later this month to fight the coronavirus, the interior ministry said, as infections spike. The kingdom, which has reported the highest number of virus cases in the Gulf region, is scrambling…