Covid-19 pushes 3.3 mn to claim US jobless benefits

WASHINGTON, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic sparked an explosion of Americans filing for unemployment benefits, surging to 3.3 million last week — the highest number ever recorded, the Labor Department reported. The normally routine report is at the frontlines of the economic crisis…

Covid-19: Chinese medical supplies arrive in Bangladesh

DHAKA, March 27 (NNN-BSS) — The promised Chinese medical supplies including much needed 10,000 test kits to help combat deadly COVID-19 arrived here Thursday afternoon. A special aircraft of Chinese government landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) here around 4.30 pm with the supplies that also included 10,000 PPE…

Covid-19: Brazilian state governors call for minimum income amid pandemic

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Brazilian state governors called on the federal government to adopt minimum income for citizens amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Several states have established quarantine and isolation measures. Many people who have informal jobs are unable to work from home and thus lost all their…

COVID-19: Pentagon orders halt to all overseas movement for US forces for up to 60 days

U.S. soldiers at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar, Iraq WASHINGTON, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Defence Secretary Mark Esper has issued a stop movement order to the US military halting all travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus through…

Covid-19: UK deaths from outbreak climb to 463

LONDON, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of coronavirus deaths in the United Kingdom rose to 463 as of Wednesday from 422 on Tuesday, the British government said. The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK were at 9,529 as of Wednesday, compared to 8,077 cases as of Tuesday,…

Covid-19: Italy’s deaths pass 7,500 amid fears of spread to south

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ROME, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 680 people have died from coronavirus in Italy in the last 24 hours, the Civil Protection Agency said, as concerns grew that the disease was spreading more towards the south of the country. The death toll increased by…

Covid-19: Zimbabwean doctors, customs officials down tools over coronavirus fears

A staff member at the Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare HARARE, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At a time when other countries are beefing up their fight against the coronavirus, Zimbabwe’s doctors, nurses and customs officials have downed tools over the government’s failure to provide protective equipment to guard them against the…

Covid-18: Spain’s death toll surpasses China’s

Spain now has more than 47,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19  MADRID, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed the official figure from China, becoming the second highest in the world. The number of deaths rose by 738 in 24 hours – a daily record – to 3,434,…

Covid-19: US$2 trillion rescue package passes US Senate, heads to House

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell WASHINGTON, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Senate unanimously passed the nation’s largest-ever rescue package, a US$2 trillion lifeline to suffering Americans, critically depleted hospitals and an economy all ravaged by a rapidly spreading coronavirus crisis. The measure cleared the Senate 96-0 after days of…

Venezuelan communications satellite out of service

CARACAS, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s first communicationssatellite, launched in 2008, is out of service due to a systems failure, thecountry’s government said. “Due to a failure, the Simon Bolivar satellite is no longer working forcommunication,” said the science and technology minister in a statement,without giving further details. On Monday,…