Beijing, China | XINHUA | Global COVID-19 cases topped 20 million on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University, doubling the world’s total infections in 45 days. With an effective vaccine still out of reach and many countries witnessing new records of daily surge of confirmed cases over the past weeks, …
Read More »Global efforts intensify to curb spread of COVID-19 as cases in Africa top 1 mln
Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | Working as a motorbike taxi rider in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, Joseph Musau knows at least three acquaintances who have contracted COVID-19. It was not until recently did he realize that COVID-19 was spreading at a faster speed in his country, where it took three months for …
Read More »Eurozone economies shrink 40 pct in Q2, but an economic “snapback” may be in the works
Brussels, Belgium | XINHUA | Europe formally and dramatically entered into recession Friday, with the latest data released by the European Union showing that the 19-member eurozone saw their economies contract by 40.3 percent in the second quarter of 2020, compared with the same period a year ago. The main …
Read More »U.S. economy sees sharpest contraction in decades as COVID-19 recession deepens
Washington, US | XINHUA | The U.S. economy saw the sharpest contraction in decades between April and June as the country grappled with the fallout of COVID-19 lockdowns, indicating the depth and severity of the pandemic-induced recession. The U.S. economy contracted at an annual rate of 32.9 percent in the …
Read More »U.S. economy at risk of double-dip recession amid COVID-19 resurgence
Washington, US | XINHUA | The resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the United States is raising the risk of a double-dip recession if the country is unable to reign in the pandemic, economists have warned. A total of 34 U.S. states have seen increasing rates of COVID-19 infection since the Memorial …
Read More »Nearly 10 mln children “may never return to school” after COVID-19 pandemic: charity
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Some 9.7 million children worldwide “could be forced out of school forever” by the end of this year, as a result of increasing poverty and budget cuts incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, London-headquartered charity Save the Children warned Monday. In 12 countries, mainly in West …
Read More »Africa CDC warns continent to prepare for rise in number of COVID-19 cases
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday said Africa must be careful and prepare for a rise in the number of cases after easing of lockdowns. The urgent call was made by John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC, as he …
Read More »Stock markets slip on fears of second virus wave
Hong Kong, China | AFP | Equities tumbled Monday, extending last week’s losses on fears of a second wave of virus infections around the world that could put the brakes on the easing of lockdowns and a budding economic recovery. While European nations press ahead with their reopening after months of …
Read More »Lives saved or deaths postponed? Calculating the cost of lockdowns
Paris, France | AFP | While lockdowns undoubtedly avoided large numbers of deaths from the new coronavirus, the repercussions of the pandemic response are expected to blight economies and health systems long after restrictions are lifted. So how can we quantify the costs and benefits of one of the largest public …
Read More »Lockdowns averted 3 million deaths in 11 European nations: study
Paris, France | AFP | Lockdowns prevented around 3.1 million deaths in 11 European countries, according to a new modelling study published Monday, as most nations tiptoe out of the strict measures to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. Research by Imperial College London, whose scientists are advising the British …
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