WORLD

New York, United States | AFP | The month of March opened with US unemployment near a 50-year low and concluded with countless companies turning to Washington for help as the coronavirus ravaged the economy. Quarterly earnings season — which kicks off this week with reports from major banks — will …

Vienna, Austria | AFP | Top oil-producing countries agreed on “historic” output cuts to prop up prices hammered by the coronavirus crisis and a Russia-Saudi price war, sending crude prices soaring on Monday. The US benchmark WTI climbed 7.7 percent to $24.52 a barrel in early Asian trade while Brent was …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish thanked fans for their support on Sunday after leaving hospital following a positive test for the coronavirus. Dalglish, 69, found he had the virus after being admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment for a separate infection which required intravenous antibiotics. …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP |  Pope Francis offered a prayer for coronavirus victims in an unprecedented livestream Easter Sunday message delivered from a hauntingly empty Vatican to a world under lockdown. The 83-year-old pontiff spoke softly at a solemn ceremony attended by just a handful of priests and a …

Rome, Italy | AFP |  Billions around the world celebrated Easter Sunday from lockdown at home as the pope urged solidarity to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the European death toll from the virus topped 75,000. Unprecedented scenes of empty churches emerged from Italy to Panama and the Philippines, as religious …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Boris Johnson left hospital on Sunday to convalesce from COVID-19 at Chequers, the country estate of British prime ministers, officials said, a week after he was admitted and then spent three days in intensive care. The 55-year-old leader will not be immediately returning to work, …

New York, United States | AFP |  With New York’s nightlife spots closed digital dance parties are all the rave, as DJs stream sets while revelers don their nipple pasties and disco-ball facemasks for clubs online. The city that proudly never sleeps has seen more than 90,000 of its residents test …

Fieni, Romania | AFP |  Peacocks may not be the first thing visitors expect to see at a cement plant. But a factory in the Romanian town of Fieni has built a spacious aviary for the birds in a bid to convince the public of its environmental credentials. The idea was the …

Jussey, France | AFP |  It’s a grim truth that times are good for the coffin business when they’re bad for people, and the coronavirus pandemic is no exception. At a factory belonging to Europe’s largest coffin maker, OGF, in eastern France, workers are doing overtime to meet demand from families …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | The coronavirus pandemic poses a huge global challenge to auction houses large and small, but those that have embraced technology could prosper as nervous investors seek a safe haven, according to experts. Major London-based house Sotheby’s has closed its London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Geneva, Milan, …