Coronavirus: latest global developments
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
Parliament threatens EU budget
The European Parliament votes by a large majority to demand changes to a draft long-term EU budget that was agreed by the 27 member states, along with a huge coronavirus recovery plan.
European leaders wrangled for four days and nights to secure the two projects, but the European executive Commission and many MEPs complain that many of their priorities in the multi-year budget were cut and some spending was shifted to the virus plan.
Pompeo comments 'unacceptable': WHO chief
The World Health Organization chief rejects as "untrue and unacceptable" an allegation by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he owed his position to a deal with China, with whom Washington is at loggerheads over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned against the "politicisation of the pandemic".
More than three million cases in Europe
More than three million cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Europe, over half of them in Russia, Britain, Spain and Italy, according to an AFP tally Thursday.
The continent remains the hardest hit in terms of deaths, with 206,714.
More than 627,000 dead
The pandemic has killed at least 627,307 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, with more than 15.2 million people infected, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Thursday based on official sources.
The United States has the most deaths with 143,190, followed by Brazil with 82,771, Britain with 45,501, Mexico with 41,190 and Italy with 35,082.
US unemployment increases
Claims for government benefits by newly unemployed American workers rose to 1.42 million last week, the Labor Department says, reversing weeks of declines as coronavirus cases surge in the world's worst-hit country.
Iran's toll passes 15,000
Iran's death toll from the coronavirus surpasses 15,000, health authorities say, as the country struggles to contain the Middle East's deadliest outbreak.
Belgium toughens mask law
Belgians will be required to wear face masks in outdoor markets and busy shopping areas, as well as accessible parts of public buildings, as concerns increase over new infections and hospitalisations in recent weeks.
13,000 SAfrican health workers infected
The coronavirus has infected some 13,000 South African health workers and killed more than 100 of them, the health ministry says. South Africa holds the highest number of infections on the continent with 408,052 recorded cases and 5,940 deaths so far.
© 2020 AFP
