European and French flags are flapping at the Elysee Palace in Paris, December 2018. - Copyright AP Photo/Francois Mori, File
Emmanuel Macron has warned that the EU could unravel unless it embraces financial solidarity over the coronavirus.
In an interview with the Financial Times (paywall), the French president says EU member states have "no choice" but to set up a joint recovery fund. France has been pushing for a fund with common debt sharing according to countries needs -- an idea opposed by Germany and the Netherlands.
The EU faces a "moment of truth" in deciding whether it is more than just a single economic market -- otherwise the lack of solidarity will fuel populist anger in the south and kill off the EU as a political project, Macron argues.
In other developments:
- China has denied a "cover-up" after the number of deaths from coronavirus were revised sharply upwards. In Wuhan alone, the figure has shot up by 50%. It brings the nationwide total to 4,632.
- Donald Trump has given US state governors a road map for economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, laying out a gradual approach to restoring activity.
- The UK government will extend its coronavirus lockdown for at least three more weeks.
- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa also officially extended his countrys lockdown until early May.
- Swedish governmentgranted special powers to curb coronavirus outbreak
- A number of European countries have laid out plans to ease their containment measures.
- Air pollution in European cities has plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
See all the latest in our LIVE BLOG below:
Spanish death toll increases by 585
Spains ministry of health has announced that 585 people have died from COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 19,478.The number of confirmed cases has risen by 5,252 to 188,068.
Volunteers turn recycled plastic into face shields
Households and small businesses are turning their 3D printers into factories to create essential supplies during the pandemic, including face shields made from recycled plastic.
Over 300,000 Africans could die fo COVID-19: UN report
The UNs Economic Commission for Africa warned that 300,000 people across the African continent could lose their lives to the pandemic. Africa is particularly susceptible because 56 percent of its urban population is concentrated in slums or informal dwellings and only 34 percent of African households have access to basic handwashing facilities.
Belgian COVID-19 deaths pass 5,000
Health authorities said on Friday that a further 313 people had lost their lives to the virus over the previous 24 hours. This brings the total death toll to 5,163.
Russia reports over 4,000 new cases, breaking daily record again
Russia has reported another surge in new coronavirus infections, official figures showing 4,070 more confirmed cases over a 24-hour period.
It takes the overall number of cases to 32,008. The total number of people killed stands at 273.
Euronews Russian service reports that the numbers include two new cases in the Altai Republic in Western Siberia, the last region which until now has had no COVID-19 patients.
Theres been suspicion over Russias official figures, which have been lower than European countries.
China denies cover-up in COVID-19 death toll
The Chinese government has denied any "cover-up" over official casualty figures, after a sudden increase in the number of deaths was revealed (see earlier blog post).
"Theres never been any cover-up and we will never authorise any cover-up," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Friday.
New figures show thereve been nearly 1,300 extra deaths in Wuhan, the city at the origin of the outbreak.
Western leaders have criticised China, questioning the accuracy of its statistics and transparency.
Austrian minister concerned about UK infection rate
The Austrian Health Minister on Friday told a news conference that Britains relatively high daily coronavirus infection rate was "frightening many in Europe at the moment."
Rudolf Anschober held up a graph showing the average daily infection growth rate over the past ten days in different European countries, among which Britain stood out at 7.7%.
Germany, Switzerland and Italy all had rates of 3% or lower.
Austria has flattened its infection curve and reopened parts of the economy this week.
Should the infection rate remain low, officials have said they will open remaining stores and businesses on 1 May. On 16 April, Austria had an infection rate of 1.8%.
The Central European country has officially recorded 14,476 COVID-19 cases and 410 deaths.(AP)
Macron warns EU faces moment of truth over financial solidarity - full story
The French President says the EU has "no choice" but to create a joint virus recovery fund, and share debt with countries worst hit by the pandemic.
The French President said there was "no choice" but for the bloc to set up a fund that "could issue common debt with a common guarantee"; putting himself in opposition with Berlin.
German infection rate falls below key level
Latest figures from Germany show the rate of contagion has fallen below a key level for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
The statistics from the Robert Koch Institute show that each patient is now spreading the infection to less than one other person. The number of people on average contaminated by each sick person has fallen to 0.7.
This comes in a week that has seen Germany tentatively loosen its lockdown restrictions. Shops have reopened and schools will do so from May 4. But Chancellor Angela Merkel warns that progress is "fragile".
SOURCE: Euronews
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/16001
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