Coronavirus

€750 billion euros German aid package is initial step to tackle coronavirus crisis

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said that an aid package worth up to 750 billion euros that the government announced on Monday was just an initial step in tackling the…

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EU finance ministers divided over crises measures

EU finance ministers argued over crisis measures to help European countries withstand the economic shock of the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday, with powerful Germany cautious about rewriting the rulebook, reports Euronews…

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Greece registers increase in victims, as it is preparing for rise in the spread in the migrant camps

On the Greek islands at the forefront of Europe’s unresolved migration crisis, social distancing and self-isolation are luxuries many can’t afford. In Moria, Europe’s largest informal migrant camp, some 20,000…

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Number of deaths in Italy go up while infections go down

The number of new coronavirus infections fell for the third straight day Tuesday to 3,612, compared to 3,780 Monday and 3,957 Sunday, but the number of victims rose again, to…

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Spain army requests international assistance to fight coronavirus pandemic

The Spanish army has requested international assistance to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which is now expanding at a faster rate than in Italy. “The Armed Forces of Spain are acting…

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Trump wants to ease lockdown by mid-April

US President Donald Trump has announced he wants the US lockdown relaxed by my mid-April, saying that current measures will lead to an economic slowdown and ultimately "destroy" the US and…

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British government calls for 250,000 volunteers to help NHS as Britain registers highest daily increase

A further 87 people have died in the United Kingdom after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 422, the government said on Tuesday. The number…

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“After darkness, there will be light” – PM Robert Abela announces third economic set of measures in “historical social pact” for Malta

Malta's PM Robert Abela has announced a third set of economic set of measures after a number of constituted bodies as well as economists had expressed their dissatisfaction with the…

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Covid-19 Bulletin Malta – Tuesday 24th March 2020

Update 2054 PM Robert Abela has announced a third set of economic set of measures after a number of constituted bodies as well as economists had expressed their dissatisfaction…

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45,000 jobs could be lost in Malta – Chamber of Commerce President

Perit David Xuereb, President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has warned that some 45,000 jobs could be lost in Malta in the wake of the economic…

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‘I am an orphan’

Just outside Txagorritxu hospital, in the Basque Country, a woman stands in the parking lot. She is inconsolable. This is where the patients who have been infected with the Coronavirus…

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40% of US under lockdown by tomorrow as WHO sees country as next epicentre

The World Health Organisation indicated the United States as the next big epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic as the North American country experienced a very large acceleration in new cases.…

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Tokyo 2020 Olympics to be postponed for a year

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has asked for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed for a year during talks with organisers. Mr Abe held talks with International Olympic Committee (IOC)…

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Grim discovery in Spain – old people left to die in their beds

Soldiers have made a grim discovery in Spain, as they visited retirement homes to disinfect them following the outbreak of the coronavirus – finding a number of elderly people…

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Keeping sane in quarantine

Work, shopping for groceries, fixing the broken bike, driving your kids to post-curricular activities, visiting relatives. It was a rat race for most of us, barely having enough energy to…

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Germany in economic blitz as its fights off pandemic impact

Since 2014, Germany has proudly resisted calls for additional expenditure to boost the economy, defending assiduously the famous Schwarze Null – the Black Zero: no budget should end up in…

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Up to 100,000 Spanish workers facing temporary layoffs

As the death count in Spain continues to spiral, workers, particularly those on temporary contracts, continue to suffer the brunt with 100,000 people facing losing jobs. Spain extended its state…

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Italian priest dies of coronavirus after donating respirator to younger stranger

Don Giuseppe Berardelli, a 72-year old Roman Catholic priest from Casnigo, near Bergamo, one of the “epicentres” of coronavirus in Italy, gave the ultimate example of altruism, when renouncing to…

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Malta in third place in Covid-19 tests carried per million people

Malta is the in the third place in the amount of tests it has carried for Coronavirus. According to data published by Our World in Data Malta has carried 2,046 tests…

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Champions League, Europa League Finals postponed

Following last week’s announcement that EURO 2020 will be shifted to next Summer, UEFA now announced the postponement of the Final of the Champions League, the Europa League as well…

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COVID-19 and financial markets

Article by Keith Zahra - CiConsulta A look at media reports on the performance of financial markets around the world offer a myriad of numbers providing evidence of the blow…

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The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war – UN Secretary General calls for immediate global ceasefire

The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war”, he said. “That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.…

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A cure in core values

It is rare to find a company that does not profess a set of core values these days. Visit any corporate website and if it misses a section outlining its…

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Cyprus goes in total lock-down to mitigate strain on health system as some citizens ignore plea to stay home

Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades announced draconian measures including restrictions in movement and the closures of public places, as the government seeks to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which totalled…

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British travellers urged to return to UK

Britons who are currently travelling abroad are being urged to return to the UK now. A statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said tourists and short-stay travellers should…

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Polish government launches a Minecraft server for housebound kids

In an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, Poland has shut its schools until at least April 10. While online classes are widespread, there's still the problem of keeping…

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Bulgaria approves amended state of emergency law after President’s veto

Bulgaria’s parliament agreed on Monday to cancel some parts of a law that establishes a state of emergency to limit the spread of the coronavirus after the president wielded his veto…

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Photo Story: Doctors from Cuba arrive in Milan

The Cuban doctors on their arrival to help Italian healthcare for the Coronavirus emergency in Milan, Malpensa airport. Cuban doctors were on the front lines in the fight against cholera…

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France announces tougher confinement rules

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced on Monday evening stricter confinement rules that will go into effect on Tuesday. "Taking your children out or going out to work out must…

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Boris Johnson announces complete lockdown of the UK

Boris Johnson announced total lockdown measures to tackle coronavirus: stay at home or face a fine. Sky News reports that in a "dramatic and historic" TV address to the nation, Johnson said all…

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Paolo Maldini thanks… the real heroes fighting the Covid-19 battle in Italy

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Stimulus package needs to be directed to urgently save jobs for local companies – Malta Chamber of Commerce

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry is analysing the results of a survey conducted over the weekend with its members on the effects of the government support measures…

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Photo Story: The battlefront in the war against coronavirus

A series of photos taken by EPA photographers of hospitals and medical personnel who are in the forefront in the worldwide war against the coronavirus pandemic and who, sometimes, in…

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Adaptive Biotechnologies and Microsoft expand partnership to decode COVID-19

Adaptive Biotechnologies Corpand Microsoft Corp. announced they will leverage their existing partnership mapping population-wide adaptive immune responses to diseases at scale to study COVID-19. Finding the relevant immune response signature…

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EU issues advice on border management for freight moving across borders

The European Commission issued new practical advice on how to implement its Guidelines for border management, in order to keep freight moving across the EU during the current pandemic. To…

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Norwegian government working to extend foreign workers residence permit

The Norwegian government announced that it is working on an amendment to the Immigration Regulations to allow foreign workers already in Norway to receive a residence permit extension. This amendment…

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Italy’s patient ‘1’ discharged from hospital

Matteo, Italy's 'Patient 1' was discharged from San Matteo of Pavia on Monday. The 38-year-old from Codogno believed to be the first ascertained case of Coronavirus in Italy when on…

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Photo Story: Coronavirus in the Philippines

A legislator of the House of Representatives wearing a protective mask holds a sign during a special session in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 23 March 2020. Only around 20…

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Swiss coronavirus cases rise to over 8,000

Swiss health authorities reported 956 more coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of people tested positive in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to 8,060 as of midday on Monday. The number…

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Maltese Banks announce initiatives to support clients during COVID-19 crisis

Major banks in Malta have over the past few days launched a number of initiatives to support their personal and business clients during these challenging times. International banking regulatory authorities…

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Face masks sent to Italy from China end up in the Czech Republic

Thousands of face masks sent by China for Italy's beleaguered hospitals have ended up in the Czech Republic in an apparent cross-border imbroglio as Europe, now the epicentre of the…

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A message from the Australian PM on why social distancing matters

Australian Prime Minister issued a tweet explaining in simple terms why social distancing in the coronavirus pandemic is of outmost importance. The strident government’s message about social distancing to stop…

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Photo Story: From Russia with love

A handout still image made available 22 March 2020 by the Russian Defense Ministry shows Russian specialists prepare an Ilyushin IL-76 transport aircraft of Russian Defense Ministry for depart to…

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Neil Diamond’s coronavirus-era remake of “Sweet Caroline”

Musician Neil Diamond reached out on Twitter to give a little hope during these tense times. "I know we're going through a rough time right now but I love ya,"…

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Photo Story: Canal water in Venice cleans up

Some gondolas moored on the Grand Canal float on the water with a semi-transparent seabed, in the absence of wave motion, due to the suspension of traffic caused by the…

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Italy requests US military support for coronavirus battle

The government of Italy has made a direct appeal to Defense Secretary Mark Esper for US military aid in combating coronavirus, according to a US defense official. Specifically, Italy's defense…

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Facebook to donate 720,000 masks, reaches out to UN

Tech giant Facebook has donated 720,000 masks to US health workers, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said. Mr Zuckerberg said the masks had been bought in case the US wildfires…

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EU approves €3 billion guarantee schemes for Portuguese SMEs affected by Coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has found four Portuguese guarantee schemes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps affected by the Coronavirus outbreak to be in line with EU State aid…

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Sale of masks and hand sanitiser restricted on eBay to stop price gouging

EBay is restricting the sale of masks and hand sanitiser in a bid to crack down on profiteering during the coronavirus pandemic. Only a trusted “whitelist” of vetted eBay sellers…

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UAE closes all shopping malls and food markets for two weeks

The United Arab Emirates is closing all commercial centers and shopping malls along with fish, meat and vegetable markets. The new rule will come into force in 48 hours, and…

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UK brings in army to get protective kit to health workers

Britain brought in the army on Monday to help deliver supplies of protective equipment to healthcare workers after doctors said they felt like “cannon fodder” and pleaded with the…

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Libya ramps up anti coronavirus measures

Libya’s internationally recognized government, led by Faiez Serraj and based in Tripoli, declared a general country-wide curfew which commenced today. The curfew is from 6pm until 6am. It excludes…

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Poland may impose more curbs on citizens

Poland may impose further constraints on citizens to prevent the spread of coronavirus given the likelihood of a sharp increase in the number of infections this week, senior government officials…

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Millions in India under coronavirus lockdown as major cities restrict daily life

Millions of people across India have been placed under lockdown until the end of the month as efforts to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country…

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South Korea reports lowest number of new cases in four weeks

South Korea has reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases since infection rates peaked four weeks ago, fuelling hope Asia's worst outbreak outside China may be abating. The country…

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Russia’s Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Jump to 438

Russia confirmed 71 new coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the country’s official number of cases up to 438. Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still far below those in European…

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Alibaba founder Jack Ma sends aid to Africa

Jack Ma, the man who co-founded e-commerce site Alibaba, has sent medical supplies to Africa. Supplies were sent to Ethiopia and Rwanda. Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who will…

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