Madrid, Mar 26: More than three billion people around the world were living under lockdown on Wednesday as governments stepped up their efforts against the coronavirus pandemic which has left more than 20,000 people dead.
As the number of confirmed cases worldwide soared past 450,000, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that only a concerted global effort could stop the spread of the virus.
In Spain, the number of fatalities surpassed those of China, where the novel coronavirus first emerged three months ago, making it the hardest-hit nation after Italy.
A total of more than 20,800 deaths have now been reported in 182 countries and territories, according to an AFP tally.
Stock markets rebounded after the US Congress moved closer to passing a $2.2 trillion relief package to prop up a teetering US economy.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said New York, the epicenter of the US outbreak with over 30,000 cases, likely has a few "tough weeks" ahead but he would decide soon whether unaffected parts of the country can get back to work.
"We want to get our country going again," Trump said. "I'm not going to do anything rash or hastily.
"By Easter we'll have a recommendation and maybe before Easter," said Trump, who had been touting a strong US economy as he faces an election in November.
UN chief Guterres said the world needs to ban together to stem the pandemic.
"COVID-19 is threatening the whole of humanity -- and the whole of humanity must fight back," Guterres said, launching an appeal for $2 billion to help the world's poor.
"Global action and solidarity are crucial," he said. "Individual country responses are not going to be enough."
India's stay-at-home order for its 1.3 billion people is now the biggest, taking the total number of individuals facing restrictions on their daily lives to more than three billion.
Anxious Indians raced for supplies after the world's second-biggest population was ordered not to leave their houses for three weeks.
Russia, which announced the death of two patients who tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, is expected to follow suit.
President Vladimir Putin declared next week a public holiday and postponed a public vote on controversial constitutional reforms, urging people to follow instructions given by authorities.
In Britain, heir to the throne Prince Charles became the latest high-profile figure to be infected, though he has suffered only mild symptoms.
The G20 major economies will hold an emergency videoconference on Thursday to discuss a global response to the crisis, as will the 27 leaders of the European Union, the outbreak's new epicenter.
China has begun to relax its own draconian restrictions on free movement in the province of Hubei -- where the outbreak began in December -- after the country reported no new cases.
Crowds jammed trains and buses in the province as people took their first opportunity to travel.
But Spain saw the number of deaths surge to more than 3,400 after 738 people died in the past 24 hours and the government announced a 432-million-euro ($467 million) deal to buy medical supplies from Beijing.
The death toll in Italy jumped in 24 hours by 683 to 7,503 -- by far the highest of any country.
The number of French deaths was up by 231 on Wednesday to more than 1,330, and metro and rail services in Paris were cut to a minimum.
Spain and Italy were joined by France and six more EU countries in urging Germany and the Netherlands to allow the issue of joint European bonds to cut borrowing costs and stabilise the eurozone economy.
The call is likely to fall on deaf ears when EU leaders talk on Thursday -- with northern members wary of pooling debt with big spenders -- but they will sign off on an "unprecedented" recovery plan.
At La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, nurse Guillen del Barrio sounded bereft as he related what happened overnight.
"It is really hard, we had feverish people for many hours in the waiting room," the 30-year-old told AFP.
"Many of my colleagues were crying because there were people who are dying alone, without seeing their family for the last time."
Coronavirus cases are also spreading in the Middle East, where Iran's death toll topped 2,000, and in Africa, where Mali declared its first case and several nations announced states of emergency.
In Japan, which has postponed this year's Olympic Games, Tokyo's governor urged residents to stay home this weekend, warning of a possible "explosion" of the coronavirus.
Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed by Christians to house Christ's tomb, was shut as Israel tightened movement restrictions.
The impact of the pandemic is also hitting European football, with leagues and tournaments cancelled, while the fate of the Wimbledon tennis tournament could be decided next week.
The economic damage of the virus -- and the lockdowns -- could also be devastating, with fears of a worldwide recession worse than the financial meltdown more than a decade ago.
But financial markets rose after US leaders reached agreement on a stimulus package worth roughly 10 percent of the US economy, an injection Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said represented a "wartime level of investment."
Meanwhile, more than half of all Americans have been told to stay at home, including residents of the largest state, California.
The United States has at least 65,700 cases and 942 people have died.
Organised by RSS propped Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), a body of Muslims patronised by Sangh pracharak Indresh Kumar, Pakistan too has been on the invitee list.
Comments
Waoooooo.....
Beef Sukka will be the main menu in this party.
What an idea sirjee, truly a international ___ agenda.
First thing is attending iftar party of haram earning is not permissible to a muslim.... dont host iftar party to show unity in hindu muslims instead go and save the poor hindu muslims who are dying of hunger and non shelter
Indresh Kumar who is the master mind for Samjoutha Express blast and accused in many terror activity in India..! Let them arrange Iftar party at Nagpur head office.
ALLAH is the creator of all that exists and even RSS members comes under it... they are not excluded.
ALLAH will judge according to our deeds done in this life and reward HEAVEN or hell which is eternity.
ALLAH sent many messenger to convey the message of knowing ALLAH who created all that exists & WORSHIP him alone without associating Partners with him.
ALLAH sent QURAN to the last and final messenger and its a guidance to whole of HUMANITY.....not just Muslims.
Quran asks MANKIND to ponder, contemplate and research on what it says. It also asks the intelligent creation of ALLAH to think again & think.
The ONE who is intelligent will understand it better
The ONE who doesnt want to accept - I feel pity on him that he could not recognize his CREATOR.
ALLAH knows What is RSS PLAN here. and ALLAH is the best of PLANNER... Any MUSLIM who attend this iftar party should convey the message of ISLAM. and also mention what happens to human life once ALLAH takes the LIFE back which he has created in the first place.
He can create us once again to give JUSTICE ... its easy for him .
WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT HIS CREATION
Waoo wonderful Idea what for MRM looks like another part of 72 divisions of the group, any way, things are very/very good Ideology but do not Forget to Invite Our Master NAREN Bai !!!!!!!! you must call him he should have to have see the unity of a group!!!!!!!! no Gangasara served, Naren go buddy enjoy with your friends. Chalo Gujarat, you can see some of the Looted and Burned building.
if this sanghis can serve beef in this event, that will be the great meet i can call.
some negative comments i can c i will challenge those to celebrate diwali and show their real colour, some unwanted group of the country dont want the unity between the two. this is really sad because of few people.
all the best. will pray for the success of this program and this meet should be presented every year.
good move by sangha parivar, lets unite together,
Wow great anyways all the best for this great meet let both the party unite together,
Beef Sukka Serving!!!!
wow good one, everyone can attend?
Sangha Parivar doing good job, lets some dogs bark, nothing can harm the society and true agenda of the sangha parivar. they only want the growth of india. lets support it atleast instead of negative comments.
Please beware this RSS iftar party ...tiz is NAMROOD NARENDRA MODI
Plan...protest tiz type of iftar party....
DRAMA!!!!
or
SHOW OFF
OR
REALITY????
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