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| - Duty Editor: Frankie Taggart Email: frankie.taggart@afp.com -- TOP STORIES -- + Italy records global record virus deaths + China opens up coronavirus 'Ground Zero' + Trump to sign $2 trillion US rescue plan + South Africa sees first pandemic deaths + Quarantine isn't all bad, says cosmonaut Health-virus,WRAP LONDON Italy records the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain has its deadliest day, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson becomes the first major world leader to test positive. 950 words 2000 GMT by Joe Jackson with Hazel Ward in Madrid and AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic Health-virus-China WUHAN, China The Chinese city of 11 million people that was Ground Zero for what became the global coronavirus pandemic partly reopens, after more than two months of almost total isolation. 400 words 2100 GMT by Jing Xuan Teng. Picture. Video Also moved: Health-virus-China,SCENE Health-virus-US WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is poised to sign a congressionally-approved $2 trillion US rescue plan, the largest in history, aimed at helping struggling Americans and an economy so ravaged by coronavirus that is is sliding toward recession. 600 words 2100 GMT by Michael Mathes. Picture Health-virus-SAfrica JOHANNESBURG South Africa records its first two deaths from the novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases breach the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown swings into action. 800 words 2000 GMT by Susan Njanji and Sofia Christensen. Picture. Video. Graphic Moved: Health-virus-SAfrica,SCENE Health-virus-Russia-space,FACTS MOSCOW Being quarantined isn't all that bad, says veteran Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin who has five tips for suriving enclosed spaces for long periods. 400 words moved. File picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- Health-virus-US,FOCUS WASHINGTON From the first known patient in late January to now more than 90,000 infected, the US has earned the unwanted accolade of leading the world in confirmed coronavirus cases. How did we get here? And what happens next? 800 words 1930 GMT by Issam Ahmed. Picture Health-virus-US-diplomacy,FOCUS WASHINGTON The coronavirus pandemic is shaking up the world, but not US foreign policy. President Donald Trump is moving full-speed ahead in pressing adversaries such as Iran and Venezuela, leading critics to accuse his administration of exploiting the crisis. 750 words moved by Shaun Tandon -- EUROPE -- Health-Britain-virus-Johnson,FOCUS LONDON The two men leading Britain's fight against the coronavirus -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary Matt Hancock -- both announce they have tested positive for COVID-19. 700 words moved by Joe Jackson and David Harding. Picture. Video Also moved: Health-virus-celebrity,FACTS Health-virus-Italy ROME Italy records almost 1,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the worst one-day toll anywhere around the world since the pandemic began. 650 words moved by Ella Ide. Picture. Video Health-virus-Vatican-religion-pope VATICAN CITY Pope Francis stands alone in vast Saint Peter's Square to bless Catholics around the world suffering under the coronavirus pandemic, laying humanity's errors bare and urging people to ease their fears through faith. 600 words 2000 GMT Catherine Marciano. Picture. Video. Live Video Health-virus-Spain,3rdlead MADRID The death toll in Spain soars over 4,800 after 769 people died in 24 hours, in what was a record one-day figure for fatalities, although the rate of new infections slowed 450 words moved -- MIDEAST -- Health-virus-politics-Israel,FOCUS JERUSALEM Has coronavirus saved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? The sense of urgency created by the pandemic has opened the way for the right-wing premier to stay in power as head of a "corona government". 650 words moved by Guillaume Lavallee. -- AFRICA -- Guinea-vote-constitution,WRAP CONAKRY Guinea votes overwhelmingly to back a contested new constitution in a blow to President Alpha Conde's opponents who fear the move is a ploy to extend his grip on power and allow him to run for a third term. 600 words 2000 GMT by Mouctar Bah. File picture Health-virus-Nigeria,FOCUS LAGOS The normally bustling markets have thinned out and the notoriously clogged roads are eerily free: Lagos is lurching towards shutdown as Nigeria tries to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 650 words moved by Max Delany and Joel Olatunde Agoi with Emmanuel Anule in Abuja. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- Health-virus-China-US-politics,WRAP BEIJING China and the United States should "unite to fight" the deadly coronavirus pandemic, President Xi Jinping says in a call with Donald Trump, as he calls for the US to improve relations. 450 words moved by Beiyi Seow Health-virus-HongKong-poverty-McDonalds,FOCUS HONG KONG Virtually blind and penniless, Leung Ping-kuen usually spends his nights dozing in one of Hong Kong's many 24-hour McDonald's restaurants but now finds himself back on the streets because of the coronavirus. 700 words moved by Su Xinqi. Picture. Video Health-virus-SKorea-testing-business CHEONGJU Every few seconds, a batch of white plastic cases shoots along a conveyor belt in a South Korean factory -- coronavirus test kits destined for export around the world as the global pandemic sends demand soaring. 500 words moved by Kang Jin-kyu. Picture. Video -- BUSINESS & ECONOMY -- ECB-eurozone-banking-dividend-health-virus,2ndlead FRANKFURT The European Central Bank asks eurozone banks to freeze dividend payments to preserve liquidity that can be used to help households and companies through the coronavirus crisis. 450 words 1930 by Michelle Fitzpatrick -- SPORTS -- Oly-2020-delay-health-virus,FOCUS TOKYO Every cloud has a silver lining and the devastating postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics could hand organisers a heaven-sent opportunity to solve their other massive problem: the summer heat. 750 words moved by Richard Carter. File Picture Oly-2020-health-virus-sponsors,FOCUS LONDON The decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until 2021 will be welcomed by sponsors including Coca-Cola and General Electric who pay hundreds of millions to be associated with the event, British advertising veteran Martin Sorrell tells AFP. 750 words moved by Pirate Irwin. File picture afp
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