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| - Duty Editor: Jenny Vaughan Tel: +33 1 40.41.46.36 -- TOP STORIES -- + EU economy faces historic recession + China slams US over virus lab leak claims + UK could ease virus confinement next week + German football to restart mid-May + Star Wars troops enforce Philippines quarantine Health-virus,WRAP BRUSSELS The EU forecasts a historic recession on the continent battered by the deadly coronavirus pandemic, as the US and China escalate their war of words over the origins of the disease. 1000 words 1500 GMT by Alex Pigman, with Femke Colborne in Berlin and AFP bureaus. Picture Video. Graphic Health-virus-China-US-diplomacy,3rdlead BEIJING China hits back at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his claims that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan, saying he "doesn't have any" evidence. 600 words moved. Video Health-virus-Britain,2ndlead LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he could begin to ease a nationwide coronavirus lockdown next week, but warns he would do nothing that would risk a new surge of cases. 600 words 1800 GMT. Picture. Video. Live video Fbl-GER-Bundesliga-health-virus-Germany,WRAP BERLIN The German government gives Bundesliga football the green light to restart behind closed doors later this month after weeks of shutdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus. 600 words 1530 GMT by Ryland James. Picture. File picture Health-virus-Philippines-StarWars-offbeat MANILA One Philippines suburb is getting help from a galaxy far, far away to enforce its virus lockdown -- Darth Vader and a retenue of stormtroopers, who are patrolling the streets and drawing smiles from locals weary of weeks of quarantine. 200 words 1500 GMT. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- Health-virus-Germany-politics,2ndlead BERLIN Germany is eyeing an almost complete return to normality in May, with plans to send all pupils back to school and to restart the top-flight football Bundesliga, according to a draft agreement seen by AFP ahead of a key policy meeting. 600 words 1500 GMT by Femke Colborne and Peter Wuetherich. Picture. Video Health-virus-Russia,2ndlead MOSCOW President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on gradual deconfinement measures as Russia becomes the country with the sixth-highest number of coronavirus infections. 650 words 1500 GMT by Anna Smolchenko. Picture -- MIDDLE EAST -- Israel-politics,WRAP JERUSALEM Israel's parliament votes on a controversial bill to approve a coalition deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-ally Benny Gantz, ahead of a deadline to avoid yet another election. 600 words 1430 GMT by Ben Simon. File Picture. File Video Iran-nuclear-politics-US TEHRAN Iran's president says the United States made a "stupid mistake" by abandoning a nuclear deal and warns of severe consequences if its allies agree to extend an arms embargo. 430 words moved. Video Lebanon-politics-economy BEIRUT Lebanese President Michel Aoun says financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund is "mandatory" for an economic recovery, as the protest-hit country sinks deeper into financial turmoil. 440 words moved. Picture. Video Syria-conflict-IS-Iraq-Yazidi-health-virus,FOCUS HASAKEH, Syria Years after jihadists stole her away to Syria, 17-year-old Yazidi girl Layla Eido finally recontacted her family in Iraq several months ago. But a coronavirus lockdown has delayed their long-awaited reunion. 700 words moved by Delil Souleiman. Picture. Video Also moved: Syria-conflict-Idlib-Ramadan,VIDEOESSAY Health-virus-Morocco-drones,FOCUS RABAT Morocco has rapidly expanded its fleet of drones in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, deploying them for aerial surveillance, public service announcements and sanitisation. 720 words moved by Sophie Pons. Picture. Video -- AFRICA -- Sudan-women-health-rights,FOCUS KHARTOUM Hakam Ibrahim was seven when, like most Sudanese girls, she became a victim of female genital mutilation -- an age-old practice decried as horrific that the post-revolution government is now banning. 720 words moved by Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- Health-virus-US-politics-Oklahoma,FOCUS STILLWATER, Oklahoma When the mayor of the small Midwest town of Stillwater made wearing masks mandatory in shops and restaurants as Oklahoma joined other US states gingerly reopening their economies, things got ugly really fast. 600 words 1500 GMT by Juliette Michel. Picture Health-virus-US-education-graduation,FOCUS WASHINGTON A speech by Barack Obama, a photo finish at Daytona, or a wild, livestreamed party in the family living room. Americans are dreaming up creative ways to celebrate their graduates, deprived of traditional diploma ceremonies by the coronavirus pandemic. 600 words 1430 GMT by Charlotte Plantive -- ASIA -- Health-virus-Wuhan-education,lead BEIJING Chinese youngsters in the global virus epicentre of Wuhan file back to class, wearing masks and walking in single file past thermal scanners. 550 words moved by Beiyi Seow. Picture. Health-virus-China-US-diplomacy,3rdlead BEIJING China hits back at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his claims that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan, saying he "doesn't have any" evidence. 600 words moved. Video Philippines-politics-media-rights MANILA The shutting down of the Philippines top broadcaster is a dangerous erosion of democracy that sends a clear warning to anyone who dares criticise President Rodrigo Duterte, watchdogs say. 550 words moved by Joshua Melvin. Picture. Video Health-virus-Thailand-social,FOCUS BANGKOK Gourmet take-out delivered by a butler in a black sedan -- Thailand's super-rich have not forgone luxury during a pandemic that has locked the country down, crushed the economy and left millions unemployed. 450 words moved by Dene-Hern Chen. Picture. Video India-crime-film-politics-people MUMBAI A notorious bandit who spent years rampaging across central India's impoverished badlands before trying his luck as a Bollywood actor and politician has died aged 92, police say. 350 words moved. Picture. Video -- BUSINESS / ECONOMY -- Markets-world,WRAP LONDON The world's main stock markets brush off data showing the extent of the economic damage wrought by measures to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. 650 words 1600 GMT SKorea-economy-corruption-Samsung,lead SEOUL The heir to the Samsung empire bows in apology for company misconduct including a controversial plan for him to ascend to the leadership of the world's largest smartphone maker. 550 words moved by Sunghee Hwang. Picture. Video Health-virus-Germany-Europe-food-agriculture,FOCUS FRANKFURT Food prices in Europe have spiked as growers grapple with the ripple effects of lockdowns that have snarled supply chains and upended demand. 700 words moved by Michelle Fitzpatrick with Mary Sibierski in Warsaw and AFP bureaus. File picture Health-virus-US-IT-lifestyle-games,FOCUS SAN FRANCISCO Video games have been seeing exceptional growth during the COVID-19 pandemic which has shut down real-life activity and kept billions indoors. 650 words 1800 GMT by Julie Jammot US-automobile-earnings-health-virus-GM,WRAP NEW YORK General Motors aims to reopen most US and Canadian manufacturing operations on May 18 as it reports a steep drop in first-quarter earnings due to a $1.4 billion hit from the coronavirus. 550 words 1530 GMT by John Biers Health-virus-US-economy-employment-indicator,ADVANCER WASHINGTON Like a global tsunami, the coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge loss of life and taken a massive economic toll, and the April US jobs report will show skyrocketing unemployment as at least 30 million workers lost their jobs almost overnight. 750 words moved by Heather Scott. File picture. Graphic -- HEALTH / LIFESTYLE -- Health-virus-TB-risk PARIS The global lockdown caused by COVID-19 risks a "devastating" surge in tuberculosis cases, with nearly 1.4 million additional deaths from the world's biggest infectious killer by 2025, new research shows. 550 words moved by Patrick Galey Health-virus-Iceland-swimming,FOCUS REYKJAVIK Birdsong now fills the air around Iceland's outdoor swimming pools, closed for weeks because of the new coronavirus to the dismay of locals, for whom the popular spots lie at the very heart of Icelandic life. 750 words moved by Jeremie Richard. Picture. Video afp
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