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| - Duty Editor: Sean Gleeson Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Europe coronavirus toll surges past 20,000 + Trump backs down on New York quarantine + North Korea fires 'ballistic missiles': Seoul + Doctors ease respirator shortages with snorkels Health-virus-world,WRAP ROME The coronavirus death toll shoots past 20,000 in Europe, with Italy and Spain each reporting more than 800 dead in one day, as US President Donald Trump pulls back on the idea of putting the hard-hit New York region under quarantine. 950 words 0130 GMT by Dmitry Zaks with AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic Health-virus-US-NewYork-quarantine,WRAP WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump decides against imposing a broad lockdown on New York and its neighbors after a strong pushback from local political leaders and warnings of the panic it could spark. 650 words 0200 GMT by Paul Handley. Picture. Video NKorea-defence-diplomacy-virus,WRAP SEOUL North Korea fires what appear to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, the fourth such launch this month as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic. 600 words 0300 GMT by Sunghee Hwang Health-virus-Belgium-masks,FOCUS BRUSSELS As hospitals face an overload of COVID-19 patients struggling to breathe, innovative medical staff are turning to snorkelling masks from sports stores to stop their lungs collapsing. 600 words 0300 GMT by Marc Burleigh. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- Health-virus-China-Wuhan,FOCUS WUHAN, China The coronavirus ground-zero city of Wuhan has begun gradually reopening after more than two months under coronavirus lockdown, but the Chinese metropolis where the pandemic first emerged is now raising its guard against a potential new threat: imported cases. 600 words 0400 GMT by Jing Xuan Teng. Pictures. Video. Japan-Oly-Tokyo-economy-tourism-hotels,FOCUS TOKYO The shock postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has dealt a savage blow to Japan's hotels and tourism industry already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 650 words 0330 GMT by Kyoko Hasegawa. File picture -- AMERICAS -- Health-virus-US-technology,FOCUS NEW YORK The biggest reputational risk Facebook and other social media companies expected in 2020 was fake news surrounding the US presidential election. Misinformation about the novel coronavirus, however, has changed that. 900 words 0130 GMT by Arthur MacMillan with W.G. Dunlop in Washington Health-virus-US-politics-Democrats,FOCUS WASHINGTON Three weeks ago, Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders were hosting rallies that attracted thousands. Today, they appear online as lonely candidates hunkered down in their homes, forced off the trail as the coronavirus pandemic upends the Democratic presidential primaries. 750 words 0130 GMT by Michael Mathes. File picture -- EUROPE -- Health-virus-EU,FOCUS BRUSSELS The European Union has faced and survived a series of existential threats over the years but the coronavirus epidemic has exposed old wounds that could yet prove fatal. 750 words moved by Dave Clark and Francoise Michel. Picture Health-virus-Russia-social-elderly-care-politics,SCENE MOSCOW Standing outside her front door with a leather jacket pulled over her pyjamas, Alma Shayakhmetova takes a bag of groceries and medicines from volunteers who are helping elderly Muscovites ordered to stay at home. 650 words moved by Anna Malpas. Picture. Video Also moved: Health-virus-Russia-retail -- MIDDLE EAST -- Saudi-security-blast,WRAP RIYADH Saudi air defences intercept ballistic missiles over Riyadh and a city along the Yemen border, leaving at least two civilians wounded in the curfew-locked capital amid efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic. 550 words 0130 GMT by Anuj Chopra Health-virus-Mideast-rights,FOCUS CAIRO Armoured vehicles in the streets, hundreds arrested, smartphone surveillance -- sweeping measures to fight the coronavirus have raised concerns in the Middle East over the erosion of already threatened human rights. 900 words 0300 GMT -- AFRICA -- Health-virus-SAfrica JOHANNESBURG South African police fire rubber bullets towards hundreds of shoppers queueing outside a supermarket in Johannesburg as authorities battle to keep people at home in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus. 600 words moved by Maryke Vermaak and Susan Njanji. Picture. Video Mali-vote,WRAP BAMAKO Mali's main opposition party calls for "massive participation" in Sunday's parliamentary election, despite its leader being kidnapped and the rising coronavirus threat to the war-torn West African country. 550 words moved. Picture Health-virus-Africa,FOCUS BEHENJY, Madagascar No one can remember ever seeing so many people heading out of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo along national highway number 7. In recent days, Madagascans have joined the exodus in their hundreds after the authorities declared a lockdown to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 800 words moved by Tsiresena Manjakahery with AFP bureaux in Africa. Picture. Video -- BUSINESS & ECONOMY -- Health-virus-US-IT-rights,FOCUS WASHINGTON Digital surveillance and smartphone technology may prove helpful in containing the coronavirus pandemic -- but some activists fear this could mean lasting harm to privacy and digital rights. 800 words 0130 GMT by Rob Lever SAfrica-economy-rating,WRAP JOHANNESBURG Moody's downgrades South Africa's credit rating to junk status, piling more anguish on an economy already in recession and battered by Africa's worst coronavirus outbreak. 650 words moved by Susan Njanji, with Jurgen Hecker in Paris. File picture -- SPORT -- Health-virus-Italy-UEFA-fbl-Ita-SerieA,lead ROME Europe's football bosses have not given up hope of finishing this pandemic-hit season -- even if it might have to be done at the start of the next one. 550 words moved by Dmitry Zaks. File picture afp
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