Italy's government announced on Wednesday that it is closing all schools and universities nationwide as the number of confirmed infections of the new coronavirus in the country have topped 3,000.
Former UN chief Javier Perez de Cuellar, who was known for his peace-making efforts including brokering a ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war, died Wednesday in his native Peru, aged 100, his son said.
Almost 300 million students worldwide faced weeks at home on Thursday with Italy the latest country to shut schools over the deadly new coronavirus, as the IMF urged an all-out, global offensive against the epidemic.
Seven people including Philippine National Police chief General Archie Gamboa and four other police officers were injured after a police helicopter crashed on Thursday during take-off in Laguna province, south of Manila.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to meet in Moscow on Thursday amid rising tensions between their countries over fighting in Syria.
Anxiety continues to mount worldwide as the highly contagious novel coronavirus has hit over 60 countries and infected around 9,000 people outside China, despite the drastic measures taken by many nations, including extending school breaks, enhancing screening and drawing up new legislation.
