Nearly four million of Barcelona are called to “stay home” to stem the pandemic.
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July 17, 2020 22h35
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The Barcelona invited to be confined, the EU is trying to get out of the lock-up on his recovery
Daniel Bosque
Agence France-Presse
BARCELONA — Nearly four million of Barcelona are called to “stay home” to stem the pandemic, while the EU’s leaders resumed Saturday their discussions to try to wrest a compromise on a stimulus plan in the massif of the economy, blocked by some States.
The COVID-19, which killed at least 590 000 people in the world, continues to spread or resumes in very many countries, especially on the Old Continent, where several States have taken targeted action to try to prevent a second wave. On the other side of the Atlantic, for the third consecutive day, the United States recorded a daily record of new cases: more than 77 600.
In Spain, the inhabitants of Barcelona – the second largest city in the country, very popular among international tourists – were called in Friday to “stay home”, in the face of a near tripling in a week the number of cases. It is “the last chance” to avoid more stringent measures, warned Meritxell Budo, the spokesperson of the regional catalan government.
The authorities have also announced the closure of cinemas, theatres and nightclubs, the prohibition of meetings of more than ten people and visits to retirement homes, limiting the capacity to 50% in bars and restaurants.
The Spanish authorities monitor for several days over 120 active foci, in particular in Catalonia (north-east).
“Save the peak”
To try to overcome the economic crisis caused by the virus, the european leaders will resume Saturday at Brussels, the difficult negotiations, begun the previous day, on a recovery plan solid.
The purpose of this summit, with the outcome very uncertain, and which could last until Sunday, is to find an agreement on a project to help post-coronavirus of 750 billion euros, to be funded by a loan common. It consists of 250 billion euros of loans and – especially – of the 500 billion of subsidies, which therefore will not have to be repaid by the beneficiary States (Italy and Spain mainly).
The purpose of this summit which brings together the european leaders is to find an agreement on a project to help post-coronavirus of 750 billion euros, to be funded by a loan common; € 250 billion in loans and $ 500 billion of subsidies that will not have to be repaid by the beneficiary States (Italy and Spain mainly).
AP, Oliver Matthys
The proposal met Friday at the inflexibility of the States members of the budgetary orthodoxy (the so-called “frugal”), the netherlands and Austria in the lead, who want to reduce the envelope of the grants.
After more than seven hours of discussions in the conclave on Friday, “27” gathered for a dinner where the exchanges are tense because of the position that is considered too hard of the netherlands on the control of funds that could be distributed.
“We will try to resume things differently to save the summit” on Saturday, has promised a diplomatic source.
If the 27 heads of State and government in europe, equipped with masks, were found in the flesh for the first time in nearly five months, it is in virtual mode that meet on Saturday the ministers of Finance and heads of central banks of the G20 countries.
They “will discuss the global economic outlook and coordinate the collective action for a global economic recovery strong and sustainable”, said the organizers, in Riyadh.
Refrigerated trucks
In the world, nearly 14 million people have officially contracted the COVID-19 and nearly 600 000 deaths have been recorded, according to a balance sheet as of Friday evening.
The United States, the country most grief-stricken in the world, with 139 128 deaths, were reported Friday, a new record contamination with 77 638 new cases in 24 hours.
The other country with the most deaths are Brazil (77 851 deaths), the Uk (45 119), Mexico (37 574) and Italy (35 017).
The United States have known for several weeks, an outbreak of infections in the south and the west. In Texas and in Arizona, the local authorities have ordered refrigerated trucks to increase the capacity of the morgues.
The United States, the country most grief-stricken in the world, with 139 128 deaths, were reported Friday, a new record contamination with 77 638 new cases in 24 hours.
AP’s David J. Phillip
To reverse these alarming information, the british prime minister Boris Johnson has set out the prospect of an exit from the containment for his country, the hardest hit in Europe, saying that it hoped a “return to normal at the earliest from November, perhaps in time for Christmas”.
At the same time, in Argentina, the government has announced, despite a high rate of contamination, the easing of the containment in the capital Buenos Aires, where The tourist district of la Boca, famous for its colorful houses and the stadium, animated the normal time by tango dancers on the sidewalk, is “death” after four months of confinement.
The virus also continues its ravages in central America, where hospitals are on the brink of collapse and the protests of health care workers is growing: “I’m a doctor, not a martyr” proclaim, in front of the largest hospital in Panama, placards brandished by doctors exhausted.
