More than half of the Philippines' provinces are in drought as El Nino exacerbates hot and dry conditions typical for March, April and May
asia2 hours ago
The French revelled in a return to cafe life Tuesday as Europe emerges from its darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic to face an economic crisis while Latin America remains in the deadly grip an infection surge.
The respiratory disease has claimed more than 375,500 lives and infected more than 6.2 million in its rampage around the globe, upending life in dramatic ways since it first emerged in China late last year.
After chalking up devastating human losses in Europe, the virus has now taken hold in Latin America, where Brazil has logged nearly 30,000 deaths, one of the world's highest tolls.
In Europe, most countries have flattened their initial infection curves and are gradually easing out of confinement as they try to curb the economic fallout of the shutdowns.
In a symbolic victory in the French capital, Parisians reclaimed beloved rituals on cafe terraces that were allowed to sprawl across pavements to accommodate social distancing measures.
"Coffee on a terrace, that's Paris!," said Martine Depagniat, among those enjoying the new freedom after 10 weeks of closures.
"I think people really need a return to normal, even though there's still a bit of nervousness," she added.
Elsewhere in France, bars and restaurants were permitted to go a step further and allow customers to sit inside, while beaches and weddings were also back in business.
Yet the country faces tough times ahead with the economy expected to shrink by 11 percent this year due to the pandemic.
A similar story is playing out across the continent where schools, swimming pools, pubs and tourist sites are steadily reopening to ease the economic pain, despite fears of a second wave of infections.
In hard-hit Italy, which celebrated its national day Tuesday, President Sergio Mattarella warned "the crisis is not over".
"Institutions and citizens alike will still have to face its consequences and trauma," he said amid a gradual loosening of restrictions in a bid boost the economy and particularly tourism.
Yet the complications of travel were on display as Greece suspended flights to and from Qatar on Tuesday after detecting multiple infections on a flight from Doha to Athens.
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