News archive of April 2020

By George Gilson

Two overseas Cypriot students are challenging a ban on incoming flights from 28 countries imposed by the government in Nicosia on March 21 in response to the coronavirus epidemic, as they try to get back home, Cyprus media reported on Thursday.

The Spanish Government and people are waging together the "battle" against the novel coronavirus, which is a wake-up call regarding the vulnerabilities of societies, states the Spanish Ambassador to Bucharest, Manuel Larrotcha, in a material sent to AGERPRES.

Two more deaths since the government's last update on Wednesday evening brought the coronavirus toll in Greece to 52 on Thursday.

The first case was that of a 51-year-old man from the northern town of Kastoria who died in a hospital in Thessaloniki late on Wednesday. The father of four was the seventh person from Kastoria to succumb to the disease/

The Grand Canyon National Park in the United States will be closed until until further notice because of a coronavirus pandemic.

"The health and safety of park visitors, employees, residents, volunteers, and partners at Grand Canyon National Park is the Service's number one priority," the statement said.," the National Park Service said Wednesday.

A lot has been said about Manolis Glezos, the proud Greek who was the first to publicly stand up to the Nazis and humiliate Hitler by taking down the swastika flag from the Acropolis.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov today.  Secretary Pompeo congratulated Bulgaria on its quick actions to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases, and the two discussed further efforts to mitigate this crisis. 

Police in Chios have fined two separate groups of refugees from the eastern Aegean island's migrant camp 5,000 euros each for violating social distancing rules meant to curb the coronavirus epidemic.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has congratulated three labor confederations for signing a joint declaration and said no one should be left without jobs during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Health authorities monitoring the 383 passengers and crew on a ferry that is in quarantine off the coast of Piraeus on Thursday said that the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases on board the vessel has jumped to at least 120 from an initial 20.