Europe

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. crude fell below $30 on Monday as emergency rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve and its global counterparts failed to tame markets and China’s factory output plunged at the sharpest pace in 30 years amid the spread of coronavirus.

Brent crude was down $2.89, or 8.5%, to $30.96 a barrel by 1012 GMT. The front-month price had risen $1 earlier in the session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $29.94, down $1.79 or 5.6%.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden’s government on Monday said it had decided to send troops to Mali to join French-led special forces that are fighting militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the Sahel region of North Africa.

The Social Democrat and Green coalition said that Sweden would contribute a rapid reaction force of up to 150 troops and helicopters as part of international efforts to boost security in the region.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday that militants in Syria’s Idlib region are not complying with a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey, the Interfax news agency reported.

The foreign ministry said the militants were taking counter-offensive action in the region.

PARIS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Candidates of French President Emmanuel Macron's The Republic on the Move (LERM) party failed in Sunday's first-round municipal election, clouding the president's plan to build a local power base for his party ahead of the 2022 presidential race.

According to exit polls, the LERM failed to uproot the bastions long-held by socialists and conservatives in the largest French cities.

LONDON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- British scientists have urged the government to take "more restrictive measures" to tackle the novel coronavirus as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Britain reached 1,372 as of Sunday morning, an increase of 232 over the last 24 hours.

Fourteen more people have died in Britain after testing positive for COVID-19, bringing total deaths to 35, according to the British Department of Health and Social Care.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — When the global economy melted down in 2008, world leaders swiftly created an international forum to boost economies by spending more and keeping trade open. Central banks announced rate cuts within seconds of each other.

But so far, nations’ approach to the economic shock from the coronavirus outbreak is looking very different.

PARIS (AP) — French voters went to the polls Sunday to choose mayors and other local leaders but the second round of the vote was put into question amid concerns over low turnout and the rapid spread of the new coronavirus across the country.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the turnout for Sunday’s vote, which should be known overnight, will clearly be lower than usual as many people didn’t go to polling stations over fears that would fuel the spread of the virus that has upended travel plans, closed schools and rattled financial markets.

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s King Felipe VI has renounced any future personal inheritance he could receive from his father, King Emerit Juan Carlos I, over the alleged financial irregularities involving the former monarch, the country’s royal house announced Sunday.

The royal house said in a statement that in addition to renouncing his inheritance, Felipe is stripping Juan Carlos of his annual stipend. In 2018, the former monarch received 194,232 euros ($216,000).

ROME (AP) — Meeting with friends, dining out, worshiping and other daily routines have nearly halted as nations take drastic steps to try to stop the coronavirus pandemic.

Religious leaders gave sermons to empty pews or to the faithful watching online Sunday after public worship was curtailed in many places. The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City was being closed indefinitely, and the Vatican closed off next month’s Holy Week services to the public. Still, the 83-year-old Pope Francis ventured out of the Vatican to visit two churches in Rome to pray for the sick.

Rome; 15 March 2020 (UMM): Italy recorded 3,590 cases and 398 deaths within a 24 hour period, Civil Protection chief Angelo Borelli announced Sunday. The country has been on lockdown since last week

According to The Hill 15 March 2020, the country has confirmed more than 24,700 cases and more than 1,800 deaths.