Schools abandon classes, states retreat while US president sulks over p

Custodial workers clean a classroom at Richard A Simpson Elementary School in Arnold, Missouri. PIC/AP

At a time when the novel Coronavirus is tearing across the United States at an alarming pace, President Donald Trump has publicly disengaged from the battle against the deadly disease. Aides say the president has shown little interest in the growing crisis even as new confirmed cases are skyrocketing and hospital intensive care units in parts of the country are nearing capacity.

Public health experts worry that Trump's refusal to take aggressive action on the pandemic or to coordinate with the Biden team during the final two months of his presidency will only worsen the effects of the virus and hinder the nation's ability to swiftly distribute a vaccine next year. But Trump remains preoccupied with last week's election results.

Meanwhile, school systems in Detroit, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and suburban Minneapolis are giving up on in-person classes, and some governors are reimposing restrictions on bars and restaurants or getting more serious about masks.

'Worse ahead of us'

The virus is blamed for more than 2,42,000 deaths and over 10.5 million confirmed cases in the US, with the country facing what health experts say will be a dark winter because of disregard for mask-wearing and other precautions, the onset of cold weather and crowded holiday gatherings. "It should frighten all of us," Dr David Peterman, CEO of Idaho's Primary Health Medical Group, said of the virus numbers. Agencies

Upward trend of cases continues in Germany

Germany's disease control centre is reporting a new daily record of coronavirus infections as the country nears the halfway point of new lockdown measures meant to slow the spread of the pandemic. The Robert Koch Institute said on Friday that Germany's states had reported 23,542 daily cases, slightly more than the previous record of 23,399 on Saturday.

Germany embarked on November 2 on the four-week partial shutdown aimed at flattening a sharp rise in new infections.

$1 notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by economic crisis

Albert Marombe takes a grimy, tattered $1 note and delicately, expertly glues it back into one piece. "I don't care how torn it is. All I want to see is the serial number being visible on both sides." He'll sell that $1 note for 80 cents and it will get back into circulation. Many shops will reject it but market traders will take it, although at a reduced value. Worn out or shredded by rats, $1 notes are king in Zimbabwe, beset by a continuing economic crisis. One dollar bills are used by many to for daily, small purchases. Crisp new notes are not coming into Zimbabwe, so enterprising traders are repairing old ones for desperate customers.

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