USA: Trump says he takes 'no responsibility' for coronavirus failures as he declares national emergency for the US

President Trump today declared  a national emergency for America, but said he does not take no responsibility for earlier failures by the government to combat the virus'

House Speaker Nencyancy Pelosi has announced that a deal has been reached with the Trump administration that would provide relief to help deal with the fallout of coronavirus. The legislation would provide: paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave.

Note EU-Digest: Vice President Mike Pence, who was constantly praising the President's leadership in combating the coronavirus during the President's meeting at the White House, was given America's number one "brown-noser" award by the Press.   

Read more: rump says he takes 'no responsibility' for coronavirus failures as he declares national emergency – as it happened | US news | The Guardian

EU-Turkey summit ends with 'no solutions' - by Nikolaj Nielsen

EU relations with Turkey remain tense following a meeting in Bulgaria where leaders from both sides outlined differences.

Speaking to reporters in the Black Sea resort of Varna on Monday (26 March), European Council president Donald Tusk said no solutions or compromises had been found between Ankara and the EU.

"If you are asking me if we achieved some solutions or compromises, my answer is no. What I can say that is that I raised all our concerns, as you know it was a long list," he said.

Tusk, along with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Bulgaria's prime minister Boyko Borissov, had met with Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a broader effort to improve fraught relations.

The two sides found common ground on migration, an area of cooperation that appears only to underscore tensions elsewhere. Outstanding internal issues on rule of law, the mass jailing of journalists, Turkish assertive military forays in northern Syria, wider conflicts with Cyprus and the detention of Greek soldiers, remain unresolved.

EU leaders had only last week in a summit in Brussels roundly condemned Turkey's "illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea" and demanded that Ankara respect the sovereign rights of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources.

The same message was repeated in Varna, with Erdogan stating that he had handed over information to the EU leaders to explain Turkey's position that he claims respects international laws.

"Not until the European Union stops being overly critical, in particular certain members of the EU, we will not be able to engage fully in improving the relations," said Erdogan.

Read more: EU-Turkey summit ends with 'no solutions'

Middle East - Iraq: Baghdad in State of Emergency After Supporters of al Sadr Storm Green Zone - by M. Abbas, F. B. Bruton and E.Chuck

Iraqi officials declared a state of emergency for all of Baghdad Saturday after protesters loyal to popular Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr breached the heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government buildings and foreign embassies, including the American one.

"Iraq security authorities have declared a state of emergency in Baghdad," said Brig. Gen. Saad Mann, a spokesman for the Iraqi military. "All gates that lead to Baghdad are closed. No one is allowed to enter into Baghdad, only those who want to leave Baghdad can do so."

Hundreds of demonstrators occupied the country's parliament, according to a senior Iraqi security source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Video from inside the building showed jubilant crowds waving Iraqi flags and shouting "peaceful, peaceful." Parliament is not currently in session.

Supporters of Sadr, whose fighters once controlled swaths of Baghdad and helped defend the capital from ISIS, have been demonstrating for weeks at the gates of the Green Zone, responding to their leader's call to pressure the government to reform. Saturday was the first time the protesters breached the compound's walls. 

Read more: Baghdad in State of Emergency After Supporters of al Sadr Storm Green Zone - NBC News

Weather: Floods cause havoc in Central Europe

Historic Prague threatened by floods

Thousands were forced from their homes and at least nine people were killed as flood waters deluged swathes of Europe on Monday, including the historic centre of the Czech capital Prague.

Shops and schools were shut and road and rail transport were disrupted across the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany following torrential rains.

The flooding caused chaos at Prague Zoo where around 1 000 animals were moved to higher ground after the Vltava river burst its banks late on Sunday.

The Czech government declared a state of emergency Sunday, deploying 2 000 troops in its rescue drive as more than 7 000 people were evacuated from their homes, officials said.

A house collapse claimed two lives south of Prague, while an electrician was killed trying to switch off a transformer as a precaution, and three men drowned in rivers or drains around the country, police said.

Readmore: European floods cause havoc | News24

Italy earthquake: Monti prepares for state of emergency

Italians have begun assessing the damage to one of their most historic regions, a day after seven people were killed in a 6.0 magnitude earthquake.

Cultural sites have been left in ruins, almost 5,000 people have fled their homes and the mayor of one northern town has appealed for urgent help.

The government has said it expects to declare a state of emergency.

For more: BBC News - Italy earthquake: Monti prepares for state of emergency