| UAE to suspend transit flights, Saudi Arabia imposes curfew Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:24 PM PDT  The United Arab Emirates, home to the world's busiest international airport in Dubai, announced early Monday it was suspending all passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the country for two weeks to stymie the spread of a new virus. Dubai's airport is a vital hub connecting Europe and other Western nations with countries in Asia and Australia. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, announced overnight that an evening curfew would go into effect starting Monday from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for 21 days.
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| U.S. Stumbles on Aid; Olympics Postponement Mulled: Virus Update Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:16 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Democrats blocked the U.S. Senate from advancing a massive aid package as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the measure fell short of her goals. President Donald Trump declared disasters in three states hardest hit by the outbreak.S&P 500 futures dropped 5% and hit limit down as the death toll surged across Europe. Germany, Italy and Greece added limits, and more U.S. states issued stay-home orders. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine, while U.S. Senator Rand Paul tested positive.Australia's parliament convenes Monday for a special sitting to pass stimulus measures to support the economy. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo must consider postponing the Olympics if safety can't be guaranteed.Key Developments:Cases topped 329,000, deaths near 14,500: Johns Hopkins dataItaly fatalities climb by 651, less than Saturday, to 5,476Spain deaths rise 30% to 1,720Emirates to suspend most passenger flightsGermany cases rise to 24,254, deaths climb to 81U.S. infections top 31,000, France fatalities rise to 562Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg's Prognosis team here.Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here. To see the impact on oil and commodities demand, click here.Japan Poll Shows 69% Think Olympics Should Be Delayed (7:26 a.m. HK)A Yomiuri poll found that 69% of respondents said the Tokyo Olympics should be postponed, while 8% said the games should be canceled. The survey, conducted March 20-22, showed that 17% said the games should be held as scheduled.Australian Lawmakers Meet to Push Through Stimulus (7:22 a.m. HK)Australia's parliament convenes Monday for a special sitting to pass stimulus measures to support the economy, including an additional A$66 billion ($38.2 billion) package aimed at averting recession and saving jobs.A reduced number of lawmakers are meeting from 10 a.m. in Canberra, with the stimulus plans the only legislation on the agenda. The opposition Labor party has signaled its support, meaning they should become law this week.Biden Says 'No Need' to Postpone November Vote (7:20 a.m. HK)Joe Biden rejected suggestions that the November U.S. election might be postponed amid the pandemic, saying it's important that voting continues as it has during other crises in American history."We ought to be able to preserve our health and our democracy at the same time," the 2020 Democratic front-runner said on a conference call with Atlanta-area donors. "You know, we voted in the middle of a civil war, we voted in the middle of World War I and II."Biden said he'll be communicating and campaigning more from his home, where a recreation room has been converted into a TV studio with a high-speed internet connection for video presentations.Senate Unable to Advance Aid Measure (6:45 a.m. HK)Democrats blocked a procedural Senate vote to advance the coronavirus economic rescue package after congressional leaders disagreed on how to spend nearly $2 trillion. This complicates Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's plan for the Senate to pass the bill Monday.Both parties want immediate and extensive relief for an economy ravaged by the coronavirus. But they continue to differ on key sections, including a $500 billion chunk of the bill that could be used to help corporations, including airlines, or state and local governments.Asked about the Senate vote at the White House, the president said: "We'll see what happens. I think we'll get there. To me it's not very complicated. We have to help the worker, we have to save the companies. As soon as we're finished with this war our country is going to bounce back like you've never seen before."Read the story hereTrump to Sign Emergency Declarations (6:10 a.m. HK)President Donald Trump said he will issue disaster declarations for California, Washington and New York -- the three states hardest-hit by the pandemic. The action lets the states deploy the National Guard to respond to the crisis.As part of the response, the U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy is heading to Los Angeles to provide more beds to help reduce pressure on the city's hospital system now treating Covid-19 cases. The ship should arrive in the city within a week, officials said.The Navy's hospital ship Comfort, which is undergoing maintenance, will be dispatched to New York City within the next three weeks to help ease pressures on the hospitals, Trump said.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also will build medical stations with 1,000 beds in New York, 1,000 in Washington state and 2,000 in California, Trump said.Three states account for more than half of the nation's cases.Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Peter Gaynor said medical supplies are en route to the three states.The president also praised International Business Machines Corp., Google Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. for helping in the fight against Covid-19.Read the story hereMore Senators in Quarantine After Paul (6 a.m. HK)Two Republican U.S. senators said they'll go into self-quarantine after Rand Paul of Kentucky announced that he'd tested positive for Covid-19.The decisions by Senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney of Utah have thrown a wrench into efforts by the Senate to pass a massive coronavirus economic stimulus package by Monday.Two other Republicans, Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado and Senator Rick Scott of Florida, have also been in self-quarantine in response to possible exposure to the virus from other infected individuals.Paul, who voted against two emergency coronavirus spending bills this month, tested positive for the virus and is in quarantine, according to a post on his Twitter account on Sunday.Australia State Signals More Steps to Come (5:30 p.m. NY)Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews warned the stringent controls announced by the Australian government over the weekend were almost certainly not the last steps to be taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus.He said the measures including closure of non-essential services such as cafes, bars and Melbourne's Crown Casino would begin to take effect from noon Monday until at least April 13."There are many Victorians who are acting selfishly. They are not taking this seriously," Andrews told reporters at a press conference in Melbourne Monday.The school holidays, scheduled to start Friday in Australia's second-most populous state, will be moved forward to Tuesday to allow teachers time to plan for online lessons if required.Read the full story hereU.S. Acts Against Covid-19 Fraud (5:10 p.m. NY)The Justice Department acted to block the operators of a website offering access to coronacvirus vaccine kits, the first U.S. action to combat fraud related to the pandemic.The operators of coronavirusmedicalkit.com claimed to offer access to the World Health Organization vaccine kits in exchange for a shipping charge of $4.95, to be paid on the website, the department said in a statement.U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman issued a temporary restraining order requiring action to block public access to the site, the department said."We will use every resource at the government's disposal to act quickly to shut down these most despicable of scammers, whether they are defrauding consumers, committing identity theft, or delivering malware," said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt.Pelosi Cites 'Big Difference' on Aid (4:45 p.m. NY)Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the U.S. House is finalizing its version of the next round of fiscal stimulus, even as Republican and Democratic senators try to resolve disputes over the Senate bill."There is at this time a big difference between the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act and what the Senate Republicans are proposing," Pelosi said in a letter to colleagues.If the House doesn't take up the version passed in the Senate, it will take longer for the bill to get to President Donald Trump for his signature. Negotiations in the Senate continue, since Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell would need Democratic support to pass his bill.De Blasio Says Crisis 'Beginning' (4:40 p.m. NY)New York City has 9,654 confirmed cases and 63 deaths, or about a third of the cases in the U.S., Mayor Bill de Blasio said. No one 44 years old or younger has died of the virus in the city. About a third of patients in the hospital are over 70 years old, he said."This is the beginning of the crisis," de Blasio said. "It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. The next 10 days are going to get harder and harder, and we desperately need resupply."New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said 70 uniformed officers and 28 civilians have tested positive. The sick rate is approaching double the normal rate for the department, he said.The city also released 23 low-risk inmates who each will be monitored and supervised. An additional 200 inmates are being reviewed for potential release.More States Issue Stay-Home Orders (4:30 pm.)Louisiana and Ohio are joining California, Illinois and New Jersey in mandating that all residents stay at home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's stay-at-home order will be in effect until April 6, when it will be re-evaluated. The order excludes essential activities, including taking care of others and essential businesses, he said."We are certainly at war," DeWine said at a press conference in Columbus. "In a time of war, we have to make sacrifices."Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issued a stay-at-home order that takes effect Monday.Read the full story herePhilips Accelerates Ventilator Output (4:30 p.m. NY)Royal Philips NV is ramping up production of ventilators to double output within eight weeks, and is targeting a fourfold increase by the third quarter to meet demand from hospitals overwhelmed by patients suffering from the coronavirus.The most-needed products are vital-signs monitors, portable ventilators and medical equipment to treat respiratory conditions, the Dutch company said in a statement. It's hiring more employees, adding lines and increasing shifts.Read the full story hereBalenciaga, Saint Laurent Make Masks (4:25 p.m. NY)Luxury fashion conglomerate Kering SA said it would switch to producing surgical masks at the French workshops of its Balenciaga and Saint Laurent brands as part of the effort to fight the virus.Both brands will start making the masks for French hospitals as soon as they have the approval of health authorities, Kering said in a statement. In the meantime, the group will donate 3 million masks ordered from China.Luxury giant LVMH switched to producing sanitizing hand gel in factories that normally make its Christian Dior and Givenchy cosmetics and perfume.Read the full story hereCarrefour Pays Bonuses to Workers (4:20 p.m. NY)French retailer Carrefour is paying a 1,000 euros ($1,072) bonus to its employees in France for their efforts in facing "really difficult work conditions" during the pandemic, Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Bompard said in an interview on the France 2 TV channel.The company has taken steps to protect the health and safety of clients and employees and will continue adding measure to make its stores and warehouses increasingly secure, Bompard said.Court Rejects Total Confinement Request (3:40 p.m. NY)France's highest administrative court refused to order total confinement of the population to stop the coronavirus outbreak, but said the government should review whether its rules are strict enough.The Conseil d'Etat ruled on a request made Friday by doctors' unions, which wanted total confinement or least stricter rules, including a national curfew and a prohibition on leaving home to exercise.Fed President Sees High Jobless Rate (3:20 p.m. NY)Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard predicted U.S. unemployment may hit 30% in the second quarter from virus-related shutdowns. The gross domestic product could plunge 50%.Bullard called for a powerful fiscal response to replace $2.5 trillion in lost income in the quarter to ensure a strong eventual U.S. recovery. The Fed would be poised to do more to ensure markets function during a period of high volatility."This is a planned, organized partial shutdown of the U.S. economy in the second quarter," Bullard said by phone Sunday from St. Louis.Read full story hereU.K. Warns of Tougher Steps (3:10 p.m. NY)Boris Johnson warned his government will impose "tougher measures" if people continue to ignore calls to stop social gatherings and non-essential travel.The U.K. newspapers reported Britons are meeting in parks and making trips to coastal towns after the government last week ordered pubs and restaurants to close. The prime minister said while he wanted to avoid the stringent measures taken by other countries, the U.K. may be forced to act, and will consider options in the next 24 hours."We need to think very carefully now about how we take steps to correct that," Johnson said in a televised press conference.Read full story hereIOC Rules Out Canceling 2020 Games (2:45 p.m.)The International Olympic Committee will study a possible postponement of the Summer Games in Tokyo, which are set to begin July 24. The IOC said cancellation is not on the agenda, despite mounting pressure to call off the event amid the outbreak."A cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody," the committee said in a statement.The committee's executive board will step-up scenario-planning, consulting with the Tokyo organizers, the Japanese government, various international and national athletic bodies along with broadcasters and sponsors."Our basis of information today is that a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 now would still be premature," IOC President Thomas Bach wrote to athletes.Read full story here:Dutch Consider Further Measures: Report (2:15 p.m. NY)The Dutch government is mulling the closure of all non-essential stores after residents largely ignored recommendations for social distancing by gathering in large groups, according to the Telegraaf paper, which cites government sources.The Dutch cabinet sent an emergency alert to mobile phones urging residents to keep a safe distance as people gathered in large numbers at beaches, parks and markets over the sunny weekend.Deaths in the Netherlands rose by 43 to 179 but the pace of new cases slowed to a 15% increase overnight, bringing confirmed cases to 4,204.Paris Mayor Seeks Tougher Limits (2:05 p.m. NY)Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is among officials calling for a stricter lockdown after leaders of Mediterranean cities including Nice and Perpignan imposed curfews, fueling speculation such measures would be imposed nationwide."There are still too many people who go out for things that aren't essential," government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said in a French television interview Sunday. "We're ready to tighten the rules of the lockdown if its necessary, but let's keep trying to get everyone to respect the measures already in place."Opera's Domingo Has Illness (2 p.m. NY)Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo, 79, said on Facebook he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is in self isolation with his family. He urged people to "stay home if you can.""We are all in good health but I experienced fever and cough symptoms therefore deciding to get tested and the result came back positive," he said in the post."Together we can fight this virus and stop the current worldwide crisis, so we can hopefully return to our normal daily lives very soon."Belgium Lockdown May Last 8 Weeks (2 p.m. NY)The national lockdown in Belgium that took effect four days ago will probably last at least another eight weeks, Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block said in an interview with De Zondag newspaper. Belgium reported coronavirus cases rose by 586 to 3,401, with deaths increasing by eight to 75.Senator Paul Infected, in Quarantine (1:45 p.m. NY)Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said on Twitter that he tested positive for Covid-19 and is in quarantine. He is the first U.S. senator to become infected.The 57-year-old lawmaker said he was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events.He said he is feeling fine. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person, according to the tweet.Merkel in Quarantine After Contact (1:40 p.m. NY)German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine at home after coming into contact with an infected doctor, her spokesman said.The doctor gave Merkel, 65, a precautionary immunization against bacterial pneumonia on Friday and the chancellor decided to self-isolate once she learned of his positive test, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in an emailed statement."My life has also changed fundamentally and consists mainly of telephone and video conferences," she said, when ask how she is delaing with the situation.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| South Africa: 'Our children are dying, but President Ramaphosa doesn't care' Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:08 PM PDT  South Africa's leader Cyril Ramaphosa is accused of inaction over a spate of child murders.
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| Europe Struggles to Get Ahead of Virus With Death Toll Mounting Posted: 22 Mar 2020 03:53 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- European leaders are scrambling to enforce unprecedented restrictions on the movement of their populations in a desperate attempt to prevent their health-care systems being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic.On a weekend that saw more than 2,000 people killed by the virus in Italy and Spain, Germany banned gatherings of more than two people and the U.K.'s Boris Johnson threatened "tougher measures" unless British people stop ignoring calls to avoid social gatherings. Officials in Rome decreed a halt to almost all domestic travel while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez extended the state of emergency in his country for another two weeks.German Chancellor Angela Merkel put herself in quarantine as a precaution after coming into contact with a doctor who tested positive for the virus.After a week in which the European Union unleashed all its fiscal and monetary firepower to mitigate the economic damage from the virus — and to calm financial markets — the mounting death toll brought a grim reminder that in the clinics and the hospitals at the heart of the outbreak, the virus is overpowering the medical professionals.Decisions by Merkel and German state leaders on Sunday move Europe's biggest economy closer to the drastic steps taken in Italy, the country with the most novel coronavirus deaths worldwide.Before heading home from the Chancellery for what it turned out would be her self-imposed quarantine, Merkel said Germany's two-person rule won't apply to families and people sharing a home."No one wants to stand before the people and discuss such rules," she told reporters in Berlin. "We are in a really tough situation."Risky BehaviorJohnson may decide as soon as Monday to impose similar restrictions after weekend newspapers reported Britons are meeting in parks and making trips to coastal towns after the government last week ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close."We need to think about the kinds of measures that we've seen elsewhere," Johnson said at a televised press conference on Sunday. "Some people are not making it easy for us because they are congregating in a way that helps spread the disease."Italy, where the disease has killed almost 5,500 people, ordered people to stay in their municipalities except for "non-deferrable and proven business or health reasons or other urgent matters," according to the Health Ministry. The measure applies to all private and public transportation. However, Sunday's toll of 651 fatalities was lower than the day before."We all hope that this trend can be confirmed in the new few days," Angelo Borrelli, head of Italy's civil protection agency, told reporters. "But we must not lower our guard."The Italian measures followed Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's decision late Saturday to temporarily halt all non-essential business activity in the country of 60 million. Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and post offices and other essential businesses will stay open, he said.The latest source of concern is thousands of idled workers with roots in southern Italy who could head there and bring the disease with them. Vincenzo De Luca, governor of the Campania region that surrounds Naples, urged Conte in a phone call Sunday to take "drastic measures" to block such an influx.Merkel's MovesIn Spain, Sanchez will seek parliamentary approval to extend a state of emergency to April 11 after almost 400 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours lifted the total to 1,720, the second-highest in Europe.Croatia called out the army after an earthquake on Sunday caused damage in Zagreb, the capital, potentially complicating the country's response to the coronavirus.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seeking to extend a state of emergency indefinitely and threaten prison time for anyone spreading false information about the virus. Those measures would require support from opposition lawmakers to pass.Merkel has been at odds with some of the Germany's 16 state governments about how best to contain the virus, which has infected almost 25,000 people and claimed more than 80 lives.The chancellor is against a rigid lockdown, fearing that such a measure could backfire, and wants a more coordinated national approach on restrictions to public life. Most German states indicated they will implement the new rules, which include closing restaurants except for delivery and takeout.As she gets to grips with running the country from her Berlin apartment, Merkel plans to get an emergency budget through the Bundestag this week to allow an extra 150 billion euros ($160 billion) of spending, the central pillar in Europe's fiscal response to the crisis.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Merkel’s Quarantine Puts Another Crack in Europe’s Virus Defense Posted: 22 Mar 2020 03:16 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Angela Merkel's ability to remain the public face of Germany's coronavirus response was thrown into question after the chancellor quarantined herself at home following contact with a doctor who later tested positive for the disease.The doctor gave Merkel, 65, a precautionary immunization against bacterial pneumonia on Friday and the chancellor decided to self-isolate once she learned of his positive test, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Sunday. Merkel — who suffered a health scare last year with unexplained shaking fits — will be regularly tested in coming days and perform her duties from home, Seibert added.Shortly before the announcement, Merkel spoke at a news conference following consultations with regional leaders. She detailed new restrictions to try to contain the spread of the virus and was asked how she is dealing personally with the situation."I've canceled almost all appointments where people would have come into the chancellery or where I would have gone to people," she said. "So my life has also changed fundamentally and consists mainly of telephone and video conferences."The chancellor is leading by example as she tries to persuade Germans to take the threat of the virus seriously. While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also self-isolating, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his deputy and rival Pablo Iglesias have both continued to attend cabinet meetings after their partners tested positive with the virus.'Short Contact'Merkel won't attend a cabinet meeting Monday and has postponed a speech in parliament to brief lawmakers on her government's coronavirus response, chancellery chief of staff Helge Braun said."It was a short contact," Braun said on ARD television. "We're hopeful that the chancellor may not even be infected. But she has decided to set a good example and enter quarantine."Merkel initially allowed her health minister, Jens Spahn, to take the lead in communicating Germany's strategy to deal with the virus, but has taken on an increasingly prominent role as the scale of the threat became apparent.Last week, the trained physicist made the first crisis address on television of her more than 14 years in office, telling the nation to take the virus seriously and winning plaudits for her matter-of-fact approach while she lined up a massive spending plan to keep the German economy alive.EU LeadersHer unrivaled status within the council of European Union leaders may prove critical in the weeks ahead as the bloc EU to agree on plans to finance the stimulus spending required to limit the economic impact of the virus.Just for starters, her ruling coalition plans to put a supplementary budget worth 150 billion euros ($160 billion) through parliament this week. Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to chair Monday's cabinet meeting.After stepping down as leader of her Christian Democratic Union in late 2018, Merkel had distanced herself from domestic politics and announced that her fourth term, due to end in fall 2021, would be her last.She appears to have learned from her mistakes during the refugee crisis in 2015, when she was criticized for not communicating the reasons for her decisions.She now gives regular updates on the government response to the virus, as after her consultations with German regional leaders on Sunday and her video conferences with Group of Seven and EU leaders last week.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| During virus, priests master livestream at Gothic cathedral Posted: 22 Mar 2020 03:02 PM PDT  Recent restrictions on gatherings in France to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus have forced religious communities to adapt the way they express their faith. On a typical Sunday morning, Father Philippe Rochas greets roughly 350 worshippers as they trickle into the neo-Gothic St.-Vincent-de-Paul church in the heart of Marseille. "I already realize that the people who see us online are very happy to have this service, as a kind of comfort," Rochas told The Associated Press.
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| U.S. Aid Talks Stumble; Stay-at-Home Orders Expand: Virus Update Posted: 22 Mar 2020 02:15 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a "big difference" separates Democrats from Republicans on a massive U.S. aid package, casting doubt on a swift deal. The White House hopes for a vote Monday on the more than $2 trillion plan.Citizens in Europe are under tighter restrictions as Germany, Italy and Greece added limits. More U.S. states are issuing stay-home orders. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine. Senator Rand Paul tested positive.A regional Fed president said unemployment may hit 30% in the second quarter. The dollar slipped in early Monday trading in Asia as investors took stock of the more stringent measures by countries.Key Developments:Cases topped 329,000, deaths near 14,500: Johns Hopkins dataItaly fatalities climb by 651, less than Saturday, to 5,476Spain deaths rise 30% to 1,720Emirates to suspend most passenger flightsGermany cases rise to 24,254, deaths climb to 81New York halts elective surgeries to free bedsU.S. infections top 31,000, France fatalities rise to 562Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg's Prognosis team here.Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here. To see the impact on oil and commodities demand, click here.Pelosi Cites 'Big Difference' on Aid (4:45 p.m. NY)Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the U.S. House is finalizing its version of the next round of fiscal stimulus, even as Republican and Democratic senators try to resolve disputes over the Senate bill."There is at this time a big difference between the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act and what the Senate Republicans are proposing," Pelosi said in a letter to colleagues.If the House doesn't take up the version passed in the Senate, it will take longer for the bill to get to President Donald Trump for his signature. Negotiations in the Senate continue, since Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell would need Democratic support to pass his bill.De Blasio Says Crisis 'Beginning' (4:40 p.m. NY)New York City has 9,654 confirmed cases and 63 deaths, or about a third of the cases in the U.S., Mayor Bill de Blasio said. No one 44 years old or younger has died of the virus in the city. About a third of patients in the hospital are over 70 years old, he said."This is the beginning of the crisis," de Blasio said. "It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. The next 10 days are going to get harder and harder, and we desperately need resupply."New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said 70 uniformed officers and 28 civilians have tested positive. The sick rate is approaching double the normal rate for the department, he said.The city also released 23 low-risk inmates who each will be monitored and supervised. An additional 200 inmates are being reviewed for potential release.More States Issue Stay-Home Orders (4:30 pm.)Louisiana and Ohio are joining California, Illinois and New Jersey in mandating that all residents stay at home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's stay-at-home order will be in effect until April 6, when it will be re-evaluated. The order excludes essential activities, including taking care of others and essential businesses, he said."We are certainly at war," DeWine said at a press conference in Columbus. "In a time of war, we have to make sacrifices."Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issued a stay-at-home order that takes effect Monday.Read the full story herePhilips Accelerates Ventilator Output (4:30 p.m. NY)Royal Philips NV is ramping up production of ventilators to double output within eight weeks, and is targeting a fourfold increase by the third quarter to meet demand from hospitals overwhelmed by patients suffering from the coronavirus.The most-needed products are vital-signs monitors, portable ventilators and medical equipment to treat respiratory conditions, the Dutch company said in a statement. It's hiring more employees, adding lines and increasing shifts.Read the full story hereBalenciaga, Saint Laurent Make Masks (4:25 p.m. NY)Luxury fashion conglomerate Kering SA said it would switch to producing surgical masks at the French workshops of its Balenciaga and Saint Laurent brands as part of the effort to fight the virus.Both brands will start making the masks for French hospitals as soon as they have the approval of health authorities, Kering said in a statement. In the meantime, the group will donate 3 million masks ordered from China.Luxury giant LVMH switched to producing sanitizing hand gel in factories that normally make its Christian Dior and Givenchy cosmetics and perfume.Read the full story hereCarrefour Pays Bonuses to Workers (4:20 p.m. NY)French retailer Carrefour is paying a 1,000 euros ($1,072) bonus to its employees in France for their efforts in facing "really difficult work conditions" during the pandemic, Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Bompard said in an interview on the France 2 TV channel.The company has taken steps to protect the health and safety of clients and employees and will continue adding measure to make its stores and warehouses increasingly secure, Bompard said.Court Rejects Total Confinement Request (3:40 p.m. NY)France's highest administrative court refused to order total confinement of the population to stop the coronavirus outbreak, but said the government should review whether its rules are strict enough.The Conseil d'Etat ruled on a request made Friday by doctors' unions, which wanted total confinement or least stricter rules, including a national curfew and a prohibition on leaving home to exercise.Fed President Sees High Jobless Rate (3:20 p.m. NY)Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard predicted U.S. unemployment may hit 30% in the second quarter from virus-related shutdowns. The gross domestic product could plunge 50%.Bullard called for a powerful fiscal response to replace $2.5 trillion in lost income in the quarter to ensure a strong eventual U.S. recovery. The Fed would be poised to do more to ensure markets function during a period of high volatility."This is a planned, organized partial shutdown of the U.S. economy in the second quarter," Bullard said by phone Sunday from St. Louis.Read full story hereU.K. Warns of Tougher Steps (3:10 p.m. NY)Boris Johnson warned his government will impose "tougher measures" if people continue to ignore calls to stop social gatherings and non-essential travel.The U.K. newspapers reported Britons are meeting in parks and making trips to coastal towns after the government last week ordered pubs and restaurants to close. The prime minister said while he wanted to avoid the stringent measures taken by other countries, the U.K. may be forced to act, and will consider options in the next 24 hours."We need to think very carefully now about how we take steps to correct that," Johnson said in a televised press conference.Read full story hereIOC Rules Out Canceling 2020 Games (2:45 p.m.)The International Olympic Committee will study a possible postponement of the Summer Games in Tokyo, which are set to begin July 24. The IOC said cancellation is not on the agenda, despite mountig pressue from to call off trhe evbent amid the outbreak."A cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody," the committee said in a statement.The committee's executive board will step-up scenario-planning, consulting with the Tokyo organizers, the Japanese government, various international and national athletic bodies along with broadcasters and sponsors."Our basis of information today is that a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 now would still be premature," IOC President Thomas Bach wrote to athletes.Rad full story here:Dutch Consider Further Measures: Report (2:15 p.m. NY)The Dutch government is mulling the closure of all non-essential stores after residents largely ignored recommendations for social distancing by gathering in large groups, according to the Telegraaf paper, which cites government sources.The Dutch cabinet sent an emergency alert to mobile phones urging residents to keep a safe distance as people gathered in large numbers at beaches, parks and markets over the sunny weekend.Deaths in the Netherlands rose by 43 to 179 but the pace of new cases slowed to a 15% increase overnight, bringing confirmed cases to 4,204.Paris Mayor Seeks Tougher Limits (2:05 p.m. NY)Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is among officials calling for a stricter lockdown after leaders of Mediterranean cities including Nice and Perpignan imposed curfews, fueling speculation such measures would be imposed nationwide."There are still too many people who go out for things that aren't essential," government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye said in a French television interview Sunday. "We're ready to tighten the rules of the lockdown if its necessary, but let's keep trying to get everyone to respect the measures already in place."Opera's Domingo Has Illness (2 p.m. NY)Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo, 79, said on Facebook he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is in self isolation with his family. He urged people to "stay home if you can.""We are all in good health but I experienced fever and cough symptoms therefore deciding to get tested and the result came back positive," he said in the post."Together we can fight this virus and stop the current worldwide crisis, so we can hopefully return to our normal daily lives very soon."Belgium Lockdown May Last 8 Weeks (2 p.m. NY)The national lockdown in Belgium that took effect four days ago will probably last at least another eight weeks, Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block said in an interview with De Zondag newspaper. Belgium reported coronavirus cases rose by 586 to 3,401, with deaths increasing by eight to 75.Senator Paul Infected, in Quarantine (1:45 p.m. NY)Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said on Twitter that he tested positive for Covid-19 and is in quarantine. He is the first U.S. senator to become infected.The 57-year-old lawmaker said he was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events.He said he is feeling fine. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person, according to the tweet.Merkel in Quarantine After Contact (1:40 p.m. NY)German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in quarantine at home after coming into contact with an infected doctor, her spokesman said.The doctor gave Merkel, 65, a precautionary immunization against bacterial pneumonia on Friday and the chancellor decided to self-isolate once she learned of his positive test, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in an emailed statement."My life has also changed fundamentally and consists mainly of telephone and video conferences," she said, when ask how she is delaing with the situation.Italy's Cases, Deaths Slow (1:30 p.m. NY)Italy's new fatalities increased by 651, fewer than a day earlier, to reach 5,476, the highest level globally. Total known cases jumped by 5,560 to 59,138."Today's numbers are smaller than yesterday's," Angelo Borrelli, head of the civil protection agency, told reporters. "We all hope that this trend can be confirmed in the new few days. But we must not lower our guard."Germany to Start Borrowing (12:50 p.m. NY)Germany may borrow as much as 350 billion euros ($370 billion) in an unprecedented financing push to cushion the economic fallout from the pandemic.A rescue fund set up to buy stakes in companies and fund corporate loans could issue up to 200 billion euros in additional debt if needed, Deputy Finance Minister Joerg Kukiessaid in an interview with Bloomberg.Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition is abandoning a long-standing commitment to balanced budgets and using emergency powers to suspend rules restricting borrowing that are enshrined in the constitution.EU Backs Portugal Loan Guarantees (12:55 p.m. NY)Portugal received EU authorization to offer 3 billion euros of loan guarantees for businesses. The European Commission approved four Portuguese programs meant to limit the risks of issuing operating loans to companies in the tourism, tourist-related, restaurant and manufacturing industries.Portugal is the fifth EU country after France, Denmark, Germany and Italy to gain the commission go-ahead for subsidies under a temporarily looser European state-aid rulebook prompted by the health scare.French Minister Has Virus (12:55 p.m. NY)Emmanuelle Wargon, France's junior minister for the environment, tested positive for Covid-19, she said in a post on Twitter. She has mild symptoms and is remaining in isolation at home, she said.Wargon is the third member of the government to be infected, after Culture Minister Franck Riester and Brune Poirson, another junior environment minister.New York to Begin Trial Drug Testing (12:35 p.m. NY)New York state will begin using trial drugs Tuesday to combat the rise in coronavirus cases, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced.The state has secured 70,000 hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 Zithromax and 750,000 chloroquine doses, he said. President Trump touted the two drugs, which have limited clinical testing, in a tweet on Saturday.As of Sunday, the number of cases statewide reached 15,168, of which 9,045 were in New York City. There have been 114 deaths, Cuomo said.All elective, non-essential surgeries will stop Wednesday. Cuomo said that will increase hospital bed capacity by between 25% and 35%.Italy Bars Movement Inside Nation (12:10 p.m. NY)Italy banned people from moving among towns in its latest attempt to stop the coronavirus.People will be restricted to the municipality where they currently are other than for "non deferrable and proven business or health reasons or other urgent matters," the health ministry said in an e-mailed statement. The measure is applied to all private and public transportation.The new order followed Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's decision late Saturday to temporarily halt all non-essential business activity. Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and post offices and other essential businesses will stay open, he said.The new limits follow concerns that thousands of idled workers in the hard-hit north with roots in the south could head there, bringing the disease with them.Germany Limits Public Gatherings to 2 (12:05 p.m. NY)The German government imposed tough restrictions on the public, banning any gatherings with more than two people.Family members will be exempt from the rule, Armin Laschet, the premier of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said at a news conference Sunday, citing an agreement between Chancellor Angela Merkel's government and regional leaders.The chancellor is against a rigid lockdown, fearing that such a measure could backfire, but wants a more coordinated approach on restrictions to public life, according to a person familiar with her thinking.Greece Imposes Lockdown (12 p.m. NY)Greece will impose a national lockdown starting Monday."It's probably the last step for a democratic state," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address.Greece has already closed borders to all non-European Union citizens, while the only shops open are super markets, pharmacies, gas stations, pet shops, food deliveries, groceries, bakeries, kiosks and banks.EU Approves Aid for Italy (11:50 a.m. NY)Italy won approval from European Union regulators to offer 50 million euros ($53 million) for the production of medical devices including ventilators and personal protection equipment such as masks, goggles and gowns. The aid will be in the form of direct grants and repayable advances.This is the fourth coronavirus-induced subsidy program by an EU government to gain European Commission approval this weekend, with France, Denmark and Germany receiving endorsements for broader economic-support initiatives.Israel Pushes for Virus Aid Plan (11:55 a.m. NY)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his government to craft an economic plan and aid package in response to the outbreak. The proposals should include help for salaried workers, the self-employed, businesses and households, Netanyahu's office said in a text message.Separately, the government will transfer 120 million shekels ($33 million) in emergency funding to the Palestinian Authority at the request of Israeli defense officials, who said the virus is intensifying economic difficulties in the West Bank, Channel 13 reported.Spain Seeks to Extend Emergency (11 a.m. NY)Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will seek to extend a state of emergency to April 11 after almost 400 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours lifted the total number of fatalities to 1,720.Spain has Europe's second-worst outbreak after Italy and the fourth-most severe worldwide. Total confirmed cases climbed to 28,572, from 24,926 the previous day, the Health Ministry said.Emirates to Stop Most Flights (10:55 a.m. NY)The world's biggest airline by international traffic, Emirates, will suspend most of its passenger operations starting March 25 as global travel demand collapses. Service to 12 nations will continue as long as borders remain open, the airline said.Dubai-based Emirates is cutting basic salary for most employees for three months, ranging from 25% to 50%, with President Tim Clark and Dnata President Gary Chapman taking a 100% cut. Junior level workers are exempt.The outlook for travel demand remains weak in the short to medium term, Emirates said.Wuhan Partially Lifts Ban (10:50 a.m. NY)The Hubei provincial government said people outside Wuhan, which was the epicenter of the outbreak in January, can enter the city by showing "green code," and people inside Wuhan can apply to leave by showing evidence they are healthy.U.S. Aid Set to Pass Monday (9:22 N.Y.)Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Trump administration is nearing agreement with Congressional leaders from both parties on a massive aid program aimed at supporting the U.S. economy through the next 10 to 12 weeks. He told Fox News lawmakers were likely to wrap up talks on the package on Sunday, and vote Monday morning.The plan would include aid to small businesses to help retain workers, direct cash payments to some Americans, enhanced unemployment insurance for those laid off because of the pandemic, a "significant new liquidity package in coordination with the Federal Reserve," and financial support for hospitals.Russia Sends Aid to Italy (9:15 a.m. NY)Russia sent three airplanes with help to Italy, Russia's Defense Ministry reported Sunday. It is sending about 100 people including experts on epidemiology and virology and disinfectant equipment, the ministry said. Russia also arranged eight medical brigades to fly to Italy, according to the ministry.German Aid Gets Approved by EU (8:55 a.m. NY)Germany received the green light from EU regulators for subsidized loans to companies hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The approval by the European Commission in Brussels on Sunday covers two German programs to provide liquidity through development bank Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau. This marks the commission's third endorsement over the weekend of national aid being permitted under a temporarily looser EU rulebook prompted by the health scare, with France and Denmark getting clearances on Saturday.French Doctor Dies From Virus (7:57 a.m. NY)An emergency room doctor in Northern France died from Covid-19, the first medic to die in that country, French health minister Olivier Veran said today on the radio. The country's lockdown will last at least two weeks, he said. France wants to ramp up testing to check more suspected cases.Spain Infections Jump 30% (7:23 a.m. NY)The number of deaths from coronavirus in Spain rose 30% to 1,720 on Sunday from the day before, according to data published by the health ministry. The number of confirmed cases increased to 28,572 from 24,926 the day earlier.In Switzerland, 7,014 people tested positive, up from 6,113 on Saturday. Four more patients died, bringing the total to 60.Third of Cases Show No Signs: SCMP (7:09 a.m. NY)As many as a third of the people who test positive for the coronavirus may show delayed symptoms or none at all, the South China Morning Post reported, citing classified data from the Chinese government.The data show that 43,000 people in China tested positive by the end of February, but had no immediate symptoms, the newspaper reported. They were quarantined and monitored, though asymptomatic cases aren't included in China's tally of those infected with the virus.German Economy Hit (6:38 a.m. NY)Germany's economy will shrink by 5% this year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Bild am Sonntag said, citing calculations taken from the government's supplemental budget.The government is expecting to take in 33.5 billion euros ($35.8 billion) less in taxes and other income this year than initially forecast, the newspaper said. The government will also have to pay for more than 2 million workers doing shortened work hours, translating into about 10 billion euros in extra spending.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Pakistan doctor dies amid strike threat over lack of protection Posted: 22 Mar 2020 11:34 AM PDT |
| Sen. Rand Paul tests positive for virus, forcing quarantines Posted: 22 Mar 2020 11:01 AM PDT  Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first case of COVID-19 in the Senate and raising fears about the further transmission of the virus among Republicans at the Capitol. Paul, an eye surgeon, went into quarantine Sunday after learning his results. At least five senators, including Paul, were in self-quarantine Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
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| Merkel in quarantine after doctor tests positive for virus Posted: 22 Mar 2020 10:49 AM PDT  German Chancellor Angela Merkel has gone into quarantine after being informed that a doctor who administered a vaccine to her has tested positive for the new coronavirus. Merkel, 65, was informed about the doctor's test shortly after holding a news conference Sunday announcing new measures to curb the spread of the virus, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Seibert said in a statement that Merkel would undergo "regular tests" in the coming days and continue with her work from home for the time being.
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| Sen. Rand Paul, Who Opposed Coronavirus Relief Bill, Tests Positive Posted: 22 Mar 2020 10:45 AM PDT  Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who was the only senator to oppose a coronavirus relief package last month, announced Sunday that he has tested positive for the virus."He is feeling fine and is in quarantine," an announcement on his Twitter said. "He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events."It added, "He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time."In addition to being the only senator to vote against an $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus package, Paul also was one of the eight senators who voted against paid sick leave in a stimulus bill that passed with an overwhelming 90-8 vote last week. "I think that the paid sick leave is an incentive for businesses to actually let go employees and will make unemployment worse," Paul, a physician who has a Kentucky-issued medical license, explained to Newsweek.CNN reported that Paul closed his Capitol Hill offices over a week ago and urged employees to work from home due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. Two people who attended the annual Speed Art Museum ball in Kentucky with the senator on March 7 later tested positive for the virus, according to the Courier-Journal. But despite reportedly being tested roughly a week ago, Paul continued to interact with colleagues and even worked out at the Senate gym—and was swimming in the pool—on Sunday morning, shortly before he received his positive test results, Politico reported. Paul is the first senator to test positive for the novel coronavirus. Two other members of Congress, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Ben McAdams (D-UT), have also gone public with positive test results.According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is particularly dangerous for people with lung problems. In August 2019, Paul had part of his lung removed after an altercation with his neighbor Rene Boucher. The two had a long-running dispute over lawn care.Second Member of Congress Tests Positive for COVID-19On March 2, Paul appeared on Fox News and downplayed the global threat of the coronavirus. "While it is worldwide, I think there is room for optimism that this thing may plateau out in a few weeks and not be as bad it as it may have been portrayed," he said to host Neil Cavuto. "We've seen pockets of this around the world and even in Italy and Iran where we have it, but none of it is approaching what started in China."When asked about institutions taking larger measures to limit the spread of the virus, Paul was resistant to the idea. "I think closing down the Smithsonians would be way too premature and I wouldn't advise something like that."And when Cavuto asked Paul about making personal adjustments to avoid infection, the Senator was particularly defiant. "I mean, I fly all the time and I'm not cutting back on my flying... I was on a plane today," he said. "I could be wrong and this could be really bad in two or three weeks or a month, but I'm hoping it's not going to be. I'm not ready to buy all the toilet paper at Target."The senator's father, Dr. Ron Paul, a physician and a former Republican congressman from Texas, published an essay called "The Coronavirus Hoax" last week for the New River Valley News, a local outlet based in Virginia. "People should ask themselves whether this coronavirus 'pandemic' could be a big hoax, with the actual danger of the disease massively exaggerated by those who seek to profit—financially or politically—from the ensuing panic," the elder Paul wrote.As of Sunday afternoon, there are 30,000 COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and nearly 400 people have died.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| What you need to know today about the virus outbreak Posted: 22 Mar 2020 10:26 AM PDT  Leaders in the U.S. are hammering out a rescue package that could be worth $1.4 trillion or more, while the death toll in Italy soars again. Here are some of AP's top stories Sunday on the world's coronavirus pandemic. — Italy's coronavirus infections continue to soar, with 59,000 cases and 5,476 deaths.
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| Germany bans meetings of more than two people in public Posted: 22 Mar 2020 09:48 AM PDT |
| Iran rejects virus aid offer from US 'charlatans' as cases soar Posted: 22 Mar 2020 09:22 AM PDT  Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said Sunday his country would never accept any aid to fight the novel coronavirus from arch-enemy and "charlatans" the United States, as Tehran announced 129 new deaths. Iran has been one of the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 illness along with Italy, Spain and China, and the latest fatalities raised the official death toll to 1,685, the health ministry said. US President Donald Trump -- who has stepped up sanctions and a "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran over its nuclear programme --- said on February 29 that Washington was ready to help Iran fight the virus if its leaders requested it.
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| Germany Lines Up $370 Billion Borrowing Binge in Virus Fight Posted: 22 Mar 2020 09:18 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Germany may borrow as much as 350 billion euros ($370 billion) in an unprecedented financing push to cushion the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.Chancellor Angela Merkel's government will borrow 150 billion euros this year to finance measures to limit the impact of the outbreak. A rescue fund set up to buy stakes in companies and fund corporate loans could issue up to 200 billion euros in additional debt if needed, Deputy Finance Minister Joerg Kukies said in an interview with Bloomberg. The ultimate size of the rescue fund's borrowings depends on how many companies ask for government help."The extent of the federal government's actual borrowing under the rescue fund is currently not foreseeable, since this depends on the extent to which companies will make use of rescue funds," said Kukies. "It could also be significantly lower."The 150 billion euros in new debt is part of a supplementary budget that is expected to be approved Monday by Merkel's cabinet. It will be presented to the lower house on Wednesday in an emergency session and could move on to Germany's upper house on Friday.As the devastating implications of the pandemic become clear, Merkel's ruling coalition is abandoning a long-standing commitment to balanced budgets and using emergency powers to suspend rules restricting borrowing that are enshrined in the constitution. The economy could shrink by at least 5%, according to an estimate by the finance ministry.The effort to shore up Europe's largest economy includes measures such as direct assistance to companies and low-income earners as well as a rescue fund to bailout virus-hit businesses. A lockdown could further restrict activity.Merkel is speaking with state leaders on Sunday to hammer out a more coordinated approach to slow the spread of the virus, which as infected nearly 22,000 in the country, according to Bloomberg calculations.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Syrian president issues amnesty, reduces sentences Posted: 22 Mar 2020 09:07 AM PDT |
| With temperature checks and face masks, Russians protest amid coronavirus Posted: 22 Mar 2020 08:22 AM PDT |
| Former member of Israel-backed militia killed in Lebanon Posted: 22 Mar 2020 08:16 AM PDT  Unknown assailants shot dead a former member of an Israeli-backed Lebanese militia on Sunday, security officials said. The killing came three days after a jailed Lebanese-American man who belonged to the same militia was released in Beirut and flown to the U.S. Two Lebanese security officials said Antoine Hayek was killed with several bullets from a pistol equipped with a silencer inside his grocery store in the southern village of Mieh Mieh, near the port city of Sidon.
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| Virus outbreak means (mis)information overload: How to cope Posted: 22 Mar 2020 07:33 AM PDT  The coronavirus pandemic is leading to information overload for many people, often making it difficult to separate fact from fiction and rumor from deliberate efforts to mislead. Already, text messages predicting a nationwide lockdown have circulated, along with social media posts telling people that one way to get tested for the virus is by donating blood or warning that mosquitoes can carry it. Such falsehoods can endanger public health, sow confusion and fear, and prevent important information from reaching people during a crisis.
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| Iran leader refuses US help, citing virus conspiracy theory Posted: 22 Mar 2020 07:27 AM PDT  Iran's supreme leader refused U.S. assistance Sunday to fight the new coronavirus, citing an unfounded conspiracy theory claiming the virus could be man-made by America. "I do not know how real this accusation is but when it exists, who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication?" Khamenei said. There is no scientific proof offered anywhere in the world to support Khamenei's claims.
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| Virus mutes happy hours in senior haven, but golf goes on Posted: 22 Mar 2020 07:08 AM PDT  Up until a few days ago, residents of The Villages retirement community went about their busy lives filled with spirited happy hours and incessant socializing at what some dub "Disney World for adults." There were the hundreds of clubs to attend — French lessons, Carolina shag dancing, light-saber fencing — pickleball tournaments to play and Pilates classes to take at this Republican stronghold built on former cow pastures in central Florida. "This place is Republicanville and too many people believe what the president is saying, and they were out in the streets and out in the squares," said Alan Stone, as he sat in one of The Villages' ever-present golf carts outside a supermarket, waiting for his wife.
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| German Gloom Deepens With Harsh Recession, Lockdown Looming Posted: 22 Mar 2020 06:56 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Germany's economic and social crisis deepened as the government forecast that the coronavirus pandemic would lead to the biggest output contraction in more than a decade while it grappled with how to prevent containment efforts tearing at the social fabric.The finance ministry estimates that the economy will shrink by at least 5% this year, according to people familiar with the figures. That compares with the current official forecast of 1.1% growth and would represent the biggest contraction since the financial crisis hammered Europe's largest economy.The internal forecast was used to calculate a 156 billion-euro ($167 billion) supplementary budget that Finance Minister Olaf Scholz plans to present this week. The spending plan foresees lower intake of 33.5 billion euros and 122.8 billion euros in more expenditures from measures from company loans to social benefits to cushion the blow, Bild newspaper reported.Economy Minister Peter Altmaier is due to speak with Germany's leading economists in the coming days to assess the impact of the virus on growth. The government originally planned to update its expectations at the end of April but accelerated the discussions.Amid the deepening fallout from the crisis, Angela Merkel is at odds with some German states about how best to contain the spread of the virus, which has so far infected almost 22,000 people in the country, according to Bloomberg data. The chancellor is against a rigid lockdown, fearing that such a measure could backfire, according to a person familiar with her thinking.Merkel is holding a video conference with leaders of Germany's 16 states on Sunday afternoon to hammer out a more coordinated approach. Berlin and Hamburg have more relaxed restrictions on residents than Bavaria and Saarland. The German leader is worried that the disjointed measures will cause confusion and lead to people migrating from one state to another to take advantage of looser rules.In a meeting with government officials this week, Merkel voiced skepticism that a full lockdown could revive memories of the former East German dictatorship, said the person who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential.Lockdown ConcernsMerkel indirectly addressed the issue in a TV address on Wednesday when she referred to her own experiences in communist East Germany."Let me assure you: For somebody like me, for whom the freedom of movement and travel has been a hard-won right, such restrictions are only to be justified in a case of absolute necessity," she said in a rare speech to the nation.Amid discussions of even harsher confinement measures, Merkel worries that a lockdown could drive people further into isolation, especially the elderly and the unemployed and that this could lead to a loss of control, the person said. Meanwhile, state leaders fear that they might be forced to give away authority if they fail to contain the spread.There were signs Sunday that citizens are respecting the restrictions on public life. Police in Berlin said on Twitter that "an unbelievable number of people have clearly recognized the seriousness of the situation" and there are "noticeably fewer people out and about in the city."The government had warned that it would be monitoring behavior this weekend and stricter measures could be enforced if people were still out socializing in groups.As part of its efforts to combat the crisis, the German government asked domestic car manufacturers such as Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG to consider producing medical equipment such as masks or ventilators.The request forms part of wider efforts by authorities to tap engineering and production resources and tackle severe supply bottlenecks in critical medical equipment, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the talks aren't public.But such production tasks aren't possible for most businesses. Germany's DIHK industry lobby urged the government to take action to ensure companies can quickly access bank loans to help them cope with a collapse in demand.Otherwise, "we will experience an unprecedented wave of bankruptcies," DIHK President Eric Schweitzer said in an emailed statement. "In this situation, it will only help if the government secures all financial support with a 100% state guarantee. Then the banks can distribute the money immediately and with favorable rates of interest."(Updates with German cases in fifth paragraph, DIHK comment in last)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| 10 things you need to know today: March 22, 2020 Posted: 22 Mar 2020 06:52 AM PDT |
| Calls, no hugs: UK moms spend Mother's Day far from family Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:55 AM PDT  Sunday was Mother's Day in Britain and the government had a stark message for millions of citizens: Visiting your mom could kill her. In a message to the nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson implored Britons to forego the day's traditional family visits, parties and Sunday lunches since authorities could not "disguise or sugarcoat the threat" poised by the coronavirus pandemic. As Britain struggles with how strongly to crack down on everyone's daily movements to slow the spread of COVID-19, Johnson has been accused of sending mixed messages.
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| US raps France for prisoner swap with Iran Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:50 AM PDT  The Trump administration on Sunday harshly criticized France for releasing an Iranian man wanted for prosecution by the United States in an apparent prisoner swap with Iran. The State Department said it "deeply regrets" the "unilateral" French decision to release Jalal Rohollahnejad, who was the subject of a U.S. extradition request on charges of violating American sanctions on Iran. Spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that France had failed to uphold its obligations under a joint extradition treaty and harmed the cause of justice.
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| Iran and North Korea reacted very differently to U.S. offers to help battle coronavirus Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:23 AM PDT  The United States has extended overtures toward two countries, Iran and North Korea, with whom tensions remain high, offering to cooperate in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Pyongyang and Tehran had very different responses.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday refused the United States' assistance to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has been particularly harsh in Iran where tough economic sanctions preventing the sale of crude oil and access to international financial markets remain in place.In his speech, Khamenei not only rejected U.S. aid, but he also trumpeted a conspiracy theory first touted in China that the virus was a man-made U.S. government weapon. He said he doesn't know if the accusation is true, but wondered "who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication," when that medication might be "a way to spread the virus more" before suggesting that the real reason U.S. medical personnel might want to come to Iran is to "see the effect of the poison they have produced."Meanwhile, North Korea seemed to appreciate the gesture a little more. Pyongyang said Sunday that President Trump sent another personal letter to Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un, this time reportedly expresseing his willingness to cooperate with the country on "anti-epidemic" work, referring to the novel coronavirus outbreak.Kim Yo Jong, Kim's sister and policy aid, praised the letter as "good judgment and proper action" and said Trump was impressed with North Korea's ability to curb the threat of the virus. North Korea has not reported any COVID-19 cases, but health experts fear the secretive nation is covering up an outbreak. The White House confirmed Trump sent Kim a letter, but did not comment on its contents. Read more at The New York Times and The Associated Press.More stories from theweek.com How bad will the coronavirus crash get? 5 uplifting cartoons about coronavirus heroes Rand Paul is the first senator to test positive for coronavirus
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| Israeli Supreme Court to rule on demand to reopen parliament Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:19 AM PDT  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political opponents on Sunday asked Israel's Supreme Court to force parliament to resume its full activities, despite restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak. Parliament Speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, last week suspended parliamentary activities, preventing the newly elected legislature from choosing a new speaker and forming committees. Edelstein says the move is merely procedural given the state of emergency in the country and the health ministry guidelines prohibiting large public gatherings.
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| 'A really big experiment': Parents turn teachers amid virus Posted: 22 Mar 2020 05:12 AM PDT  After her sixth-grade son's school in Buffalo, New York, closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, Roxanne Ojeda-Valentin returned to campus with shopping bags to take home textbooks and weeks' worth of assignments prepared by teachers. A single mother with a full-time job, she now joins millions of parents around the country — and the world — suddenly thrust into the role of their children's primary educators, leaving them scrambling to sift through educational resources and juggle lesson plans with jobs and other responsibilities. In others, parents are left to find educational websites and curricular materials on their own.
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| Virus now in Gaza, Syria, raising fears in vulnerable areas Posted: 22 Mar 2020 12:47 AM PDT  The arrival of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip, an impoverished enclave where the health care system has been gutted by years of conflict, and Syria, which has been devastated by nine years of civil war and sanctions, raised fears Sunday that the pandemic may soon prey on some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. Authorities in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, confirmed its first two cases overnight, in returnees who had come from Pakistan. In Syria, where the civil war is grinding on through its 10th year, Health Minister Nizar Yazigi announced the first confirmed coronavirus case Sunday.
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| Virus rebels from France to Florida flout lockdown practices Posted: 22 Mar 2020 12:27 AM PDT  A Spanish man leashes a goat to go for a walk to skirt confinement orders. "Some consider they're little heroes when they break the rules," said French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. After days of noncompliance by people refusing to stay home and venture out only for essential tasks, France on Friday sent security forces into train stations to prevent people from traveling to their vacation homes, potentially carrying the virus to the countryside or beaches where medical facilities are less robust.
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| Croatia quake injures 17 amid partial coronavirus lockdown Posted: 21 Mar 2020 11:27 PM PDT  A strong earthquake in Croatia on Sunday caused panic, the evacuation of hospitals and widespread damage including to the capital's iconic cathedral — all amid a partial coronavirus lockdown. The European seismological agency, EMSC, said the earthquake measured 5.3 and struck a wide area north of the capital, Zagreb, at 6:23 a.m. (0523 GMT) Sunday. The epicenter was seven kilometers (four miles) north of Zagreb at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).
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| Russian army to send coronavirus help to Italy after Putin phone call Posted: 21 Mar 2020 11:09 PM PDT |
| Will coronavirus slow the world's conflicts -- or intensify them? Posted: 21 Mar 2020 10:40 PM PDT  Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Sahel... with the great powers focused intently on the COVID-19 virus, will armed conflicts across the world decrease in severity or intensify? Experts as well as diplomats at the United Nations say there is a serious risk of the latter. For guerrilla fighters and extremist groups, "it's a clear godsend," said Bertrand Badie, a specialist in international relations at France's Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po).
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| Trump Sends Letter to North Korea Offering Help Fighting Virus Posted: 21 Mar 2020 10:35 PM PDT |
| N. Korea says Trump's letter offers anti-virus cooperation Posted: 21 Mar 2020 07:32 PM PDT  President Donald Trump sent a personal letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, seeking to maintain good relations and offering cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Kim's sister said Sunday. The latest correspondence came as Kim observed the firing of tactical guided weapons over the weekend, drawing criticism from South Korea, as nuclear talks remain deadlocked. In a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, Kim's sister and senior ruling party official, Kim Yo Jong, praised Trump for sending the letter at a time when "big difficulties and challenges lie ahead in the way of developing ties" between the countries.
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