| Barr Pressed Australia for Help on Mueller Review as DOJ Worked to Free Its Hostages Posted: 14 Apr 2020 06:01 PM PDT  In a series of conversations last September, senior Department of Justice officials worked with representatives of the Australian government to hammer out an arrangement to win the release of a pair of Australian bloggers imprisoned in Tehran. At the same time those talks were taking place, Attorney General Bill Barr and his lieutenants were speaking to the Australians about another matter: getting their help as the Department of Justice looked into the origins of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Barr, like his boss, President Donald Trump, had long had a view of the Russia probe that bordered on hostile, and his review has been widely seen as an attempt to discredit the Mueller investigation, which led to the indictment of multiple Trumpworld associates. Just days before the culmination of talks in September—which coincided with an official Australian state visit—Trump himself pushed Prime Minister Scott Morrison to help Barr with this inquiry. Barr followed up about the Mueller re-investigation, two U.S. officials and a third individual familiar with the matter told The Daily Beast, even as American and Australian officials finalized their arrangement to try to free the pair jailed in Iran. According to four sources—including those two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official—the American government agreed to help facilitate the release of the Australian bloggers, in part by agreeing to pull back from pursuing the extradition of an Iranian scientist held in Australia. News of the arrangement didn't reach the senior ranks of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs—the team in charge of coordinating the government's diplomatic engagements on overseas hostage-related matters—until days after the deal was finalized, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation. Another individual familiar with the conversations said officials in the hostage affairs office were frustrated by the lack of communication from the Department of Justice, claiming they had been cut out of a process they would have normally helped lead. At the time, the team was in conversation with Americans whose family members were held hostage in Iran. The cohort was actively lobbying the Trump administration to raise public awareness of the hostages' cases in the hopes that it may put pressure on the Tehran government. The discussions between Washington and Canberra raise questions about why the Department of Justice engaged in a behind-the-scenes effort to help win the release of Australian hostages from Iran and whether the president's request to have the country assist in Barr's Russia inquiry influenced the department's decision-making.The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. The White House did not provide an on the record comment for this story. In an email to The Daily Beast, DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec said Barr himself did not have "any conversations with the Australians about Australian bloggers or an Iranian scientist." To Claire Finkelstein, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, "this story suggests that the president is continuing to use the authority of his office to pressure foreign leaders into assisting him in covering up Russia's assistance with his 2016 victory. This is the same conduct for which Trump was impeached, and the reporting suggests that he is undeterred." She added, "If the administration engaged in this swap as part of a deal with the Australian government in which it would support Trump's counter-narrative to the Mueller Report, then department officials are actively using U.S. diplomacy to undermine our U.S. national security interests."* * *Since the first year of his administration, former and current aides say that they've seen Trump "light up," in one former senior White House official's words, when internally discussing his impending announcements of rescued hostages, and would press aides on unusually specific details of the operations or negotiations, including on how his count of released hostages compared to that of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.And when it comes to enlisting foreign powers to help the Trump administration probe the feds, the president views it as a top priority. A senior administration official said that they've heard Trump on multiple occasions mention that any ally of the United States should help, if they can—and that chasing leads on suspected origins of the Mueller investigation is a matter of "national security." Trump's phone call and Barr's subsequent conversations with the Australians came at a time when the White House was in the midst of fending off allegations that the president had engaged in a quid pro quo with Ukraine. Top Democrats had obtained a whistleblower complaint alleging in part that President Trump had withheld vital military aid from Kyiv to force the Ukrainians to announce a probe into his 2020 political rival, Joe Biden. As an impeachment probe gathered steam on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration appears to have ramped up its efforts to find willing foreign partners such as Australia to help investigate Mueller's probe while also offering to help Morrison get his citizens out of Iranian prison.In May of last year, about a month after the release of the Mueller report, Barr tapped Connecticut's top federal prosecutor John Durham to lead the department's inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation. On May 24, President Trump lauded the department's efforts, calling the Mueller investigation "the greatest hoax, probably, in the history of our country," adding that he hoped the attorney general would "look at Australia."Mueller's report on his Russia investigation laid out how Australia played a role in the origins of the FBI probe. Former Trump adviser George Papadopoulos has repeatedly claimed that he told Australia's former foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer, who was then high commissioner to the United Kingdom, that Russia had obtained negative information about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and that Downer informed U.S. law enforcement.Australia's ambassador to the United States, Joe Hockey, wrote to Barr on May 28 to say Canberra "stand[s] ready to provide you with all relevant information to support your inquiries," according to a copy of the letter published by Australian media outlets.And in September, President Trump officially asked the Morrison government for help in his phone call with the prime minister. It's unclear if Trump spoke with Morrison about the hostage situation during the conversation. (Although Trump later discussed the hostage arrangement with Barr and other senior officials in his administration, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.) But by the end of September, even before Australia's state visit to Washington, members of the Morrison government and senior officials at the Department of Justice were in conversation about what the U.S. could do to help with the release of the two Australian bloggers.* * *In July of 2019, the Tehran government arrested Jolie King and Mark Firkin, who were traveling through Iran, for flying a drone near an Iranian military installment. The two were transferred to Evin Prison, one of the most notorious detention facilities in the country.During Morrison's visit in September, senior officials at the Department of Justice and top representatives of Morrision's government worked on the plan to bring the bloggers home. The U.S. would step back from pursuing an extradition order for an Iranian scientist held in Brisbane. That would allow for the scientist's release back to Iran. In exchange, the Australians could get King and Firkin out of Evin Prison.Reza Dehbashi Kivi—a 38-year-old Iranian scientist studying in Queensland, Australia—was accused of exporting military radar equipment to help the Iranian regime detect stealth planes. The U.S. sought his extradition on six counts, including conspiring to export special amplifiers classified as "defense articles" under the U.S. munitions list, according to one of Kivi's former attorneys."The U.S. government alleged he had exported these devices and required some sort of export permit to do that," said another individual with knowledge of Kivi's case.Kivi remained in prison while Australia's Attorney General's office decided whether or not to extradite him to the United States.It wasn't until the Australian team left the U.S. that senior State Department officials in the hostage affairs office learned from representatives of the Australian embassy in Washington of the discussions between the Department of Justice and the Morrison government. Officials at State were told that the attorney general's office in Australia would work directly with Barr's office on the timing of the releases."Political capital should be used, first and foremost, for American citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents," said one individual familiar with Iranian hostage affairs issues.Although there isn't always a clear blueprint for handling hostage negotiations, the State Department — specifically, the presidential envoy for hostage affairs — ordinarily helps run point. And while the Department of Justice does play a leading role in the extradition process, its bypassing of the State Department on the conversations with the Australians is alarming, former officials say. "The hostage unit in the [State] department acts as a coordinator. They're supposed to be in on this process," one former U.S. official who worked on hostage affairs told The Daily Beast.Kivi was released from prison and returned back to Iran on Sept. 29, 2019—nine days after the Australian state visit to Washington. On Oct. 5, the Australian government announced that Iran had released King and Firkin. (The two did not respond to requests to comment for this article.)At the time, there was speculation that the two events might be linked. A person directly familiar with Kivi's case said there's no question about it. "I have no doubt that that communication had taken place between the U.S. and Australia which affected the release of Mr. Dehbhashi," the person told The Daily Beast. The Australian Prime Minister's Office did not respond to a request for comment. But a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade acknowledged to The Daily Beast that Australia "made clear it was willing to assist with any U.S. inquiry into the origins of the Russia probe" but said that occurred well before King and Firkin were detained.The spokesperson said former Australian ambassador Hockey "confirmed this willingness in a letter to Attorney-General Barr." The spokesperson repeatedly dodged questions from The Daily Beast about the conversations that took place between U.S. and Australian officials during Morrison's State visit in September. The office of Australian Attorney General Christian Porter directed The Daily Beast to a statement when King and Firkin were released from prison. "I considered that, in all the circumstances of this particular case, Mr Dehbashi Kivi should not ultimately be extradited to the United States," Porter said at the time. "Ultimately the Attorney General can and should take into account a considerably broader set of considerations."* * *As the discussions were underway in Washington in September 2019, State Department officials working on hostage affairs were in New York, meeting with the families of Americans detained in Iran. Since Kivi, King and Firkin were freed, Americans with family members detained in Iran have continued to put pressure on both the U.S. and Iranian governments to facilitate their release. For more than 13 years the Iranian government has consistently maintained that it is unaware of the whereabouts of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in the country in 2007. In the fall of 2019, a United Nations working group concluded that there was "an on-going case in the Public Prosecution and Revolutionary Court of Tehran for Levinson"—a possible sign that the former agent was alive and that the Iranians were working toward a solution to the situation.But last month, Levinson's family announced that they believed he had died in Iranian custody.—with additional reporting by Asawin Suebsaeng and Rachel OldingRead more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet 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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| U.N. chief says 'not the time' to reduce WHO resources after Trump announcement Posted: 14 Apr 2020 05:47 PM PDT |
| Trump directs halt to payments to WHO during virus pandemic Posted: 14 Apr 2020 04:40 PM PDT  President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was cutting off U.S. payments to the World Health Organization during the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the organization of failing to do enough to stop the virus from spreading when it first surfaced in China. Trump, who had telegraphed his intentions last week, claimed the outbreak could have been contained at its source and that lives could have been saved had the U.N. health agency done a better job investigating the early reports coming out of China. "The WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable," Trump said at a briefing.
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| Coronavirus: Why lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa Posted: 14 Apr 2020 04:25 PM PDT  Communities in Africa must be consulted about lockdowns, argue Alex de Waal and Paul Richards.
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| South Korea Vote During Pandemic May Become Model for the World Posted: 14 Apr 2020 04:11 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- South Korea is holding the biggest election since the coronavirus pandemic spread around the globe -- and it might spur other world leaders with good poll numbers to follow suit.Surveys show President Moon Jae-in's Democratic Party of Korea set to win elections for 300 parliament seats on Wednesday, after his government's popularity increased following its handling of the virus in what was initially one of the world's hardest-hit countries. New infection rates have fallen this month to their lowest levels since February.The decision to hold the election contrasts with some U.S. states that have delayed presidential primaries and France, which suspended some local elections after cases began to multiply. Poland plans to conduct its May 10 presidential election by mail-in ballot.Still, for any leaders weighing whether to call an election -- such as those in Singapore and Japan -- a big win for Moon's party could show the political benefits of moving ahead with a vote despite the risks. The virus provided an opportunity for Moon to rebuild support battered by an economic slowdown, corruption scandals involving presidential aides and resurgent tensions with North Korea.South Korea's election shows the world that holding a vote during the pandemic is both possible and may be beneficial for leaders who have handled the crisis well, according to Miha Hribernik, head of Asia risk analysis at consultancy Verisk Maplecroft."Voters are likely to forgive previous transgressions and reward a decisive crisis response," he said. "Unfortunately, we believe South Korea is currently one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Most countries have mishandled their initial response to the pandemic, and many world leaders face a reckoning at the polls over the coming years."North Korea, which has a history of stirring tensions when South Koreans go to the polls, fired multiple missiles from its eastern coast Tuesday, in a show of military might.North Korea Fires Missile Barrage Ahead of South Korea ElectionSouth Korea is taking precautions to keep voters safe: They will be required to stand at least one meter (3 feet) apart, cover their faces, wear disposable gloves and be ready to submit to temperature checks, while voting booths will be frequently disinfected.Voting was expected to end at 6 p.m. and exit poll results were planned for release a few minutes after that. A Gallup Korea poll released last week, before restrictions on publishing poll results took effect Thursday, showed that the Democratic Party was leading the opposition 41% to 23%.Still, the complexity of South Korea's vote and a history of surprises make predictions difficult. Even just months ago, Moon had faced criticism for a lax approach after the pandemic began in neighboring China. He predicted then the virus would be terminated "before long" -- only to see cases spike days later.Postponing the election would have been a worrisome precedent in South Korea's three decade-old democracy, with many Moon supporters being among those who took to the streets in the 1980s to end autocratic rule."South Koreans have been traumatized by living under the authoritarian regimes of the past and see elections as essential," said Duyeon Kim, a senior adviser for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group. "Not even the Korean War stopped them from voting in the 1952 presidential race or the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009 by-elections."More than 1,100 candidates from 21 political parties have signed up for 253 constituencies with direct elections. Another 300 candidates are fighting for 47 seats decided by support for the parties.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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| N. Korea fires suspected missiles day before key anniversary Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:32 PM PDT  North Korea fired several suspected cruise missiles towards the sea on Tuesday, the South's military said, in what analysts saw as a demonstration by Pyongyang of the breadth of its arsenal. The "multiple projectiles" fired from Munchon in the east of the country were believed to be "short-range cruise missiles," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The test came a day before Wednesday's parliamentary elections in South Korea, and while the world's attention has been largely focused on the coronavirus pandemic -- which Pyongyang insists it has so far escaped.
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| Marine barbershops abuzz with demand for high-and-tight cuts Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:21 PM PDT  Barbershops at some Marine Corps bases are abuzz with demand for high-and-tight haircuts. Despite social distancing and other Defense Department policies on coronavirus prevention, Marines are still lining up for the trademark cuts, at times standing only a foot or two apart, with few masks in sight. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper acknowledged it's tough to enforce new virus standards with a force of 2.2 million spread out all over the world.
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| Egypt: Police kill 7 suspected militants in Cairo suburb Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:19 PM PDT |
| AP Interview: Sanders says opposing Biden is 'irresponsible' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 02:32 PM PDT  Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that it would be "irresponsible" for his loyalists not to support Joe Biden, warning that progressives who "sit on their hands" in the months ahead would simply enable President Donald Trump's reelection. Sanders, who suspended his presidential bid last week, spoke at length about his decision to endorse Biden, his political future and the urgent need to unify the Democratic Party during an interview with The Associated Press. "She is my former press secretary — not on the payroll," Sanders noted.
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| NYC Adds to Death Toll; California Maps Reopening: Virus Update Posted: 14 Apr 2020 02:25 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Leaders across Europe weighed steps to exit quarantines, while California offered guidelines for its reopening. Spain, Germany and Italy all reported fewer infections, suggesting the crisis continues to ease.The International Monetary Fund predicted that the "Great Lockdown" recession would be the steepest in almost a century.JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s first-quarter profit tumbled to the lowest in more than six years, and Johnson & Johnson cut its outlook for the year. Stocks surged on signs the coronavirus outbreak is either leveling off or easing.Key DevelopmentsVirus Tracker: Cases surpass 1.93 million; deaths top 120,900Cuomo says he won't engage Trump, offers history lessonScientists weigh virus immunityEurope economy to slump more than 10% amid lockdownsChina IPhone shipments bounce; trade fell less than expectedSanofi, Glaxo join forces to develop vaccineAirlines, Treasury Reach Tentative Accord on Aid (5:21 p.m. NY)U.S. airlines reached preliminary agreements with the Treasury Department to access billions of dollars in aid as the government attempts to shore up one of the industries hardest-hit by the pandemic. The deal covers all major carriers, Treasury said in a statement. American Airlines Group Inc. said it would get $5.8 billion in payroll support, while Southwest Airlines Co. said it would get $3.2 billion. The money comes from $25 billion in payroll assistance allocated for passenger carriers in the $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law March 27.NYC Deaths Cross 10,000 With New Victim Count (5:16 p.m. NY)New York City added more than 3,700 people to its virus death toll to account for victims who died in recent weeks without seeking hospital care. The additional deaths pushed the city's total to more than 10,000. Freddi Goldstein, press secretary to Mayor Bill de Blasio, said they include at-home deaths of people suspected of having Covid-19, based on reported symptoms including cough, fever and shortness of breath.California Outlines Criteria for Reopening (4:45 p.m. NY)California Governor Gavin Newsom outlined his plan to lift restrictions in the most-populous U.S. state, saying a reopening depends on meeting a series of benchmarks that would remake daily life for 40 million residents."There's no light switch here," Newsom said at a briefing, declining to estimate timing on a reopening. "It's more like a dimmer," toggling back and forth between more and fewer rules.To consider modifying stay-at-home orders, California will need to meet criteria including the ability to do widespread testing and contact tracing, making sure hospitals can meet demand, and having businesses and schools support physical distancing.Even then, public outings will look quite different, with restaurants likely having fewer tables and face coverings common, Newsom said. Mass gatherings will be "negligible at best" at least through the summer.U.S. Infections Continue to Slow (4:05 p.m. NY)U.S. coronavirus cases rose 4.6% to 598,670 Tuesday, according to data from John's Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That was below the average daily increase of 6.8% over the past week, suggesting the U.S. outbreak continues to ease.New York, the epicenter in the U.S., reported a 3.7% increase. That's down from 10% on April 1. New Jersey cases rose 6.6%.South Dakota reported the highest growth rate, with cases increasing 14%.Louisiana reported 129 new deaths, pushing its total count above 1,000."Today's death count is the largest we have reported in a single day," Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement. "It is incumbent upon our people to follow the stay at home order."NYC Taps Manufacturers to Make Gear (3:03 p.m. NY)New York City has turned to its garment industry to shift from high fashion to mass manufacturing of surgical gowns to protect medical workers treating coronavirus patients.The gowns are part the city's plan to build up its manufacturing capacity to locally produce personal protective equipment and test kits by the tens of thousands per week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.Local companies will make face shields, surgical gowns and virus test kits in neighborhoods like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Manhattan's Garment District, de Blasio said Tuesday at his daily virus briefing.Trump Holds Off on Threats Against WHO (2:17 p.m. NY)President Donald Trump is holding off for now on his threat to slash U.S. contributions to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to people familiar with the matter.One person who has appealed to Trump is United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who, through the U.S. ambassador to the UN, made the case that there will be time to apportion blame for the pandemic but that it's not appropriate while the outbreak is still growing.Read more here.N.J. Shows Signs of Curve Flattening (2:11 p.m. NY)New Jersey coronavirus cases increased by less than 10% for an eighth straight day, signs of a flattening curve even as the state reported an 365 new deaths, the most in a 24-hour period.Cases in at least 12 of 21 counties were doubling every seven days or more, and just one, Cumberland, was doubling every four days. A few weeks earlier, cases in several counties were doubling every three days.Still, the state "can't begin to think of reopening" until the federal government supplies more testing resources, Governor Phil Murphy said at a press briefing Tuesday.Italy Has Fewest Cases in a Month (12:45 p.m. NY)Italy reported its fewest new coronavirus cases in a month on Tuesday, as a government-appointed task force seeks to map out a way to ease a nationwide lockdown that's crippling the economy.There were 2,972 new cases of the disease -- the fewest since March 13 -- compared with 3,153 a day earlier, civil protection officials said at their daily briefing in Rome. The decline comes as testing slowed over the Easter holiday weekend. Confirmed cases in the country now total 162,488.Italy registered 602 deaths linked to the virus, compared with 566 the day before. That brings the total number of fatalities to 21,067.Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has extended containment measures until May 3, and has appointed Vittorio Colao, former chief executive officer of Vodafone Group Plc, to head a team that will help the country's firms gradually restart activity, depending on the spread of the disease.Antibiotic Added to FDA Short-Supply List (12:15 p.m. NY)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration put the antibiotic azithromycin on its list of drugs in short supply Tuesday, adding to a growing tally of treatments becoming scarce as the number of Americans with Covid-19 increases.The drug is being used in combination with the malaria treatment hydroxychloroquine, which is also in shortage after President Donald Trump touted its potential effectiveness against the coronavirus.Pfizer Inc. said next delivery of most doses of its brand-name Zithromax tablets will be in June or July, according to FDA's shortages database. Many of the nine generic-drug manufacturers in the FDA's database indicated they were struggling to keep up with demand or were anticipating a backorder.Trump, Cuomo Clash on Reopening (11:27 a.m. NY)President Donald Trump and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly sparred over who has the authority to reopen the U.S. economy."If he ordered me to reopen in a way that endangered the public health of the people of my state, I wouldn't do it," Cuomo said in an interview on CNN. "We don't have King Trump. We have President Trump."Trump said in a tweet that he's given Cuomo all the resources he's asked for to combat the coronavirus."I got it all done for him, and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won't happen!," Trump said.Read more hereDenmark to Lift Lockdown for Young (10:46 a.m. NY)Denmark will release its youngest citizens from a month-long lockdown Wednesday in a move that has fueled considerable controversy.Babies will return to daycare centers, kindergartens will open their doors and primary schools will resume for children up to age 13.The government says the move, which follows signs that Denmark's early Covid-19 restrictions paid off, will let parents focus on their jobs and keep the economy going. But the model has drawn a lot of criticism, including from some parents who are threatening to boycott the plan.U.K. Reports Larger Number of Deaths (9:48 a.m. NY)A further 778 people have died in U.K. hospitals from the coronavirus, up from 717 on Monday, as the country decides how long to continue its lockdown. Confirmed cases rose to 93,873 from 88,621, Department of Health and Social Care figures show. Before today, the rate of increase in deaths and cases had been decelerating, according to Bloomberg calculations.Portugal Cases Rise; Netherlands Slows (9:22 a.m. NY)Portugal reported an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases and patients in intensive-care units as it plans to extend its state of emergency for two more weeks. There were 514 new cases in a day, taking the total to 17,448, the government said on Tuesday. Total deaths rose to 567 from 535.In the Netherlands, confirmed cases rose 3% to 27,419, the slowest rate since the country reported its first case in late February. Deaths from the virus increased 4% to 2,945, but the figure may reflect an administrative processing backlog over the Easter weekend.Scotland Questions Equipment Distribution (8:48 a.m. NY)Scotland is investigating a claim that personal protective equipment is being redirected to England as tension grows within the U.K. over the handling of the outbreak."I am not prepared for the Scottish government to stand by and be treated unfairly regarding the distribution of PPE," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told reporters in Edinburgh on Tuesday.Swedish Deaths Top 1,000 Amid Controversy (8:11 a.m. NY)Sweden reported 1,033 deaths from Covid-19. The development adds to controversy surrounding the country's decision not to impose a lockdown, and instead leave schools, bars, cafes and restaurants open. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has said stricter measures may be needed.U.K. Fiscal Watchdog Sees 35% Real GDP Drop (7:20 a.m. NY)The U.K.'s Office for Budget Responsibility sees real GDP falling 35% in the second quarter under a scenario that assumes a three-month lockdown followed by another three months where measures are partially lifted. OBR sees unemployment jumping to 10% in second quarter and the deficit climbing to 218 billion pounds ($274 billion) relative to March forecasts under this scenario.Singapore to Enforce Masks, Close More Workplaces (7:17 a.m. NY)"The minute you leave your house you have to wear a mask when you go out," Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong said, adding that first offenders will get a S$300 fine ($212). The government will also cull the number of industries allowed to stay open.The measures were announced as virus cases escalated in tightly packed dormitories housing mainly low-paid foreign workers. More than 200,000 of the migrants serving key industries such as construction from across Asia live in 43 of the facilities in Singapore. The cramped accommodation complicates efforts to enforce social distancing rules.Singapore on Tuesday recorded 334 new cases, the second day figures have exceeded 300, bringing the tally so far to 3,252. No imported cases were reported, while 122 cases are unlinked. Monday recorded a new high of 386, the largest single-day spike.Sanofi, Glaxo Join Forces to Develop Vaccine (7 a.m. NY)Sanofi will combine its experimental coronavirus vaccine with GlaxoSmithKline Plc's adjuvant technology, which may allow more doses of a shot to be produced. The drugmakers said they plan to start human trials in the second half of this year, with the goal of having a vaccine available by the second half of 2021 if the studies are successful.The collaboration brings together two of the world's biggest vaccine makers with manufacturing might in the race to deliver a Covid-19 vaccine. Dozens of companies from Moderna Inc. to Johnson & Johnson, along with universities, are pursuing a shot to halt the rapidly spreading pathogenJPMorgan Profit Plunges to Lowest Since 2013 (6:57 a.m. NY)JPMorgan Chase & Co. said first-quarter profit tumbled 69% to the lowest in more than six years as credit costs surged, giving investors a first glimpse at the extent of the damage Covid-19 is wreaking on bank results.The bank set aside $8.29 billion for bad loans, the biggest provision in at least a decade and more than double what some analysts expected, as it grappled with the effects of the pandemic on the economy. That prompted the bank's first drop in profit since the fourth quarter of 2017.JPMorgan reported first-quarter provision for credit losses of $8.3 billion, a $6.8 billion increase from the prior year's quarter, on reserve builds to reflect a deteriorating economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic and continued pressure on oil prices. "The company entered this crisis in a position of strength, and we remain well capitalized and highly liquid," Dimon said.Barclays Won't Cut Jobs (6:53 a.m. NY)The plan to dismiss staff outlined in the early stages of the crisis is now on hold, Financial News reported, citing a memo. Barclays says it will also provide additional financial support for laid-off staff.J&J Cuts 2020 Outlook (6:40 a.m. NY)The company lowered guidance for 2020 to reflect the impact of Covid-19. For the full year, J&J said it expects sales of $79.2 billion to $82.2 billion. Previously, it had forecast revenue for the year of $85.8 billion to $86.6 billion.However, J&J posted stronger sales and earnings for the first quarter compared with a year ago, and boosted its quarterly dividend.Carmakers Begin Rebooting European Plants (6:37 a.m. NY)Volkswagen AG's Audi unit is among automakers gradually reopening factories in Europe, even as lockdowns drag on across much of the region. Hyundai's car-making facility in Nosovice, Czech Republic, is resuming output with two shifts instead of the usual three, CTK reported. And Renault is working on restarting factories in Portugal, Romania and Russia, Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said on Friday.Rokos's Macro Hedge Fund Has Best Month Ever (6:12 a.m. NY)Billionaire Chris Rokos's macro hedge fund had its best month ever, gaining 14% in March amid market chaos fueled by the pandemic. That takes the fund's advance for the year to about 20%, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. About a quarter of this year's returns have come from short equities trades as the longest-running bull market in stocks came to an end.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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| Fuminho: One of Brazil's most wanted criminals arrested in Mozambique Posted: 14 Apr 2020 02:23 PM PDT  Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos, known as Fuminho, has spent more than two decades on the run.
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| Liberty University sued for not refunding student fees Posted: 14 Apr 2020 01:45 PM PDT  Liberty University has profited from the COVID-19 pandemic by refusing to refund thousands of dollars in room and board and other fees owed to students after the school moved classes online last month, a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Lynchburg accuses the university — one of the nation's largest and most prominent evangelical institutions — of purporting to remain open so it could refuse to return fees paid by students and their parents for the remainder of the spring semester. The lawsuit also accuses Liberty and its president, Jerry Falwell Jr., of putting students at risk by telling students they were welcome to return to campus following spring break in March.
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| UN chief: world faces misinformation epidemic about virus Posted: 14 Apr 2020 01:21 PM PDT  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that the world is facing "a dangerous epidemic of misinformation" about COVID-19 and announced a U.N. campaign to flood the internet with facts and science to counter what he called "a poison" that is putting lives at risk. The U.N. chief decried what he described as a global "misinfo-demic" that is spreading harmful health advice, "snake-oil solutions," falsehoods, and wild conspiracy theories. Guterres urged social media organizations to do more to counter the misinformation and to "root out hate and harmful assertions about COVID-19."
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| Libya say losses from oil blockade surpass $4 billion Posted: 14 Apr 2020 01:08 PM PDT |
| Pentagon downplays N. Korea's apparent missile launches Posted: 14 Apr 2020 01:06 PM PDT  The US military's top general played down North Korea's fresh batch of suspected missile launches on Tuesday, saying the Pentagon did not see them as threatening. While the Pentagon was still analyzing its data, "I don't think it's particularly provocative or threatening to us," Milley said. "It may be tied to some celebrations that are happening inside North Korea, as opposed to any deliberate provocation against us."
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| TT Club Loads Evidence In Cargo Security Push Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:51 PM PDT  The TT Club estimates that the international maritime industry incurs losses of about $6 billion each year because of incorrectly packed or documented cargo."That includes damage to the cargo and delays, environmental cleanup, injuries and ship damage. The point is that $6 billion is totally unnecessary. If people followed things correctly, then that $6 billion would be saved to the entire industry," said Peregrine Storrs-Fox, the TT Club's risk management director.The TT Club, with a global network that includes offices in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and New Jersey, provides insurance and related risk-management services to the international transportation and logistics industry. It has been working with the Global Shippers Forum, International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), World Shipping Council and Container Owners Association to push for thorough adoption of the Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), issued in 2014.The CTU Code, which applies to packing and transport operations throughout the supply chain, was jointly developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Peregrine Storrs-Fox is the TT Club's risk management director. (Photo: TT Club)"From the TT Club's perspective, one of the frustrations despite putting out advice around lots of different cargo issues over decades now, we still find that somewhere around two-thirds of cargo damage-related claims are coming because of some sort of poor practice in terms of packing — load distribution or securing of the cargo — but also documentary things around classification, declaration of cargo, how that's documented, how the information is passed correctly through the system between different stakeholders by way of data transfer," Storrs-Fox said.In the five-plus years since the CTU Code was adopted, "we haven't actually seen a significant improvement in the incident statistics. Certainly wherever we go, we see that a lot of people are not aware of the CTU Code at all," said London-based Storrs-Fox.Raising awarenessStorrs-Fox said the TT Club, with the Global Shippers Forum, ICHCA, World Shipping Council and Container Owners Association, have built a cargo integrity campaign that begins with promoting awareness of the CTU Code itself.The TT Club defines cargo integrity as the "adoption of best practices in all aspects of cargo care through the entire intermodal supply chain."On its website, the TT Club said cargo integrity includes: * Selection of a suitable unit for the intended commodity and journey.Ensuring that the unit positioned for packing is sound and free from previous cargo residues. * Prevention of contamination by plants, plant products, insects or other animals. * Proper packing of cargo within a unit, including load distribution, and effective blocking, bracing and securing. * Correct classification, packaging, marking/placarding, documentation and declaration of packed goods, particularly those that are regulated (i.e., dangerous or waste). * Complete and transparent transmittal of all data regarding contents, enabling appropriate safe handling through the intermodal supply chain. * Effective methods of stowing and securing of units for transport in land, sea or air modes.The TT Club said while the CTU Code provides "the framework for achieving cargo integrity," further guidance is needed."TT Club statistics indicate that as much as 66% of incidents related to cargo damage in the intermodal supply chain can be attributed in part to poor practice in the overall packing process, including not just load distribution and cargo securing but also the workflow from classification and documentation through to declaration and effective data transfer," it said on its website.Germany's Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) said in February that misdeclared coconut charcoal was the most likely source of the blaze on the Yantian Express, which caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean on Jan. 3, 2019.International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) Secretary-General Lars Lange told American Shipper last month that vessel fire safety "needs regulation and it needs a level playing field. Safety shouldn't be left to individual business entities. Safety should be dealt with at a regulatory level, and that would mean in this case the IMO."The IUMI issued a report in October titled "Containership fires: It is time to take action." It said that 2019 had an alarming number of container ship fires, including the Yantian Express and APL Vancouver, which suffered from a fire while en route from Shekou, China, to Singapore.The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee was to meet in London May 13-22. That meeting has been postponed because of the coronavirus. Storrs-Fox hopes the Subcommittee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) will still meet Sept. 14-18 and take up issues relating to the CTU Code.Misdeclaration of cargoThe TT Club also wants to bring attention to cargo inspection efforts and has partnered in initiating work to update the IMO's Circular 1442, with ultimate aims including "to bring in standardization so there can be consistency of inspections and valid sampling globally."Circular 1442 currently infers a bias toward declared shipments subject to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG), and the proposals to the CCC subcommittee sought to ensure broader application as well as references to the CTU Code that had been approved subsequently, according to Storrs-Fox.Storrs-Fox noted that "a number of shipping lines have cargo screening activities looking for non- or misdeclared cargo. Again, that's an area that this group is monitoring and seeing how we can support those initiatives."Intentional misdeclaration of cargo can be difficult to prove, he said. "Evidentially it's not always easy to pinpoint who is responsible, and even if you can identify the culpable party, they aren't necessarily going to be in a jurisdiction where you can take enforcement."Storrs-Fox referred to a civil case following a 2012 explosion and fire aboard the MSC Flaminia that killed three crew members and destroyed thousands of containers."Six years later the culpable parties were legally identified and they happened to be, in accordance with that judgment, U.S. domiciled or partially domiciled in the U.S., which eases enforcement," he said.A U.S. federal judge in September 2018 found the manufacturer of a chemical being transported aboard the Flaminia as well as the non-vessel owning common carrier liable for the explosion and fire.Prosecutory action varies from country to country, Storrs-Fox said. "Trying to get standardized regulatory enforcement is not very easy."Storrs-Fox said it is "obviously very difficult" to determine whether cargo is intentionally misdeclared, and referred to statistics Hapag-Lloyd put out about five years ago related to its cargo patrol activities."It would appear that somewhere around 4% of the cargo flagged as problematic was more likely than not to have been deliberately misdeclared. It's difficult to extrapolate quite how many that means in overall terms. I did a back-of-the-packet calculation a couple of years ago. That might equate to something around 150,000 containers per year being more likely than not misdeclared and particularly dangerous. That's out of about 180 million laden containers moved per year," he said.Storrs-Fox said he has heard "anecdotal stories of plenty of instances where shippers provided false documentation, false images, those sorts of things. It's definitely out there, it's definitely happening, although it isn't always going to be deliberate. There will be some who fail to declare accurately out of ignorance as well."Dangerous goods stowageShipping lines have taken educational steps. The CINS Organization made up of 16 operators, for example, issued safety considerations for dangerous goods stowage in September 2018. That guidance came in the wake of a March 2018 fire aboard the Maersk Honam that killed five crew members.The State of Maritime Safety 2020, published last week by Safety at Sea magazine, said data shows "a small but steady decline in ship incidents between 2015-2019 for casualties and total losses, while the world fleet continues to grow. The vessel numbers of the world fleet grew by 8.5% between 2015 and 2019, but casualty figures remained largely constant, with the number of vessels that were involved in casualties vacillating between 1.19-1.41% of the world fleet."Storrs-Fox said it's difficult to determine if the number of cargo-related ship fire incidents is decreasing."It would seem 2019 perhaps was a particularly poor experience and 2020 may be a better experience. I'm always wary of this because it depends on what becomes publicly known. Obviously when you've got a Yantian Express or something like that, you've got a major incident that everyone gets to know about," he said.Change is needed"Another incident in August 2019, involving the APL Le Havre, was actually relatively minor. Reportedly it involved charcoal on deck that went on fire. The crew was able to respond and put the fire out. It impacted half a dozen containers or something like that. To my mind, that is not a major incident, such as the Yantian Express. But it does show that there are a number of lesser incidents that are happening," Storrs-Fox said."The frequency of these lesser ones I hear about, either through interactions with shipping lines or through other networks, is much more concerning," he said. "It's what might be called the near misses, the APL Le Havre-type incident where the crew is able to respond and resolve things successfully. I'm concerned much more about each of those because they have the capability of becoming another major incident."Certain commodities cause greater concern, Storrs-Fox said."Take charcoal, for example, which is regularly coming up as a problem cargo. Now charcoal is produced in some European countries — Germany or Spain or the U.K., for example. It's produced in South Africa. It's also produced in Indonesia, Vietnam and China. Most of the incidents we've seen have been much more of Asian origin than they have been of origin elsewhere. But it isn't always easy to identify that successfully because of the way the trade actually works. There are times when goods are moved from one place to another place for reshipment so that they can be bagged as being produced in that intermediate place, so the whole trade is complex," he said."There is a perception that China is the origin of a lot of problems and I think we need to put that in context. China is or has been a kind of production house for the world. They produce an awful lot. Therefore the fact that lots of shipments seem to be more involved in shipments that cause problems may actually statistically not be the issue. China may even be better than some of the other countries," Storrs-Fox said.He pointed to a survey last year of 500 containers by the National Cargo Bureau. "There were actually quite a lot of problems from non-Chinese-initiated shipments."If stay-at-home restrictions ease with the passing of the coronavirus pandemic and the CCC and IMO Maritime Safety Committee are able to meet this year, changes to Circular 1442 could be approved by the end of 2020."Ordinarily it would be concluded in September and signed off in December this year. You're talking within 18 months having a substantial change," Storrs-Fox said. "The pace of change through the global industry and international regulatory environment can be frustrating. For example, IMO, as a UN agency, has 160-odd countries and 40-odd NGOs meeting and proposing and discussing. To gain consensus and acceptance and then adoption is always going to be something quite tricky."Photo: WikimediaSee more from Benzinga * Freight Futures Daily Curve: 4/14 * Imports Are Feeding Inventories – FreightWaves NOW * WHO Builds Up COVID-19 Airlift Capacity To Help Africa(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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| Democratic bills call for racial breakdown of COVID-19 cases Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:39 PM PDT  Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation to compel federal health officials to post data daily that breaks down COVID-19 cases and deaths by race and ethnicity. The lawmakers say the demographic data is needed to address any disparities in the national response to the coronavirus outbreak, which is taking a disproportionate toll on African Americans and other nonwhite populations. "Because of government-sponsored discrimination and systemic racism, communities of color are on the frontlines of this pandemic," Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of several sponsors of the legislation in the Senate, said in a statement.
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| Starting a vegetable garden: the basics Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:21 PM PDT  Lots of people sheltering at home now because of the coronavirus pandemic are thinking about planting a vegetable garden. It offers more than food: Growing vegetables is a family activity, gives everyone a reason to get out in the fresh air, provides exercise and saves money. Home-grown vegetables are delicious not only for their freshness, but also because you can choose what to grow based on flavor, rather than commercial qualities.
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| After Putin's bravado, COVID-19 is starting to hit Russia hard Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:06 PM PDT  A month after Putin declared the situation "under control," Moscow's hospitals are running out of beds and ambulances are waiting hours to deposit the sick.
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| Ugandan floating island causes national power cut Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:02 PM PDT  Parts of the two-acre plant mass in Lake Victoria clogged a turbine in a Ugandan power station.
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| Europe Is Planning How to Get Back to Work After Subduing Virus Posted: 14 Apr 2020 12:00 PM PDT |
| Health care workers are 10%-20% of US coronavirus cases Posted: 14 Apr 2020 11:36 AM PDT  Between 10% and 20% of U.S. coronavirus cases are health care workers, though they tended to be hospitalized at lower rates than other patients, officials reported Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first national data on how the pandemic is hitting doctors, nurses and other health care professionals. Medical staff have also been hit hard in other countries: Media reports said about 10% of cases in Italy and Spain were health care workers.
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| Louisiana presidential primary pushed back again, to July 11 Posted: 14 Apr 2020 11:03 AM PDT  Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday again delayed Louisiana's presidential primary because of the coronavirus — this time to July 11 — as the state's chief elections officer asked lawmakers to expand mail-in balloting and early voting. Edwards, a Democrat, has pushed back the election twice at the request of Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin as Louisiana continues to grapple with the virus outbreak, which has hit the state especially hard. In the past month, more than a dozen states have postponed their primaries to give them time to adjust and plan.
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| Armed men seize, release tanker off Iran by Strait of Hormuz Posted: 14 Apr 2020 10:21 AM PDT |
| WHO Builds Up COVID-19 Airlift Capacity To Help Africa Posted: 14 Apr 2020 10:12 AM PDT  Commercial cargo aircraft are criss-crossing the globe with humanitarian relief to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it is organizing flights to Africa, while other governments and private entities continue to arrange airlifts of their own.A United Nations "Solidarity Flight" was scheduled to leave Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today to transport urgent medical supplies to other countries in Africa, where the WHO says resources are desperately needed to contain the spread of the COVID-19 disease.The WHO cargo is being transported by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), and includes face shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, masks, medical aprons, thermometers and ventilators.The cargo also includes a large quantity of medical supplies donated by Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Jack Ma Foundation Initiative to reverse COVID-19 in Africa. The African Union, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is providing technical support and coordination for the distribution of the supplies."Commercial flights are grounded and medical cargo is stuck. We can stop this virus in its tracks, but we've got to work together. WFP is committed to getting vital medical supplies to front lines and shielding medical workers as they save lives," said David Beasley, WFP's Executive Director. "Our air bridges need to be fully funded to do this, and we stand ready to transport frontline health and humanitarian workers as well as medical cargo," he added.The Solidarity Flight is part of a larger effort to ship lifesaving medical supplies to 95 countries. The WHO said its logistics hub in Dubai, staffed by a team of seven, has been working around the clock to dispatch over 130 shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) and laboratory supplies.The WHO set up an air hub in Addis Ababa this week to help transport protective equipment, medical supplies and medical workers across Africa, and to evacuate responders from work zones.A team of 25 WFP aviation and logistics staff is based at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, managing the 24-hour operation. The team manages warehouse space for dry bulk, temperature-controlled and cold storage cargo and its onward transport by air. WFP also provides dedicated cargo tracking, warehouse management and customer service to countries across Africa in collaboration with the Africa CDC. "The medical supplies are timely as the continent still has a window of opportunity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC. The WFP is calling for $350 million to establish vital humanitarian hubs around the world to facilitate the storage and dispatch of essential medical cargo, set up air transport links for cargo and personnel, contract charter vessels for shipping services, and provide passenger air and Medevac services for humanitarian and health workers. Currently, WFP says it has received only 24% ($84 million) of the requested amount. Project AirbridgeIn related news, eight flights under the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Project Airbridge landed Sunday, April 12, in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, the agency said. As of April 13, the airlift has completed 37 flights with an additional 43 scheduled. Medical supplies delivered so far include: 7 million gloves (New York), 19 million gloves (Chicago) and 13 million gloves, 97,000 gowns and 106,000 shoe covers (Columbus).FEMA also identified Western Global Airlines as the latest all-cargo carrier to participate in the program alongside Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAWW), National Airlines, Kalitta Air, United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS) and FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX). Last summer, freight forwarder Flexport sued Western Global for allegedly failing to perform under its charter contract because aircraft repeatedly required unscheduled maintenance and replacement aircraft were inferior.Similarly, Qatar Airways is operating an air bridge with a fleet of freighters rotating between China and France on behalf of the French government.Also, the first face masks made by SanMar Corp., a Seattle-area apparel and accessories supplier, were shipped from Knoxville, Tennessee, and Honduras last week with the help of UPS aircraft, according to the company's LinkedIn page. SanMar is part of a coalition of U.S. apparel companies working with the White House to build a supply chain to produce millions of masks, which the federal government will distribute to hospitals and healthcare workers battling the spread of the COVID-19 virus.The coalition includes textile companies such as Hanesbrands, Fruit of the Loom, Parkdale Mills and five other companies that are re-tooling their manufacturing capabilities to quickly make millions of face masks each week. "We are doing daily calls with the White House and are part of this effort as a result of our ability to make and sew textiles here in the U.S., as well as in Central America," said Renton Leversedge, chief customer officer for SanMar, in a news release. "We have manufacturing expertise and we have scale, which enables us to take part in this very important work."In Canada, a Cargojet Inc. (OTCMKTS: CGJTF) freighter arrived early Monday morning at Edmonton International Airport from Shanghai with a shipment of PPE to protect medical workers and first responders in Alberta. The flight was arranged by Alberta Health Services.Image: FEMA/Alexis HalSee more from Benzinga * Weekly Fuel Report: April 13, 2020 * How Coronavirus 'Stress Tests' Will Change Ocean Shipping * Late Season Snowstorm Returning Soon To The Rockies (With Forecast Video)(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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| Trump's 'I alone can fix it' view and state powers collide Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:57 AM PDT  President Donald Trump insists there are "numerous provisions" in the Constitution to support his view that he has "total authority" to order states to open their economies as the coronavirus pandemic roils. In the days and weeks before, Trump had laid responsibility for the pandemic response at the feet of the nation's governors. In doing so, he reignited a debate as old as the nation over the division of power and authority between the federal government and the states.
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| Deaths hit 45 at Virginia care home called 'virus's dream' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:54 AM PDT  Ronald Mitchell worried about his mother's care at a suburban Richmond nursing home long before she was swept up in one of the nation's deadliest coronavirus outbreaks. Mitchell then called Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center directly and was told that they were doing the best they could with just two nurses looking after 40 patients at a time in the coronavirus quarantine wing. With the death toll from the Canterbury outbreak rising to 45, Mitchell can only hope that his 62-year-old mother now on a ventilator in a hospital won't be next.
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| 117 million kids at risk of missing measles vaccine during COVID-19 pandemic Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:54 AM PDT  As countries around the world shut down to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, 117 million kids are at risk of missing the measles vaccine, top health organizations say. Measles immunization campaigns in 24 countries have already been postponed, and more are expected to be delayed, according to the Measles & Rubella Initiative, a health partnership that includes the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and United Nations Foundation. In March, the WHO released new guidelines in the face of the COVID-19, recommending that governments temporarily pause preventative vaccine campaigns, such as measles immunizations, as long as there's no active measles outbreak in that area.
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| Americans stuck in Africa trying to bring adopted kids home Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:39 AM PDT  Stranded in Nigeria for months, a Colorado couple had a rare chance to catch an evacuation flight to the U.S. recently during the coronavirus outbreak. "After we found our daughter and our daughter found us, it was out of the question to leave her," Robin Gallite said. Gallite and her husband, Adebambo Alli, who live in Denver, are among several American families facing similar predicaments as the pandemic disrupts travel and slows the final steps needed to bring home children who were adopted abroad.
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| Paris climate goals failure 'could cost world $600 tn' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 09:04 AM PDT  Nations' failure to fulfil the promises they made in the Paris climate agreement to make drastic emissions cuts could cost the global economy as much as $600 trillion this century, new analysis showed Tuesday. Under the landmark 2015 accord, countries pledged to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels in order to limit global temperature rises to "well below" two degrees Celsius. The United Nations says that global emissions must fall by more than seven percent every year between now and 2030 to hit the 1.5C target.
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| Fauci: 'We're not there yet' on key steps to reopen economy Posted: 14 Apr 2020 08:40 AM PDT  Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the nation's economy, adding a dose of caution to increasingly optimistic projections from the White House. "We have to have something in place that is efficient and that we can rely on, and we're not there yet," Fauci said in an interview with The Associated Press. Fauci's comments come as President Donald Trump and others in the administration weigh how quickly businesses can reopen and Americans can get back to work weeks after the fast-spreading coronavirus essentially halted the U.S. economy.
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| No bread flour? No problem Posted: 14 Apr 2020 08:32 AM PDT  Are you struggling to find bread flour and fresh yeast at the moment? The first option to consider, if you have a stash of bread flour but only a small amount of yeast, is a slow-rise loaf. This needs less than quarter of a teaspoon of instant dried yeast to make a stunning offering.
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| The Taliban is receiving praise for its coronavirus response Posted: 14 Apr 2020 08:28 AM PDT  The rivalry between the Afghan government and the Taliban has been on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the two sides are locked in an unofficial competition over who has the better health policy, The Washington Post reports. And so far, the Taliban appears to be winning out.Esmatullah Asim, a provincial council member from Wardak province, told the Post the Taliban has been more effective in dealing with travelers crossing the border from Iran, which has experienced the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the region. The Taliban quarantines everyone who passes through, he said, while the government only quarantines those showing symptoms at the border."The Taliban quarantine is much better than the government," said Asim. "They stop the vehicles, telling passengers how to prevent the spread of the virus."The U.S. State Department has also acknowledged the Taliban has done an effective job handling the pandemic.> We join the Afghan Ministry of Public Health in welcoming the Taliban's efforts to raise awareness against COVID19 and their offer of safe passage to health workers & international organizations working to prevent the spread of the virus. AGW > https://t.co/ETyUl08ZWy> > — State_SCA (@State_SCA) April 10, 2020The Taliban has additionally dispatched health teams to deliver gloves, soaps, and masks to people in areas under its control in Afghanistan. But despite all that, they haven't ceased their attacks during the pandemic, blaming Kabul for forcing their hand. Read more about armed groups around the world and their response to the coronavirus at The Washington Post.More stories from theweek.com Trump's frightening claim of 'total' authority MLB employees to participate in 'first study of national scope' on coronavirus antibodies The world's dominant ideology is breaking. What will replace it?
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| No hugs or handshakes: Pandemic complicates storm relief Posted: 14 Apr 2020 08:27 AM PDT  For people who lost homes to the deadly tornadoes that rampaged across the South, there are no comforting hugs from volunteers or handshakes from politicians. For homeless families, there are no Red Cross shelters, only hotel rooms. Within hours of the tornado onslaught, which began Sunday and killed more than 30 people, church groups were out in damaged communities, and Southern Baptist volunteers were told to avoid holding hands with people as they prayed, said Sam Porter, director of disaster relief for the nearly 15 million-member denomination.
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| Parties mine Wisconsin for clues to voting in the virus era Posted: 14 Apr 2020 08:25 AM PDT  Democrats overcame legal confusion, safety concerns and presidential influence to pull off a win in Wisconsin this week, and both parties are mining the results for lessons on how to mobilize voters during a pandemic. Amid widespread allegations that Republicans were seeking to suppress votes by forging ahead with a chaotic election, statewide turnout for the Supreme Court election and presidential primary was a strong 1.5 million, the second-highest turnout for a Supreme Court election in 20 years. The numbers no doubt surprised Democrats, who were braced to see liberal judge Jill Karofsky lose to incumbent conservative Dan Kelly after the GOP-led Legislature and conservative courts reject their appeals to delay the election.
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| A phone call, a song: Small gestures soothe COVID-19 stress Posted: 14 Apr 2020 07:54 AM PDT  In a time of anxiety and isolation, simple acts of kindness from medical workers are giving comfort and hope to patients and their families. "Dad had basically died and we hadn't had a chance to say anything to him," said Muth, a nurse herself in Iowa. Muth is convinced those calls gave Blaha strength.
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| America's lurch toward 'competitive authoritarianism' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 07:47 AM PDT  Why were Wisconsin Republicans so adamant about holding an in-person election in the middle of the worst pandemic in 100 years, even though demand for absentee ballots catastrophically overwhelmed the system and effectively disenfranchised tens of thousands of people?Suppressing the vote to deliver wins to President Trump is standard-issue Republican politics at this point, so unremarkable that the president himself admits its dark logic almost casually. But Last Tuesday's election for the court seat of Republican-appointed judge Daniel Kelly wasn't just important on its own terms. Rather, it was about locking in Republican power statewide for another decade, no matter what the electorate wants.Preserving their hold on the state Supreme Court will let the GOP purge hundreds of thousands of voters before the 2020 elections and then do an end run around Democratic Governor Tony Evers in the post-2020 redistricting process. It's a clear-as-day example of the Republican Party's lurch toward unapologetic authoritarianism. And even though Kelly lost the race to Democrat Jill Karofsky, narrowing conservatives' hold on the court from 5-2 to 4-3, the GOP's tactics are a terrifying harbinger of things to come for America.Why exactly does a state Supreme Court race hold so much significance?Wisconsin's 2020 state legislative elections will already take place with the same absurdly gerrymandered maps that delivered hefty GOP majorities in the state house and state senate in 2018 despite decisive Democratic advantages in the aggregate vote totals. Democrats won 53 percent of the vote but just 36 percent of the seats across the two legislative chambers. Barring some total collapse of Republican popularity in the next six months, there is almost no question that the Wisconsin legislature will remain in GOP hands.But there remains the problem of Evers, the soft-spoken Democrat who narrowly unseated Republican Scott Walker in 2018. Like many, though not all states, Wisconsin's redistricting process (which redraws the boundaries of state legislative and national House districts) requires agreement between the legislature and the governor, and you would think that Evers gives Democrats a much better chance at negotiating something approximating fair maps for future election cycles. Wisconsin Republicans, therefore, might try to create the maps by using something called a joint resolution, which doesn't require the governor's signature.While this is transparently illegal according to Wisconsin's own case law, and while state Republicans currently deny they are considering this option, the current composition of the state Supreme Court would almost certainly uphold the maneuver, granting the GOP another decade of illegitimate control over both the state legislature and the national House delegation, which has had a 5-3 Republican edge for the past decade despite the state's roughly even overall partisan split.This is why voters in Milwaukee were forced to risk their lives and the lives of everyone they know to stand in lines reminiscent of Soviet bread queues to vote last Tuesday. State Republicans couldn't have cared less about the results of the very much already-over Democratic presidential primary. This was all about that court seat, a long game that Republicans have perfected and which Democrats are only starting to understand.To understand what Republicans have done in Wisconsin, you must first understand the logic of façade democracy, what political scientists call "competitive authoritarianism" or "hybrid regimes." These are countries where real political parties compete with one another in elections whose outcome is either predetermined or subtly rigged, or where some entity other than elected representatives holds the real power. While the recent experience of Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán used the coronavirus emergency to make himself a dictator, might be the first thing that leaps to everyone's mind, the structure Republicans have installed in Wisconsin actually looks like a slightly more democratic version of Iran's government.A unit on Iran is a staple of AP and university comparative politics classes, generally paired with some theory about the practice of authoritarianism. There are real elections in Iran, contested heatedly by different political factions. But the candidates are vetted first by unelected clerics, and often disqualified en masse as they were in the country's recent parliamentary elections (notably also held mid-pandemic). But while the elected parliament and the elected president cooperate to make laws in ways that often appear to be normal and democratic to the untrained eye, neither institution is vested with real decision-making authority.The ultimate decider in Iran is the Supreme Leader, who is chosen by a body called the Assembly of Experts. While members of the Assembly are "elected," they must first be vetted by the Guardian Council, half of whose members are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The Guardian Council, in turn, can also challenge laws passed by parliament. When the Guardian Council and parliament cannot agree on a resolution, the dispute is mediated by another institution called the Expediency Council, whose members are chosen by — you guessed it — the Supreme Leader, who anyway has the right to bypass parliament and the president altogether and rule by decree.I love to show students various renditions of a flow chart that depicts this pattern of circular, unaccountable power. It looks like this one, from Patrick O'Neil's textbook, Cases in Comparative Politics:This kind of system is why political scientists rightly insist that democracy and authoritarianism are not either/or concepts but rather exist on a spectrum.Obviously, there is no Supreme Leader in Wisconsin, and candidates for public office are not disqualified from running by an unelected body, or thrown in prison or executed. But Wisconsin has moved rapidly away from an ideal, well-functioning democracy toward a miserable and sclerotic form of competitive authoritarianism. And if state Republicans are able to get away with it, Wisconsin should be ranked closer to Iran than to Sweden or Germany on any index of political rights.Think about the flow chart of power Republicans are trying to put into place. After Walker's loss in 2018, the outgoing state legislature conspired with him to strip the governor's office itself of various important powers, a classic authoritarian maneuver meant to kneecap your opponents rather than handing power over to them. By maintaining control of the state Supreme Court, Republicans have dramatically increased their chances of delivering the state to Trump in November and ensured their ability to gerrymander their way to indefinite power in the state legislature. Even if the state's electorate were to move 5 points toward Democrats, Republicans would likely still hold enough veto points in the system to block any changes.Last week's unconscionable decision, upheld by the state Supreme Court, to force Wisconsinites to vote in person was itself a product of past authoritarian backsliding — imposing draconian Voter ID laws which disproportionately impact minorities, gutting public employee unions which were a huge part of Democratic turnout operations, rolling back early voting and more. In 2019, for example, Republicans won a different state Supreme Court seat by fewer than 6,000 votes, in a state where scholars estimate that 300,000 people lack the documents required by the state's racist voter ID laws.That justice, of course, voted with the majority to override Evers' attempt to move the primary to June, gambling that massively reduced turnout in Milwaukee would keep a critical seat in GOP hands. And the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to block an extension of voting by mail was itself issued by an illegitimate SCOTUS majority obtained in part by President Trump winning Wisconsin — which would likely not have happened absent Walker's Voter ID laws.The whole set-up is an ouroboros, just like in Iran, with one authoritarian institution conspiring to protect the power of other authoritarian institutions — in this case, the Republican Party itself — from the few areas where voters actually get to weigh in. Similar efforts have been underway for years in states like North Carolina, and are already in place in states where Republicans are more dominant. In other words, millions of Americans already live under various forms of competitive authoritarianism at the state level, and if Wisconsin is any indication, many millions more will soon be condemned to that fate. The Republican Party's fear of the electorate, and its willingness to destroy democracy itself rather than alternating in power with Democrats, is now official policy, from Madison to Washington.The only real question at this point is whether there is still time to stop the GOP from completing their installation of this rancid system across the entire country. The results in Wisconsin should give Democrats some hope that they can still overwhelm Republican voter suppression efforts with sheer courage, determination and persistence, but time is running out.Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.More stories from theweek.com Trump's frightening claim of 'total' authority MLB employees to participate in 'first study of national scope' on coronavirus antibodies The world's dominant ideology is breaking. What will replace it?
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| Obama endorses Biden as the best leader for 'darkest times' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 07:29 AM PDT  Former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden on Tuesday, giving the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee a boost from the party's biggest fundraiser and one of its most popular figures. "Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery," Obama said in a 12-minute video in which he argued the coronavirus pandemic reinforced the need for better leadership. The endorsement marked Obama's return to presidential politics more than three years after leaving the White House.
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| Putin’s Oil Deal Is Humiliating But Unavoidable Posted: 14 Apr 2020 06:06 AM PDT  (Bloomberg Opinion) -- For Lukoil PJSC's billionaire shareholder, Leonid Fedun, Russia's decision to sign up to the OPEC+ oil deal was akin to its signing of the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which dragged the country out of the First World War. Both were humiliating, but necessary, he implied. The alternative was far worse.Back in early March, Russia, with its strong foreign currency reserves and low-cost producers, had expected to ride out the misery of tumbling crude prices. Unable to extend an existing output reduction deal with its fellow oil exporters, it spied an opportunity to squeeze out those seen by Moscow as free riders: namely, the U.S. shale producers who benefited from others' production restraint, only to flood the market with supply.In the end, though, the damage inflicted by the coronavirus lockdowns on oil demand was too great. The potential geopolitical gains from being seen to participate in a solution — and the losses from being seen to hamper one — were too significant. Storage was running out. Russia agreed to cut.The real challenge lies ahead. Saudi Arabia and Russia have said they will split the burden of the reductions, cutting 5 million barrels a day between them initially from a baseline set at 11 million. That's half the total cuts agreed by the OPEC+ group (including the old OPEC nations and other producers). Yet Moscow's concessions will mean far greater technical risks and future costs for its oil companies, which have had to become increasingly ingenious to keep mature fields alive. That means compliance with the deal's targets looks trickier too.Russia could have coped for longer with rock-bottom prices. It has a rainy-day fund for just such times. Yet President Vladimir Putin needed to ease the economic pain from Covid-19 at home, and higher crude prices would help. He will also hope that participating in a deal that satisfies U.S. President Donald Trump may pay dividends elsewhere, say, in sanctions. Unfortunately, what makes sense at the virtual negotiating table isn't always straightforward in practice.To hit its target for May and June's cuts, Russia will need to remove 2.8 million barrels a day from its reported March liquids production levels. Even if you exclude gas condensate, the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies estimates that's still 2 million barrels to be cut — one-fifth of the country's crude production and double what commodities trader Trafigura estimated that Russia could concede, and what Moscow itself had indicated. It would take Russia back to production levels last seen in 2003.The difficulty isn't cutting back. Indeed, that's the easy bit. The trouble is that Russia's mature fields account for some 80 percent of its production, and they aren't easy to just turn off and on again. Cuts need to be made without hurting companies' ability to ramp back up at a reasonable cost. Plus they'll need to be delivered in a way that doesn't make the remaining production uneconomic. Kirill Tachennikov, an analyst at BCS Global Markets, estimates that half of these fields aren't technically equipped to easily alter supply. And that's before considering other implications, such as local employment and changes to electricity consumption.The question, then, is how Russia's commitment will be spread between producers, not all of them state-controlled. So far, Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said the companies agree that radical measures are needed, but there's scant detail on how they'll deliver them. Rosneft PJSC accounts for almost 40% of Russian production, but it may find it easier to argue its way out of some restrictions thanks to its crude production that's pre-sold to China. Producers such as Tatneft PJSC, with a greater share of mature fields, will suffer more.There are some levers that Russian producers can pull: Turning more crude into profitable refined products, for example. There may be some room too for maneuver around the conversion between Russia's official numbers, in metric tons, and the statistics in barrels per day. Vitaly Yermakov at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies points out that much of Russian production, say from Eastern Siberia and Sakhalin, is of lighter oil, so that means producers get more barrels from their oil, which should make the cuts more manageable.There are some silver linings, too: The weather is warming, which may reduce some of the difficulties in making these changes to ice-bound facilities. The weaker rouble will also reduce costs and may protect future projects, as their cost in dollar terms come down. And at the best of times it's hard for OPEC+ to monitor compliance, especially for pipeline exports.Avoiding short-term pain, though, looks impossible.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.Clara Ferreira Marques is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering commodities and environmental, social and governance issues. Previously, she was an associate editor for Reuters Breakingviews, and editor and correspondent for Reuters in Singapore, India, the U.K., Italy and Russia.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| What you need to know today about the virus outbreak Posted: 14 Apr 2020 05:58 AM PDT  Setting the stage for a possible power struggle with President Donald Trump, governors around the U.S. began collaborating on plans Tuesday to reopen their economies in what is likely to be a drawn-out, step-by-step process to prevent the new coronavirus from rebounding with disastrous results. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, said the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the nation's economy, adding a dose of caution to increasingly optimistic projections from the White House. Meanwhile, Trump has directed a halt to U.S. payments to the World Health Organization pending a review of its warnings about the coronavirus and China.
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| Death toll soars after NYC counts 'probable' fatalities Posted: 14 Apr 2020 05:52 AM PDT  The official death toll from the coronavirus soared in New York City on Tuesday after health authorities began including people who probably had COVID-19, but died without ever being tested. The Democratic governor criticized Trump's assertion Monday that "when somebody is president of the United States, the authority is total."
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| Putin's Bleak COVID-19 Admission: 'We Don't Have Much to Brag About' Posted: 14 Apr 2020 05:27 AM PDT  MOSCOW -- The head of Russia's coronavirus task force, Tatyana Golikova, assured President Vladimir Putin in mid-March that the country was ready to take on the pandemic. From masks to ventilators, she said, Russia's hospitals had everything they needed to weather the crisis."There is no reason at all to panic," she said.A week later, the head doctor of one of Moscow's top hospitals caring for coronavirus patients quietly wrote to a medical charity asking for help. The hospital, he wrote, was in need of "disposable materials and equipment" to continue to serve the critically ill."We're used to always living, somehow, in the unspoken, looking through rose-colored glasses," said Elena Smirnova, head of the charity, Sozidaniye. "They can't hide this anymore."For weeks, the coronavirus pandemic had the makings of a Kremlin propaganda coup; even as Western countries succumbed one by one, Russia appeared invincible, recording fewer than 100 new cases a day through late March despite its tightly packed cities, global travel connections and 2,600-mile land border with China.There was talk that Putin's early move to shut down most travel from China, along with an extensive testing and contact-tracing effort rooted in the Soviet Union's disease-fighting legacy, was succeeding where Italy, Spain and the United States all had failed.So confident was the Kremlin that it dispatched planeloads of aid to Italy, Serbia and even Kennedy Airport in New York, signaling that Russia had stockpiled so many masks and ventilators that it was able to share some of them with less fortunate countries.But it has become clear in recent days that Russia is unlikely to escape a severe hit by the pandemic, presenting an existential test to the country's teetering health system and a new challenge to the aura of rising confidence and competence projected by Putin's Kremlin."We have a lot of problems, and we don't have much to brag about nor reason to, and we certainly can't relax," Putin told senior officials Monday in his bleakest comments on the crisis yet. "We are not past the peak of the epidemic, not even in Moscow."Putin warned of overworked medical staff and shortages of protective equipment, acknowledging what critics said was long clear: that Russia's health system could be strained beyond its breaking point by the pandemic and that the government needed to do more to get ready.There were also worrying signs of the pandemic spreading outside Moscow.The government airlifted a field hospital to an Arctic town near the border with Norway, where hundreds of workers at a construction site were feared infected. The town of Vyazma, 130 miles west of Moscow, was closed off because of an outbreak at a nursing home, and 1,000 people were reported to be under quarantine in a hospital in the south-central city of Ufa.As footage of hourslong lines of ambulances outside Moscow emergency rooms ricocheted through Russian social networks over the weekend, health officials went on state television and confirmed that the images were real."We objectively did not pay very much attention," Golikova, the task force head, admitted in an interview aired Sunday night, "to how effectively the infectious disease service needs to be prepared."By Monday, Russia's total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had reached 18,328, double the level of five days earlier. The number of deaths stood at 148, a number widely seen as an undercount amid reports of other causes of death being declared for people who were ill with COVID-like symptoms.The epicenter of the pandemic in Russia is Moscow, the biggest city in Europe, with a population of some 13 million and about two-thirds of the country's coronavirus cases.Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Putin's former chief of staff, has won praise, even from some Kremlin critics, for leveling with the public about the threat of the disease and taking aggressive measures to try to slow its spread.On March 24, Sobyanin told Putin that the number of infected Russians was significantly higher than the official data. Days later, he ordered all Muscovites to stay home.But the Kremlin continued to play down the seriousness of the threat."There is de facto no epidemic" in Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov told reporters March 26.Under the surface, however, Russian hospitals were scrambling to prepare, with limited resources.Smirnova, of the Sozidaniye charity, launched a drive in late March to help hospitals fighting the coronavirus buy equipment and supplies.The 19-year-old organization has supported hospitals in the past but typically in relatively poor, far-flung parts of the country. Never in her two decades of charity work, Smirnova said, had she seen so many senior big-city hospital officials put their jobs on the line by asking for help."You must understand, a head doctor who says all is well is a 'good' doctor," she said. "If he says, 'Things aren't good at all; I've reached out to a charity,' he is taking a risk."Working with Russia's biggest state-owned bank, Sberbank, Sozidaniye raised more than $120,000 for hospitals across Russia, including nine in and around Moscow.One of them, City Clinical Hospital No. 52 in northwestern Moscow, has been relying on close to 100 volunteers to distribute food for medical workers and care packages for patients and even for help in setting up a new call center.Inside, with the hospital flooded with virus patients, conditions resemble those of military field medicine more than typical hospital care, a surgeon, Dr. Aleksandr Vanyukov, said in a phone interview.For now, he said, supplies of protective gear were sufficient. But he said he was increasingly losing hope that Moscow would be spared the fate of hard-hit Western cities, in part because residents last week seemed to be relaxing their adherence to stay-at-home orders."When everyone was sitting at home and carefully observing the quarantine, it seemed like we were managing," Vanyukov said.But if the current pace of growth continues, he said, "We'll be in a New York-type situation rather soon, probably."We'll just drown," he said.With the epidemic bearing down, Russia's state news media -- which is adept at playing down domestic problems -- has started to acknowledge its severity. The evening news on state-run Channel 1 on Sunday showed the lines of ambulances outside Moscow area hospitals and spoke of the "colossal pressure increasing with every day."The head doctor of the Filatovskaya hospital said it was treating 1,525 patients, despite a capacity of 1,350 beds. Another doctor said the hospital would enlist psychologists to help its workers handle the pressure.Moscow's medical personnel, the news report warned, are being stretched dangerously thin."In terms of doctors, things are difficult but bearable," a Channel 1 reporter said. "But nurses are in catastrophically short supply."In a videoconference on the pandemic with Golikova, Sobyanin and others Monday, Putin warned that things were getting worse, with the number of severely ill patients rising.He directed officials to take steps to remedy shortages in medical workers' protective equipment and to share ventilators and medicine across Russia's far-flung regions to respond to geographic differences in demand."All scenarios of how the situation could develop must be taken into account, including the most difficult and extraordinary ones," Putin said.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| Millions of Children Are at Risk for Measles as Coronavirus Fears Halt Vaccines Posted: 14 Apr 2020 05:25 AM PDT  More than 100 million children could be at risk for measles because countries around the world are suspending national immunization programs in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection, international public health leaders warned on Monday.So far, 24 low- and middle-income countries, including Mexico, Nigeria and Cambodia, have paused or postponed such programs, according to the Measles and Rubella Initiative, a consortium whose members include UNICEF, the American Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Unlike wealthier countries, where parents typically make appointments to follow a routine vaccine schedule at clinics or private pediatric offices, these countries inoculate large numbers of infants and children in communal settings, like marketplaces, schools, churches and mosques.Dr. Robin Nandy, the chief of immunization for UNICEF, acknowledged that finding the balance between guarding against the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, and preventable diseases like measles was delicate and difficult."In our quest to vaccinate kids, we shouldn't contribute to the spread of COVID-19," he said. "But we don't want a country that is recovering from an outbreak of it to then be dealing with a measles or diphtheria outbreak."Nandy said that public health organizations had endorsed new immunization guidelines from the WHO, which recognize that while campaigns advocating mass inoculations should be sustained as long as safely possible, temporary suspensions might occur because of reasonable concerns about transmission of COVID-19 to patients and health care workers."We have to acknowledge the disruption, whether we like it or not," Nandy said. But he urged countries to plan for shipments of vaccines and syringes to be available as soon as an easing of COVID-19 restrictions permitted and, given the limited number of international flights, even to be prepared to charter planes.Countries should be compiling immunization registries, tracking earlier campaigns and doing risk assessments, to prioritize regions where outbreaks would be most likely and children most vulnerable, he added.But Dr. Beate Kampmann, director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said many countries that already have weak and fragmented health care systems would not be able to collect reliable immunization data."There are virtually no registers for vaccinations in West Africa other than parent-held records," she said, adding that an entire "birth cohort of infants could miss out on vaccinations altogether with serious consequences."Before the coronavirus pandemic, measles was already making a resurgence in some places. In 2017, there were 7,585,900 estimated measles cases and 124,000 estimated deaths, according to the World Health Organization. By 2018, the last year for which international figures have been compiled, there were 9,769,400 estimated measles cases and 142,300 related deaths.In 2019, the United States reported 1,282 measles cases, its highest in more than 25 years. The measles vaccine has been available for more than 50 years.Countries including Brazil, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are currently fighting outbreaks of measles. Among the countries that have postponed their vaccination programs are Bolivia, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Djibouti, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Honduras, Lebanon, Nepal, Paraguay, Somalia, South Sudan and Uzbekistan.Kampmann was also concerned about potential outbreaks in wealthier countries in North America and Europe, which do not have national inoculation programs. Because of COVID-19 fears, American pediatric practices are beginning to report significant drops in well-child visits, including those for routine vaccines."Even in resource-rich settings there is a danger of measles raising its ugly head in the not-too-distant future," Kampmann added, "hence it is even more important to sustain routine immunizations."Dr. Melinda Wharton, director of the CDC's Immunization Services division, said that one upside of current social distancing measures was that if outbreaks of measles occur, transmission might be limited. She said that in recent years, many cases entered the United States from common travel destinations and that the sharp decreases in air travel because of the pandemic might also keep a lid on measles cases.As of last week, there were 12 confirmed cases of measles in seven jurisdictions in the United States. The CDC is monitoring vaccination rates, Wharton said."We will work with state and local health departments to ensure children who were not able to get vaccinated because of the COVID-19 response get the necessary catch-up vaccinations," she said.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| AP PHOTOS: Coronavirus quiet brings out jackals in Tel Aviv Posted: 14 Apr 2020 04:26 AM PDT  Each spring, Hayarkon Park in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv comes alive with joggers, children playing on jungle gyms, young families and 20-somethings picnicking and sunbathing. With Tel Aviv in lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis, the sprawling park is all but empty. This has cleared the way for packs of jackals to take over this urban oasis in the heart of the city.
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| German virus cases 'stable' as leaders mull easing lockdown Posted: 14 Apr 2020 04:21 AM PDT  The number of people infected with coronavirus in Germany has "stabilised", the public health chief said Tuesday, as politicians prepare for talks on when to end the lockdown measures used to slow the disease's spread. "Numbers have stabilised at a relatively high level," Lothar Wieler of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control told reporters. Politicians are waiting on every comment by the country's leading medical experts, as Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a conference Wednesday with state premiers on whether and for how long to extend infection control measures.
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| 117 million children face measles risk from COVID-19 response: UN Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:36 AM PDT  Around 117 million children worldwide risk contracting measles because dozens of countries are curtailing their vaccination programmes as they battle COVID-19, the United Nations warned Tuesday. Currently 24 countries, including several already dealing with large measles outbreaks, have suspended widespread vaccinations, the World Health Organization and the UN's children's fund UNICEF said. An additional 13 countries have had their vaccination programmes interrupted due to COVID-19.
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| North Korea fires barrage of missiles from ground and air Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:23 AM PDT  The launches came a day before the 108th birthday of North Korea's late founder, and ahead of South Korean parliamentary elections.
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| North Korea fires barrage of missiles from ground and air Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:23 AM PDT The launches came a day before the 108th birthday of North Korea's late founder, and ahead of South Korean parliamentary elections.
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| Figures show hundreds of COVID-19 deaths in UK care homes Posted: 14 Apr 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Leading British charities said the new coronavirus is causing "devastation" in the country's nursing homes, as official statistics showed Tuesday that hundreds more people with COVID-19 have died than were recorded in the U.K. government's daily tally. The Office for National Statistics said 5,979 deaths that occurred in England up to April 3 involved COVID-19, 15% more than the 5,186 deaths announced by the National Health Service for the same period. As of Tuesday, the government reported a total of 12,107 virus-related deaths across the U.K.
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