| Trump fans flames of Chinese lab coronavirus theory during daily briefing Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:58 PM PDT  The president attacked those who favored China, including the WHO, for which he previously announced a hold on funding * Coronavirus – live US updates * Live global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageDonald Trump has fuelled a media theory that the coronavirus pandemic began when the pathogen accidentally escaped a Chinese laboratory, teasing that "more and more we're hearing the story".The US president's TV network of choice, Fox News, has reported that "multiple sources" in the American government believe initial transmission of the virus was bat-to-human in a virology lab in Wuhan. Due to weak safety protocols, an infected lab worker then went to a wet market where the virus spread.When Fox News reporter John Roberts put this to Trump at a press briefing on Wednesday, he replied: "Well, I don't want to say that John, but I will tell you more and more we're hearing the story."The president is notorious for recycling content from Fox News in his remarks or tweets, and it was unclear whether he was privy to any other information to back the claim. He added: "We'll see. When you say 'multiple sources', now there's a case where you can use the word 'sources'. But we are doing a very thorough examination of this horrible situation that happened."Trump added that he did not want to disclose any discussions he had with Chinese president Xi Jinping about the laboratory.The Pentagon's top general, Mark Milley, cast doubt on the lab theory earlier this week, saying that US intelligence has looked into the possibility but that the "weight of evidence" thus far pointed towards "natural" origins.Since the outbreak of the virus in Wuhan in December, more extreme conspiracy theories have suggested that it was engineered as a bioweapon. There is no evidence for this. The scientific journal the Lancet has stated the virus appears to have come from wildlife. An analysis by scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology suggests that the virus's genome is 96% similar to a coronavirus found in bats.But the story running prominently on Fox News begins by stating the virus began "not as a bioweapon", alleging incompetence rather than a malicious attack. This idea has gained more traction, especially among anti-China hardliners in Washington.On Tuesday the Washington Post reported that state department cables had warned two years ago of safety issues at a Wuhan lab studying bat coronaviruses. The Post said: "The cables have fueled discussions inside the US government about whether this or another Wuhan lab was the source of the virus – even though conclusive proof has yet to emerge."China's extreme censorship and lack of openness about the virus have done little to quell the speculation. But conversely, healthy scepticism is guaranteed because of Fox News' widely panned coverage of the pandemic as well as Trump's habit of searching for distractions and excuses to shift blame.At Wednesday's coronavirus task force briefing, he lambasted the Voice of America radio station for its China coverage – "what things they say are disgusting toward our country" – and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for giving Beijing the benefit of the doubt."It took them a long time to realise what was going on, but I have a feeling they knew exactly what was going on," he said without evidence, having previously announced a hold on WHO funding. "Tragically, other nations put their trust in the WHO and they didn't do any formal [travel] ban."Meanwhile Trump, under pressure to restart the economy, struck an optimistic note for America's fight against the virus on a cold day in the White House rose garden. "The battle continues but the data suggests that nationwide we have passed the peak on new cases," he said, without giving details to support the claim. "Hopefully that will continue, and we will continue to make great progress."These encouraging developments have put us in a very strong position to finalise guidelines on states for reopening the country."The White House will release the guidelines on Thursday, he added, after he and vice-president Mike Pence hold calls with governors. "We think that some states can actually open up before the deadline of May 1."Trump added: "We'll be the comeback kids – all of us ... Tomorrow's going to be a very big day ... We'll have some openings that will exceed our expectations. And they'll be safe, they'll be strong, but we want to get our country back. We're going to do it, and we're gonna do it soon."The reopenings are bound to be phased geographically and require flexibility. Pence, who heads the coronavirus task force, said: "The American people will be encouraged to know as we stand here today, 24% of the counties of this country have no reported coronavirus cases. In fact, half of the states in America have less than 2,500 cases per state."But public health experts have warned that the US, which has the biggest caseload in the world, must boost testing and contact tracing before loosening restrictions. Trump said the US has surpassed 3.3m completed tests but failed to answer governors' concerns over how the process can be stepped up.In an unexpected turn, he also threatened to force Congress into a formal recess so that he can make recess appointments of federal officials, including judges. He falsely accused Democrats of leaving key administration positions unstaffed and making it "very hard" to govern."We have a tremendous number of people that have to come into government and now more so than ever before because of the virus ... If the House will not agree to that adjournment, I will exercise my constitutional authority to adjourn both chambers of Congress."Trump added: "The current practice of leaving town while conducting phony pro-forma sessions is a dereliction of duty that the American people cannot afford during this crisis."Michael Beschloss, an author and historian, tweeted: "No President in history has ever used the Constitutional power to adjourn Congress ... Wilson, Taft and FDR were all urged to adjourn Congress and all refused."
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| Global Cases Top 2 Million; Singapore Numbers Jump: Virus Update Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:57 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The coronavirus marked another grim milestone, reaching 2 million cases around the world. It took about four months for the virus to infect 1 million people and only 12 days for that number to double. South Korean President Moon Jae-in's ruling party scored a landslide victory in parliamentary elections, signaling to global leaders a strong response to the virus can translate into votes. China reported 46 new cases and no additional deaths as Asia trading got underway, though finance hub Singapore reported its highest daily increase in infections amid a surge among low-wage foreign workers living in dormitories.President Donald Trump said data suggested the U.S. has passed a peak in new cases, while the country reported bleak economic data, with retail sales and factory output showing historic declines. In Europe, Italy reported its fewest new infections in four and a half weeks and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would allow some smaller shops to reopen next week.Key DevelopmentsVirus Tracker: Cases reach 2 million; deaths top 134,000China reports 46 new cases, 64 asymptomatic cases, no deaths Trump has marathon day of calls with CEOs on how to reopen U.S.In Wuhan, businesses still struggle after lockdown endsFed says economy contracted sharply with virus sweeping U.S.Trump's WHO attack accelerates breakdown in global cooperationChina Reports No Additional Deaths (8:41 a.m. HK)China said it had 46 additional coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with 34 of them imported and no new deaths from the disease, according to statement from the country's National Health Commission. It reported 64 so-called asymptomatic cases. China had 1,032 asymptomatic coronavirus cases under medical observation as of April 15. In total, the country, where the virus first emerged late last year, has 82,341 confirmed cases. Its death toll stands at 3,342.Dorm Infections Push Singapore Cases to Record (8:22 a.m. HK)Singapore reported its highest daily increase of coronavirus cases on Wednesday as infections surge among low-wage foreign workers housed in dormitories.Authorities said an additional 447 cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 3,699 in the country. Of the new cases, more than 400 infections -- about 90% -- are tied to facilities that house the migrant workers in close quarters, according to a government statement.The city-state is grappling with a pace of infections that's picking up among workers staying in the dormitories, at a time when it appears to be stabilizing elsewhere across the country.IMF Sees Asia Pacific Growth at a Standstill in 2020 (8:02 a.m. HK)Economic growth in the Asia Pacific region will likely slow to a standstill this year, something that hasn't happened in the last 60 years, according to the International Monetary Fund. The economic blow from coronavirus is shaping up to be far worse than other crises, according to the IMF's outlook.Royal Caribbean Cuts More Than 1,300 U.S. Jobs (7:47 a.m. HK)Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is cutting more than 1,300 U.S. jobs after the coronavirus pandemic forced the industry to halt operations. The reductions amount to about 26% of the company's more than 5,000 U.S. workers, Royal Caribbean said. Most of the cuts are permanent, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive labor decisions.South Korea Leader's Party Wins Big During Pandemic (7:42 a.m. HK)South Korean President Moon Jae-in's ruling party scored a landslide victory in parliamentary elections held in the throes of the pandemic, signaling to global leaders a strong response to the virus can translate into votes.Moon's Democratic Party of Korea and its satellite party could win at least 180 places in the 300-seat National Assembly, according to election results and projections compiled by Yonhap News Agency, which said it amounted to the biggest win since democratic elections began in 1987. Voter turnout was at about 66%, the highest in 28 years and the projected outcome indicates a show of support for Moon's handling of the crisis.Trump Says New Infections Hitting Plateau in Some Areas (6:45 a.m. HK)President Donald Trump said he will announce on Thursday guidelines to relax stay-at-home rules as he said the virus showed signs of plateauing in parts of the country.The data suggest the U.S. has "passed the peak" on new cases," Trump said in a Rose Garden press conference. "These encouraging developments have put us in a very strong position to finalize guidelines for states on reopening the country."Deborah Birx, a top public-health expert on the White House coronavirus task force, backed the president's claim that social-distancing practice have helped, but stressed caution."We see as a country, we're improving. We see as metro areas, we're improving. We see as communities, as counties and as states, we're improving," Birx said at the press conference. "But that also still requires everyone to continue to social distance."L.A. Eyes Steps Toward Relaxing Rules in May (6:33 a.m. HK)Los Angeles County may start taking steps toward relaxing restrictions next month, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the public health department. Ferrer said the county is working closely with the state. Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday outlined guidelines to reopen California but declined to give a timeline, saying the question can be asked again in a couple weeks if there is a reduction in hospitalizations and intensive-care patients.Midwest Coalition Forming on Reopenings (6:20 a.m. HK)Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said she's working with Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, leaders of the state's neighbors to the east and west, respectively, on ways to coordinate their plans to lift restrictions on social gatherings and businesses.The coalition would be the latest among U.S. states teaming up on ways to reopen the economy. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has marshaled seven Northeastern states, while California, Washington and Oregon are collaborating in the West.U.S. Confirmed Cases Rise 3.5% (4 p.m. NY)U.S. cases rose 3.5% from the day before to 619,607 by Wednesday afternoon, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That was lower than the 6.2% average daily increase over the past week. Deaths increased 10% to 27,760.New York's cases rose about 0.5%, a sign that the outbreak is stabilizing in the hardest-hit state. Infections were climbing at a rate of 7.6% a week ago.France Has Most Deaths to Date (2:05 p.m. NY)France's deaths rose by the most yet in figures released on Wednesday, while the number of intensive-care patients dropped for a seventh day.Deaths linked to the virus rose by 1,438 to 17,167 fatalities, Director General For Health Jerome Salomon said in a briefing in Paris. He said the toll wasn't over a 24-hour period, as the count included fatalities in recent days that weren't previously reported.N.Y. to Begin Antibody Testing for Essential Workers (1:45 p.m. NY)New York state took an initial step back to normal life, introducing an antibody test to identify medical personnel and other essential workers who have already had the coronavirus and have some immunity, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.The program will run 2,000 of the tests a day, Cuomo said Wednesday at his daily virus briefing. Those who have the antibodies will be allowed to return to work earliest, because they no longer carry the virus and have developed resistance to it.New York has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expedite approval of an antibody test that could test as many as 100,000 New Yorkers a day, Cuomo said.Merkel Allows Smaller German Shops to Reopen (1:40 p.m. NY)German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced tentative steps to slowly start returning the country to normal, allowing some smaller shops to reopen next week and schools to gradually restart in early May.Most of the restrictive measures will remain in place through May 3 and many aspects of public life will be limited for months to come. Restaurants, gyms and bars will stay closed indefinitely, and no large events such as soccer matches, concerts and festivals will be allowed before the end of August at the earliest.Germany will need to ease restrictions in small steps, Merkel said.Belgium Extends Lockdown (12:40 p.m. NY)Belgium extended restrictions on its citizens and businesses until May 3, as Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes warned that any loosening of the measures will be very gradual and that nobody can say today when normal life can resume. Mass events such as summer music festivals will be banned until the end of August.New Italian Cases Drop (12:30 p.m. NY)Italy reported its fewest new coronavirus cases in four and a half weeks as a nationwide lockdown begins to check the spread of the disease. There were 2,667 new cases of the disease, compared with 2,972 a day earlier, the lowest since March 13, civil protection officials said at their daily briefing in Rome. Confirmed cases total 165,155.WHO Defends Work With China (12:05 p.m. NY)The World Health Organization is assessing any funding gaps and will try to fill them with other partners after President Donald Trump said the U.S. will withhold payments because the WHO had been too deferential to China, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing in Geneva."Our mandate is to work to promote health of all people, everywhere," said Steven Solomon, legal counsel to the WHO. "This means we work with and for all people everywhere, whether they are in Taiwan, China or any other place."There are millions of cases of atypical pneumonia around the world each year so it was "remarkable" that the cluster of cases in Wuhan was identified, according to Mike Ryan, WHO's head of health emergencies.WHO member states will review the organization's performance, which is usual in such circumstances, Tedros said. "No doubt areas for improvement will be identified and there will be lessons for all of us to learn. But for now our focus, my focus, is on stopping this virus and saving lives," Tedros said.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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| Coronavirus in Africa: 'No time for half measures in helping the economy' Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:51 PM PDT  Many African economies can been growing before the coronavirus hit - no longer.
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| Only a COVID-19 vaccine will allow return to 'normalcy': UN chief Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:43 PM PDT  A COVID-19 vaccine may be the only thing that can bring back "normalcy," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday, hoping for just that before the end of the year. "A safe and effective vaccine may be the only tool that can return the world to a sense of 'normalcy,' saving millions of lives and countless trillions of dollars," he added during a video conference with the 50 or so African countries that are members of the United Nations.
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| IMF head calls for Brexit trade talk extension Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:02 PM PDT  Extending Brexit trade talks will help reduce economic uncertainty 'at a tough time' says IMF chief.
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| Trump WHO Funding Halt Draws Torrent of Criticism Posted: 15 Apr 2020 03:40 PM PDT  President Trump's announcement Tuesday that he will suspend congressionally approved funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) drew a torrent of criticism from Democrats, health experts, business groups and global leaders.What Trump said: During his coronavirus briefing Tuesday evening, Trump said he would halt payments to the WHO pending a 60-to-90-day review of its pandemic response, charging that the UN agency had made a series of deadly mistakes in trying to combat the global outbreak. Trump said his administration would "assess the World Health Organization's role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus." He added: "So much death has been caused by their mistakes."Wait, what is the WHO? Founded in 1948 and based in Geneva, it is the United Nations agency responsible for global public health. It now has 194 member states and more than 7,000 employees in 150 offices across the globe. During health emergencies, the WHO says it seeks to identify and mitigate risks, support the development of necessary tools and "support delivery of essential health services in fragile settings."The WHO is funded through membership fees and voluntary contributions, and the United States is its largest donor. For the 2018-2019 biennial funding cycle, the United States reportedly paid $237 million and another $656 million in voluntary contributions for a total of $893 million, or about 15% of the agency's roughly $6 billion budget.Shifting blame: Seeking to deflect blame and fend off criticism over his slow response to the spread of the virus, Trump has joined some congressional Republicans in targeting the WHO, ramping up his attacks in recent weeks. He has called the WHO "very China centric," criticized the group for opposing his decision in late January to restrict travel from China, and charged that the agency "pushed China's misinformation" about the coronavirus and failed to properly investigate early claims about the virus's ability to spread from person to person."In effect, Mr. Trump was accusing the world's leading health organization of making all of the mistakes that he has made since the virus first emerged in China and then spread rapidly," Michael D. Shear and Donald G. McNeil Jr. write at The New York Times. As numerous news outlets have noted, Trump himself praised China's pandemic response in January, as his administration was negotiating a trade deal with Beijing.Global context: "The question of whether the W.H.O. was not aggressive enough in recommending action against the virus has been raised in other countries. Some governments have noted that the organization's leadership did not challenge China's assertion in mid-January that there was not human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus," the Times notes. "But the W.H.O. did issue urgent advisories throughout January about the potential dangers from the virus and announced that it constituted a 'public health emergency of international concern' a day before the Trump administration made a similar declaration."The blowback: "World leaders have urged Trump to rethink the decision, with China calling for the U.S. to fulfill its obligations, Germany and New Zealand calling for unity, while Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the WHO was not immune from criticism," Forbes's Isabel Togoh notes.While some congressional Republicans publicly supported Trump's decision, condemnation for the move was widespread. Among the reactions: * The American Medical Association called Trump's decision "a dangerous step in the wrong direction" and urged him to reconsider. * House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the decision "senseless" and another example of Trump's ineffective response to the pandemic. "This decision is dangerous, illegal and will be swiftly challenged," she said. * WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that he regrets Trump's decision. "The United States of America has been a long-standing and generous friend to the WHO and we hope it will continue to be so," he said. * U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that the WHO "is absolutely critical to the world's efforts to win the war against COVID-19" and that now is "not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus." * Bill Gates, whose Gates Foundation is among the largest voluntary donors to the WHO, criticized Trump's move in a tweet: "Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever." * U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President Myron Brilliant said that while the business group supports reforming the WHO, "cutting the WHO's funding during the COVID-19 pandemic is not in U.S. interests given the organization's critical role assisting other countries — particularly in the developing world — in their response."Can Trump really halt WHO funding? As Pelosi's comment above indicates, Democrats say withholding WHO money would be illegal. "President Trump is violating the same spending laws that brought about his impeachment," said Evan Hollander, spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, according to The Washington Post."It's unclear exactly what mechanism Trump intends to use to withhold WHO funding, much of which is appropriated by Congress," CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr.s reported. "The president typically does not have the authority to unilaterally redirect congressional funding." The administration reportedly may argue that the president has the right to redirect WHO funds to any "global aid" program, a position some Democrats reportedly said may be accurate. A senior Democratic aide told the Post that Democrats were reviewing their options, "including asking GAO for an opinion given their opinion that the President's hold on Ukraine funding was illegal."Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter.
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| Iranian boats come 'dangerously' close to US navy warships Posted: 15 Apr 2020 03:35 PM PDT  * IRGC navy boats condemned for 'harassing approaches' * US officials say 11 small boats circled six US warshipsIranian navy vessels came within 10 yards of American warships in the Persian Gulf in what the US navy described as a series of "dangerous and harassing approaches".The close encounters on Wednesday and the aggressive tactics pursued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, visible from photos and video released by the US Fifth Fleet, represent a blow to the Trump administration's claims to have "restored deterrence" in its relations with Iran.Coming on the same day that the US navy said that a Russian warplane performed an "unsafe" intercept of one of its surveillance planes over the Mediterranean, the incidents also served as a reminder that the coronavirus pandemic has not ended dangerous military rivalries around the world.According the US Naval Forces Central Command, 11 small Iranian boats circled six US warships."The IRGCN vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the US vessels at extremely close range and high speeds," a statement said, adding that the Iranian vessels performed multiple crossings of two of the US ships, coming as close as 10 yards."US crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio, five short blasts from the ships' horns and long-range acoustic noise-maker devices, but received no response," the Central Command statement said.The Iranian sailors only responded to bridge-to-bridge radio contacts after an hour of manoeuvring, and then moved away."The IRGCN's dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision," the US statement said, adding that the Iranian actions were in violation of maritime conventions and international law.Pictures and video released by the US navy show multiple small boats, moving at speed and throwing up pronounced wakes behind them, performing sharp turns around the American vessels.After the drone killing of the top IRGC general Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad in January, the Trump administration claimed it had "restored deterrence" against Iranian military ambitions in the regionHowever, there have been several rocket attacks on Iraqi bases housing US and allied troops since then, and Iran's naval forces have been increasingly assertive. On Tuesday, they boarded a Hong Kong-flagged tanker and diverted it into Iranian waters before releasing it."As expected, Iran is continuing to flex muscle amid the global pandemic, because unlike what Iran hawks keep telling you, it's neither deterred nor about to hit the pause button on tensions with the US to focus on public health," Ariane Tabatabai, a Middle East fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US, wrote on Twitter.In the incident over the Mediterranean on Wednesday, a Russian Su-35 jet was said by the US navy to have performed a high-speed manoeuvre, flying upside-down just 25ft in front of a US P-8 surveillance plane.
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| US accuses Iran of 'dangerous' harassment of US warships Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:44 PM PDT |
| France urging top powers to endorse UN virus cease-fire call Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:33 PM PDT  French President Emmanuel Macron says he hopes that "in the coming days" the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council can discuss and endorse U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a cease-fire to all conflicts in the world in order to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Macron, who has been pushing for more international cooperation in fighting the virus, said in an interview with French radio RFI broadcast on Wednesday that he is only waiting for agreement from Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold the 5-country video conference.
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| Powerful GOP allies propel Trump effort to reopen economy Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:29 PM PDT |
| Lawyer for Hanukkah stabbing suspect seeks to exhume victim Posted: 15 Apr 2020 02:21 PM PDT |
| Mnuchin, Schumer rev up talks as small business aid runs dry Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:47 PM PDT  With a key coronavirus rescue fund nearly exhausted, negotiations are accelerating in Washington over President Donald Trump's $250 billion emergency request to help smaller employers across the country keep workers on their payroll. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke Wednesday morning about legislation to shore up a paycheck subsidy program that has nearly reached its $349 billion lending limit. House and Senate aides were set to meet with Treasury officials later in the day.
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| Trump's move to strip $400 million from WHO amid the coronavirus is just the propaganda windfall Russia, China, and Iran have been hoping for Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:40 PM PDT |
| Does Widespread Disinfecting Kill the Coronavirus? It's Under Debate. Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:34 PM PDT  The images are compelling: Firetrucks in Tehran, Iran, or Manila, Philippines, spray the streets. Amazon tests a disinfectant fog inside a warehouse, hoping to calm workers' fears and get them back on the job. TV commercials show health care workers cleaning chairs where blood donors sat. Families nervously wipe their mail and newly delivered groceries.These efforts may help people feel like they and their government are combating the coronavirus. But in these still-early days of learning how to tamp down the spread of the virus -- whether it's on steel poles in trains, the streets or the cardboard boxes delivered to homes -- experts disagree on how best to banish the infectious germs."There is no scientific basis at all for all the spraying and big public works programs," said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. "It's at best wasteful, and at worst we're just putting disinfectants into the environment that we don't need."Most transmission of the virus comes from breathing in droplets that an infected person has just breathed out -- not from touching surfaces where it may be lurking. "Transmission of novel coronavirus to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes on its website.Hand washing remains important -- now and always, Osterholm said. But to avoid getting sick, the public should focus on staying away from other people, he added.Other experts are not ready to confidently dismiss disinfecting. There are just too many unknowns about this virus, said Marc Lipsitch, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health."I'd personally be surprised if disinfecting outdoor spaces has any impact, but that's more of a hunch based on first principles than a scientifically informed view," Lipsitch said, because no one has studied the issue yet. And it will be difficult to study the effectiveness of such moves, he said on a call with journalists April 7, because "everyone is throwing a mix of interventions at the problem, as they should."To conduct scientific research, measures would have to be tried one at a time to gauge their effect.Joshua Santarpia, an associate professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, questions the widespread use of disinfectants outdoors. "It seems like a little much," he said of the trucks spraying in other countries. "It seems unnecessary to do that outside."Claims made on Facebook that helicopters would be spraying disinfectant in New York City were false, The Associated Press reported.Santarpia said that disinfecting surfaces indoors, though -- in airports, for example -- is a good idea. "You want to make sure an indoor space is decontaminated before you allow people back in," he said.Airlines, including Delta, have been fogging aircraft with disinfectants. And transit authorities, including those in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C., have stepped up their cleaning practices. The Georgia National Guard has been disinfecting the state's nursing homes.The virus probably can't survive more than a few days on most surfaces, according to one recent study, and it's not clear whether the concentration of the virus on a surface would be enough to transmit disease.So theoretically, leaving a space alone for a week should be enough to decontaminate it. But Santarpia said most people understandably want the extra assurance that cleaning might provide."You want to be able to say, 'I cleaned it. I know it's safe,'" he said.The CDC has issued guidelines on which products are effective at safely getting rid of the coronavirus, and the Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of registered cleaning products that meet its criteria for killing it.Household cleaners are designed to disinfect surfaces, not to eliminate virus from the air, said Sandy Posa, chief executive of Force of Nature, a startup making an environmentally friendly disinfectant that meets the EPA's standard.Osterholm of the University of Minnesota said he's spent his 40-year medical career trying to persuade people to be more diligent about washing their hands to prevent disease -- so he doesn't want to say it's not important. But he believes that social distancing will prevent the majority of COVID-19 infections.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| US funding freeze blows hole in WHO budget Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:23 PM PDT  The United States' funding freeze blows a major hole in the World Health Organization's budget as it attempts to steer the fightback against the coronavirus pandemic. Washington is the biggest single contributor to the United Nations' health agency. Trump claimed the COVID-19 outbreak could have been contained "with very little death" if the WHO had accurately assessed the situation in China, where the virus broke out.
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| Global Cases Top 2 Million; Mask Order in New York: Virus Update Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:18 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Covid-19 has infected 2 million people around the world as the new coronavirus marked another grim milestone. Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered people in New York to start wearing masks in public.The European Commission has drawn up plans for a partial lifting of restrictions but warned that some will remain until a vaccine or cure is found. Germany is set to extend curbs even after new cases fell for a sixth day.U.S. retail sales tumbled in March by the most on record and factory output dropped by the most since 1946.Key DevelopmentsVirus Tracker: Cases reach 2 million; deaths top 133,000Trump has marathon day of calls with CEOs on how to reopen U.S.China's data on symptom-free cases reveals most never get sickIndia faces first contraction since 1980, may ease some curbsScientists weigh immunity; hyped Malaria pill doesn't help in studyU.S. Confirmed Cases Rise 3.5% (4 p.m. NY)U.S. cases rose 3.5% from the day before to 619,607 by Wednesday afternoon, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. That was lower than the 6.2% average daily increase over the past week. Deaths increased 10% to 27,760.New York's cases rose about 0.5%, a sign that the outbreak is stabilizing in the hardest-hit state. Infections were climbing at a rate of 7.6% a week ago.Cases in New Jersey rose 3.2%, the smallest increase since the end of March.South Dakota had the biggest daily increase, with cases rising 18% to 1,168.N.Y. Gets Least Fed Health Grants (2:43 p.m. NY)New York, the state with the most Covid-19 cases, has received the least amount of federal health grants per diagnosed person, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of some $2.5 billion distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services.The health grants are a fraction of the hundreds of billions the U.S. government is distributing to combat the disease.Grants for New York amount to $802 per person diagnosed with the virus. Alaska, by comparison, ranks second-to-last in total cases but is on tap to receive $111,380 per case.France Has Most Deaths to Date (2:05 p.m. NY)France's deaths rose by the most yet in figures released on Wednesday, while the number of intensive-care patients dropped for a seventh day.Deaths linked to the virus rose by 1,438 to 17,167 fatalities, Director General For Health Jerome Salomon said in a briefing in Paris. He said the toll wasn't over a 24-hour period, as the count included fatalities in recent days that weren't previously reported.N.Y. to Begin Antibody Testing for Essential Workers (1:45 p.m. NY)New York state took an initial step back to normal life, introducing an antibody test to identify medical personnel and other essential workers who have already had the coronavirus and have some immunity, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.The program will run 2,000 of the tests a day, Cuomo said Wednesday at his daily virus briefing. Those who have the antibodies will be allowed to return to work earliest, because they no longer carry the virus and have developed resistance to it.New York has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expedite approval of an antibody test that could test as many as 100,000 New Yorkers a day, Cuomo said.Merkel Allows Smaller German Shops to Reopen (1:40 p.m. NY)German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced tentative steps to slowly start returning the country to normal, allowing some smaller shops to reopen next week and schools to gradually restart in early May.Most of the restrictive measures will remain in place through May 3 and many aspects of public life will be limited for months to come. Restaurants, gyms and bars will stay closed indefinitely, and no large events such as soccer matches, concerts and festivals will be allowed before the end of August at the earliest.Germany will need to ease restrictions in small steps, Merkel said.New Jersey Deaths Pass 3,000 (1:29 p.m. NY)New Jersey cases topped 3,000 amid a further tapering of new infections.The state reported an additional 351 deaths, bringing the total to 3,156; and another 2,625 cases, the smallest increase since the end of March.Among 21 counties, 18 had cases doubling every seven days or longer. Last month, several counties had doubling every three days.Boston Scientific to Make Low-Cost Ventilator (12:48 p.m. NY)Boston Scientific Corp. will start manufacturing a low-cost ventilator after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the technology an emergency use authorization.The medical-device maker's partner, the University of Minnesota, said in a release that the Coventor device, conceived by university researchers and an alumnus, is a low-cost backup alternative for doctors.Ventilators are in short supply nationwide as hospitals react to the pandemic. The device has become critical to treat Covid-19 patients.Belgium Extends Lockdown (12:40 p.m. NY)Belgium extended restrictions on its citizens and businesses until May 3, as Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes warned that any loosening of the measures will be very gradual and that nobody can say today when normal life can resume. Mass events such as summer music festivals will be banned until the end of August.The only easing of restrictions, now entering their fifth week, are for home improvement stores, which will be allowed to re-open and elderly in nursing homes can receive single-person visits on strict conditions again. A decision on school re-openings hasn't been taken.German Lockdown Extended (12:35 p.m. NY)Germany agreed to extend most restrictions on public life into next month while allowing small shops to reopen, underlining the struggle for European governments to balance reactivating slumping economies against fears of a resurgence of the coronavirus.Chancellor Angela Merkel prolonged measures designed to limit the spread of the disease until May 3 after talks Wednesday with the premiers from the country's 16 states. The leaders also agreed on a reopening of smaller retailers next week as well as gradually reopening school starting with graduating classes early next month."We have made some progress," Merkel said. "But I do have to stress that this progress is fragile."New Italian Cases Drop (12:30 p.m. NY)Italy reported its fewest new coronavirus cases in four and a half weeks as a nationwide lockdown begins to check the spread of the disease. There were 2,667 new cases of the disease, compared with 2,972 a day earlier, the lowest since March 13, civil protection officials said at their daily briefing in Rome. Confirmed cases total 165,155.Italy registered 578 deaths linked to the virus, compared with 602 the day before. That brings the total number of fatalities to 21,645. Hospitalized patients fell the most since the epidemic started and intensive care patients fell for a consecutive 12 days.WHO Defends Work With China (12:05 p.m. NY)The World Health Organization is assessing any funding gaps and will try to fill them with other partners after President Donald Trump said the U.S. will withhold payments because the WHO had been too deferential to China, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing in Geneva."Our mandate is to work to promote health of all people, everywhere," said Steven Solomon, legal counsel to the WHO. "This means we work with and for all people everywhere, whether they are in Taiwan, China or any other place."There are millions of cases of atypical pneumonia around the world each year so it was "remarkable" that the cluster of cases in Wuhan was identified, according to Mike Ryan, WHO's head of health emergencies.WHO member states will review the organization's performance, which is usual in such circumstances, Tedros said. "No doubt areas for improvement will be identified and there will be lessons for all of us to learn. But for now our focus, my focus, is on stopping this virus and saving lives," Tedros said.Luxembourg Schools Reopen in May (11:53 a.m. NY)Luxembourg will start a "very prudent" step-by-step relaxation of strict confinement measures next week as the number of new infections is gradually going back, the nation's premier Xavier Bettel said at a press conference Wednesday.Wearing a mask or an alternative mouth protection in public will be mandatory as of April 20, if a two meter distance is not possible, he said. Secondary schools will reopen May 11, with students split into groups that will alternate between home and physical schooling. Primary schools and nurseries are expected to reopen on May 25 if numbers of infections remain stable until then, Bettel said.Cyprus Reopening Runs to 2021 (11:30 a.m. NY)Cyprus's government approved a plan to lift restrictions and restart the economy in three phases, state-run Cyprus News Agency said. Businesses in key sectors of the economy will begin gradually reopening beginning in May. The third stage focuses on restarting the economy and is envisioned to run from September through the end of 2021, CNA said, citing an interview with the finance minister.Cyprus has 695 confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.NYC May Lose 475,000 Jobs (10:35 a.m. NY)New York City may lose 475,000 jobs and run $9.7 billion short on tax revenue through mid-2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak, the city's Independent Budget Office estimated.Retail employment will take the biggest hit, followed by hotels and restaurants, and the arts, entertainment and recreation industries.Although finance and professional services are also expected to see declines in employment, the IBO projects the most severe job losses will be disproportionately concentrated in sectors with low- and moderate-paying jobs. The only major sector of the city economy likely to avoid job losses over the next year is health care.Coronavirus Infections Reach 2 Million (10:10 a.m. NY)The new coronavirus has infected 2 million people around the world, a grim milestone exposing the difficulty of trying to contain the deadly pathogen.What began as a mysterious pneumonia-like illness in Wuhan, China, late last year has morphed into a global health crisis that has threatened health systems and economies alike.It took about four months for the virus to infect 1 million people and only 12 days for that number to double. The total case count today is likely even higher than 2 million, with countries including the U.S. testing only a fraction of their populations.Greece Extends Flight Ban (9:33 a.m. NY)Greece is extending a temporary ban on all flights to and from Italy, Spain, Turkey, the U.K. and the Netherlands by a month to May 15 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the country's civil aviation authority said. Flights to and from Germany are only allowed via Athens Airport.Exceptions include cargo and humanitarian flights. The temporary restriction on non-European Union citizens from entering Greece is also extended with certain exceptions including for family members of European citizens.Abbott Has Test to Detect Prior Infections (9:01 a.m. NY)Abbott Laboratories will start shipping a test that can identify people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection even if they never developed symptoms Thursday, a step that will help public-health officials track the spread as politicians move toward reopening economies.Mayor Hopeful NYC Back to 'More Like Normal' By Sept. (8:14 a.m. NY)"By September, then we are hopeful we could be back to something more like normal, but the way we get there is with that smart, cautious approach," Bill de Blasio said in Fox interview.Portugal Has Most New Cases in Five Days; Dutch Drop (8:13 a.m. NY)Portugal reported the biggest increase in new confirmed cases in five days, while the number of hospitalized patients fell. There were 643 new infections, taking the total to 18,091, the government said on Wednesday. Deaths rose to 599 from 567.New cases in the Netherlands dropped for the fifth consecutive day since the country reported a record number on April 10. Cases rose by 734, or 3%, to 28,153, in line with Tuesday's record low growth rate. Fatalities climbed 6%, a steeper rate than the previous days because of a reporting backlog over the Easter weekend.China Car Sales Rise for First Time Since Pandemic (7:55 a.m. NY)Consumers bought an average of 33,400 vehicles a day last week, up 14% from a year ago, though sales were still down 12% for the first two weeks of April, the China Passenger Car Association said in a statement. The head of the group warned that it's unclear whether the increases will be sustainable.France Expects G-20 to Offer African Nations Moratorium on Debt (7:50 a.m. NY)France expects Group of 20 nations will agree to a debt moratorium for African nations in a conference call later Wednesday, an official at the Elysee palace said. President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing for debt relief to support African nations caught up in the Covid-19 pandemic and on Monday called for a massive cancellation of Africa's sovereign debt.Goldman's Investment Portfolio Takes a Hit (7:43 a.m. NY)Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has Wall Street's biggest investment portfolio, a boast that became a liability in the first quarter as fallout from the coronavirus weighed on the firm's holdings. The business took an almost $900 million hit that contributed to a 46% decline in profit, even as it included gains from pending private-equity sales. A strong showing in the trading operations, the firm's biggest division, helped counter the damage as market volatility boosted demand for trading services.Japan Considering $930 Cash Handouts (7:39 a.m. NY)Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's coalition ally, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party, proposed making the 100,000 yen payments across the board, without income limits, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Wednesday. Japan has so far promised larger payments of 300,000 yen ($2,800), but limited them to those who can prove a substantial loss of income.BofA Joins Rival Banks in Setting Aside Billions for Loan Losses (6:57 a.m. NY)Bank of America Corp. joined rivals in setting aside billions of dollars for loans likely to sour amid an almost total U.S. economic shutdown. Profit plunged 45% as the company allocated $4.76 billion for loan losses, the most since 2010, as businesses and households reel from the coronavirus pandemic.The bank follows competitors JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co., which posted their highest provisions in a decade Tuesday. Citigroup Inc. on Wednesday set aside $7.03 billion to cover potential losses on loans.Banks are trying to get ahead of loan losses they expect to come from the pandemic bringing large swaths of the global economy to a virtual standstill. While defaults haven't yet spiked in a meaningful way, bank efforts to build up their reserves show they're bracing for a severe recession.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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| Editorial Roundup: US Posted: 15 Apr 2020 01:18 PM PDT |
| California to give cash payments to immigrants hurt by virus Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:55 PM PDT  California will be the first state to give cash to immigrants living in the country illegally who are hurt by the coronavirus, offering $500 apiece to 150,000 adults who were left out of the $2.2 trillion stimulus package approved by Congress. Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he would spend $75 million of taxpayer money to create a Disaster Relief Fund for immigrants living in the country illegally. "We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people that are in fear of deportations that are still addressing essential needs of tens of millions of Californians," said Newsom, who noted 10% of the state's workforce are immigrants living in the country illegally who paid more than $2.5 billion in state and local taxes last year.
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| Some businesses to open in Germany as other EU states find ways to cope with COVID-19 Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:40 PM PDT  German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the heads of Germany's 16 states have decided to allow some stores to open as early as next week even as social distancing guidelines remain in effect. In an address Wednesday evening, Merkel announced that the current restrictions on social distancing will stay in place until May 4.
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| Widespread condemnation of Trump’s halt for WHO funding Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:25 PM PDT  President Donald Trump announced he is halting funding to the World Health Organization on Tuesday, accusing the United Nations agency of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the novel coronavirus" by "parrot(ing)" Chinese government data and not "call(ing) out China's lack of transparency." What is Trump doing with WHO funding? During his near-daily coronavirus task force press conference on Tuesday, Trump said he was ordering a "halt" to U.S. funding to WHO, the U.N. agency dedicated to global public health that declares a pandemic and organizes resources and shares data to fight outbreaks like Ebola or SARS.
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| 1-in-7 New Yorkers May Have Already Gotten Covid-19 Posted: 15 Apr 2020 12:14 PM PDT |
| Netanyahu, rival, miss coalition deadline but continue talks Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:50 AM PDT  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival missed a midnight deadline Wednesday to form an emergency government to tackle the coronavirus threat and prevent another costly and divisive election. Representatives from Netanyahu's Likud party and former military chief Benny Gantz's Blue and White gathered late Wednesday, after the end of the Passover holiday, for last-ditch talks on a power-sharing deal. If they fail, the country moves closer to a fourth consecutive election in just over a year.
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| Apparently Kellyanne Conway Doesn’t Know Why The Coronavirus Is Called COVID-19 Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:48 AM PDT  Kellyanne Conway, a senior counselor to President Donald Trump, made an appearance on Fox & Friends on Wednesday where she made some concerning, double-take worthy comments about COVID-19. The interview — and awe-inspiring comments — came after President Trump's controversial decision to pull funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). On Wednesday, Trump announced that the United States would halt millions in funds to the World Health Organization while a review was conducted of WHO's "role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus." As a result, critics are levying even harsher feedback against Trump, citing his failure to respond to the looming threat of the coronavirus back in January and February. His previous attempt to blame the responsibility on the impeachment proceedings was unsuccessful, but nevertheless, he persisted — to place the blame on someone else, that is. And it seems that WHO is Trump's latest target, which his team now needs to defend at all costs. Enter Kellyanne Conway.In her Fox & Friends appearance that same day, Conway praised Trump's actions as "decisive and immediate" as she attempted to issue a new narrative that makes Trump's response time seem much earlier. "Some scientists and doctors say that there could be other strains later on. This could come back in the fall in a limited way," said Conway. "This is COVID-19, not COVID-1, folks. You would think that people charged with the World Health Organization facts and figures would be on top of that. So there is an investigation, examination to what happened. But people should know the facts."It seems that in Conway's "COVID-1" comment, the senior counselor is suggesting that WHO had 18 other chances to perfect a pandemic response before COVID-19. However, unlike Chanel No. 5, COVID-19's name is not derived from the number of previously documented strains of coronavirus. The name stands for "coronavirus disease 2019." The number identifies the year in which it was discovered, as the first confirmed cases of coronavirus were documented in China toward the end of 2019. According to a WHO report on February 11, "Following WHO best practices for naming of new human infectious diseases, which were developed in consultation and collaboration with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), WHO has named the disease COVID-19, short for 'coronavirus disease 2019.'" WHO also noticed that the actual virus which causes COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2, which stands for "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2."Either Conway is unsettlingly lacking in her understanding of the disease despite being a high-ranking adviser to the president, or she is knowingly feigning ignorance in order to make her point that she does not think highly of the World Health Organization and that the more than 1 million people who watch the show regularly should think the same.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Ivanka Trump Was Exposed To CoronavirusWhy Trump's Name Is Being Added To Stimulus ChecksNancy Pelosi Rips Trump's "Scary" COVID-19 Lies
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| Feds under pressure to publicly track nursing home outbreaks Posted: 15 Apr 2020 11:01 AM PDT  Federal health officials are coming under increasing pressure to start publicly tracking coronavirus infections and deaths in nursing homes amid criticism they have not been transparent about the scope of outbreaks across the country that have already claimed thousands of lives. Experts say the lack of tracking and transparency has been a major blind spot, and that publicizing outbreaks as they happen could not only alert nearby communities and anguished relatives but also help officials see where to focus testing and other safety measures. "This is basic public health — you track this, you study it, and you learn from it," said David Grabowski, who specializes in health care policy at Harvard Medical School.
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| Trade guru Navarro throws elbows for Trump on virus supplies Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:57 AM PDT  Peter Navarro's eagerness to confront, attack and be, as one former associate put it, "a real jerk to people" didn't serve him well as a political candidate in the 1990s. As the president's trade adviser, he hasn't been afraid to raise his voice inside the White House and out. The self-styled China hawk has seized on the coronavirus pandemic as the opportune moment to push nationalist trade views that line up with Trump's.
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| 'Hold your nose and vote': Progressives weigh backing Biden Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:52 AM PDT  When Bernie Sanders didn't win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, Silvia Machado and Patrick Gibbons voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in protest. "It's like hold your nose and vote," said Gibbons, 59. A week after Sanders' exit left Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee, the former vice president is working to win over voters such as Machado and Gibbons.
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| UN mission slams rise in Libya violence Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:44 AM PDT  The United Nations mission in Libya Wednesday condemned rising violence in the North African country, after forces loyal to a unity government this week retook towns west of Tripoli. "UNSMIL notes with grave concern reports of attacks on civilians ... desecration of corpses, retribution, including looting, robberies and torching of public and private properties" in towns that Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have seized in recent days. Libya has been in turmoil since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
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| UN mission slams rise in Libya violence Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:34 AM PDT |
| What happened next? An update on the world before the coronavirus Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:34 AM PDT |
| Germany to begin easing virus curbs Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:30 AM PDT  German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday announced first steps in undoing coronavirus restrictions that have plunged the economy into a recession, with most shops allowed to open although schools must stay closed until May 4. Shops up to 800 square metres (8,600 feet) are allowed to reopen once they have "plans to maintain hygiene", Merkel told reporters in Berlin, as Germany sees "fragile intermediate success" in slowing the spread of COVID-19. "We have to proceed with extreme caution," she said following her afternoon meeting with the heads of Germany's 16 states.
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| Pro-Iran accounts blamed the US for the coronavirus in latest social media disinformation campaign Posted: 15 Apr 2020 10:07 AM PDT  As the coronavirus wreaks havoc on economies and populations around the globe, the chaos also presents a unique opportunity for disinformation efforts. According to a new report from social analytics company Graphika, which tracks online disinformation, Iran's propaganda operations have turned to promote the country's causes through the lens of the coronavirus in recent weeks. Since February, a group known as the International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM) has seeded memes, articles and videos promoting Iranian and Chinese interests and accusing the U.S. of creating the virus as a biological weapon.
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| Russian veterans urge Putin to postpone WWII parade over virus Posted: 15 Apr 2020 09:41 AM PDT  Russian veterans on Wednesday urged President Vladimir Putin to postpone a military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of Soviet victory in World War II, due to the coronavirus risk to participants. Russia has so far not dropped plans to hold a massive parade with thousands of troops marching through Red Square on May 9, despite a national lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic and a ban on large public events. A letter signed by the heads of three veterans' organisations was sent to Putin, Russian news agencies reported.
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| Why the coronavirus could lead to another surge in Euroscepticism Posted: 15 Apr 2020 09:30 AM PDT  Euroscepticism never actually went away after Brexit, but European Union stalwarts have largely been holding the line, with gambits from anti-EU leaders like Italy's Matteo Salvini failing over the past year. But the COVID-19 pandemic could change that.Countries like Italy, Spain, and Portugal have seen their debt burdens rise during the pandemic, but despite calls from Italy for Brussels to issue so-called "eurobonds" to share debt more evenly across the continent, the European Central Bank is instead relying on a massive asset-purchase program which allows all eurozone members to borrow from bond markets during the downturn. But risk varies by country."What matters to markets is the sense that we are not seeing solidarity at a time of crisis," Mark Dowding, the chief investment officer at BlueBay Asset Management, told the Financial Times. "Instead it's every man for himself. That is going to fuel Euroscepticism, which eventually sees fears of a breakup getting priced in."Richard McGuire, a rates strategist at a Rabobank, concurred, telling FT the "creditworthiness of member states is back at the center of the market's radar." He added that the concern stretches across all of southern Europe. "We are moving back to a two-speed continent," he said. Read more at The Financial Times.More stories from theweek.com Why can't you go fishing during the pandemic? The new mysteries of coronavirus China secretly prepared for a pandemic as tens of thousands of people dined together in Wuhan, AP reports
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| UN: 51 migrants disembark in Libyan capital amid clashes Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:58 AM PDT  More than 50 migrants from Eritrea and Sudan disembarked in Libya's capital Wednesday after spending hours on a coast guard vessel off Tripoli and were detained by local authorities, the U.N. migration agency said. The U.N. mission in Libya, meanwhile, voiced concern about an escalation of fighting between rival forces over Tripoli in recent days, and the release of over 400 jail inmates in a western town recently taken by Tripoli-allied militias. The migrants were handed over to Libya's coast guard after being rescued Tuesday night by a commercial ship in Maltese territorial waters, the International Organization for Migration said.
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| Attorney who fought for civil rights in Louisiana has died Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:38 AM PDT  A white lawyer who defended black civil rights activists at the height of the movement in Louisiana, often weathering threats to his own life, has died. Richard Barry Sobol died March 24 at his home in Sebastopol, California, of aspiration pneumonia, stemming from radiation treatment for squamous cell carcinoma found in a lymph node in his neck, his wife, Anne Sobol, told The Associated Press in an email. Gary Duncan, the subject of that case, said he's still at a loss for words after hearing of Sobol's death.
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| WWII veteran, age 99, raises millions for UK health service Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:25 AM PDT  A 99-year-old British army veteran who started walking laps in his garden as part of a humble fundraiser for the National Health Service has surprised himself by generating millions of pounds within days. Tom Moore's family used social media to help him get donations to support health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic as a way to thank the doctors and nurses who took care of him when he broke his hip. Celebrities, fellow veterans, health workers and many other Britons have rallied behind Moore after the World War II veteran and his family appeared on national television.
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| Iran says world learning US 'kills people' after WHO move Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:06 AM PDT  Iran said Wednesday the world is learning that the United States "kills people", after President Donald Trump suspended US funding for the World Health Organization amid the coronavirus pandemic. The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic has topped 125,000 around the world, with more than two million people infected by the disease since December. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif likened the funding freeze to the United States' "maximum pressure" campaign against his country.
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| A virus that hits all faiths tests religion's tie to science Posted: 15 Apr 2020 08:06 AM PDT  Israel's health minister dismissed a potential curfew by saying that "the Messiah will come and save us." A global Muslim missionary movement held mass gatherings — and took blame for spreading the disease. While most leaders of major religions have supported governments' efforts to fight the pandemic by limiting gatherings, a minority of the faithful — in both religious and secular institutions — have not.
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| 'Not the time': Trump faces global criticism over move to end WHO funding Posted: 15 Apr 2020 07:45 AM PDT  "Now is a time for unity," the United Nations chief said, "not a time to cut the resources of the World Health Organization."
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| To love and to cherish: Nurse couple unites to fight virus Posted: 15 Apr 2020 07:36 AM PDT  "Everybody's talking about the photo," says Cayer, 46. Placing a tube into a patient's mouth and down into their airway requires close contact — and because the virus spreads in droplets, the highest level of protective gear. To conserve gear and expose fewer health care workers, the hospital pared down staff to a minimum for intubations before surgery.
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| Hezbollah says members escape Israeli drone attack in Syria Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:42 AM PDT |
| Former UN ambassador claims Trump's WHO funding pullout exceeds Putin's 'wildest dreams' Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:38 AM PDT  President Trump caused a stir Tuesday evening when he announced the United States will stop funding the World Health Organization and review its "role in in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread" of COVID-19.There's been a lot of backlash over the decision, but one person who might be pleased by it is Russian President Vladimir Putin. At least that's what former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power — who served in the role during the Obama administration — thinks.Not only does Power imagine Putin is happy about the funding pullout, but she claims it probably goes beyond "his wildest dreams" of the fall of the U.S.'s global reputation.> Imagining Putin's thinking this morning:"When I interfered in 2016 election to help Trump & undermine US leadership in the world, even I never thought he would halt funding to @WHO amid the worst pandemic in a century. His destruction of US credibility exceeds my wildest dreams."> > — Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) April 15, 2020Putin hasn't said anything publicly about Trump's decision, but, for what it's worth, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously discouraged any finger pointing at the WHO or specific countries. He did, however, praise Trump's offer to eventually provide Russia with medical equipment to fight the pandemic in a "partner-like approach."More stories from theweek.com Why can't you go fishing during the pandemic? The new mysteries of coronavirus China secretly prepared for a pandemic as tens of thousands of people dined together in Wuhan, AP reports
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| Warren becomes latest ex-presidential rival to back Biden Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:14 AM PDT  Elizabeth Warren endorsed Joe Biden on Wednesday, the latest of the former vice president's onetime White House rivals to back him as the Democratic Party moves to project unity against President Donald Trump going into the November election. "And we can't afford to let Donald Trump continue to endanger the lives and livelihoods of every American." Warren left the race without endorsing Biden or her fellow progressive Bernie Sanders — but the dynamics changed substantially in subsequent weeks, with campaigning forced into a hiatus amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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| Iran parliament: Virus deaths nearly double reported figures Posted: 15 Apr 2020 06:09 AM PDT  The death toll in Iran from the coronavirus pandemic is likely nearly double the officially reported figures, due to undercounting and because not everyone with breathing problems has been tested for the virus, a parliament report said. Iranian health officials offered no comment on the report, which represents the highest-level charge yet from within the Islamic Republic's government of its figures being questionable, something long suspected by international experts. Iran on Wednesday put the death toll at 4,777, out of 76,389 confirmed cases of the virus — still making it the Mideast's worst outbreak by far.
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| What you need to know today about the virus outbreak Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:56 AM PDT  Nations around the world reacted with alarm to news that President Donald Trump put a halt to American payments to the World Health Organization, pending a review of its warnings about the coronavirus and China. Health experts warned the move could jeopardize global efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic. In explaining the decision, Trump blamed the WHO for not doing enough to stop the virus and for being too lenient on China.
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| 'Not the time': Trump faces global criticism over move to end WHO funding Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:54 AM PDT "Now is a time for unity," the chief of the U.N. said, "not a time to cut the resources of the World Health Organization."
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| Lagos unrest: The mystery of Nigeria's fake gangster attacks Posted: 15 Apr 2020 05:50 AM PDT  Residents of two Nigerian states, where there is a lockdown, panicked after fake reports of mass attacks.
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| WHO, allies lament Trump cut to US funding as virus rages Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:21 AM PDT  The head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday lamented the U.S. decision to halt funding for the U.N. agency, promising a review of its decisions while sidestepping President Donald Trump's complaints about its alleged mismanagement, cover-up and missteps. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was on the defensive after Trump announced a halt to U.S. funding that has totaled nearly a half-billion dollars annually in recent years. Trump claimed the WHO had parroted Chinese assurances about how the virus is spread, failed to obtain virus samples from China, and made a "disastrous decision" to oppose travel restrictions as the outbreak spread.
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| 10 things you need to know today: April 15, 2020 Posted: 15 Apr 2020 04:02 AM PDT |
