| Disillusionment grows over Trump's coronavirus briefings Posted: 09 Apr 2020 01:34 PM PDT  The Wall Street Journal becomes the latest news outlet to criticize President Trump's performances at the daily coronavirus task force briefings.
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| Animal shelters say in coronavirus lockdown people are looking for new friends Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:03 PM PDT  Kelsey Pierce, a musician and songwriter in New York City, had always wanted to foster a dog with her roommate, Allyson Backus, but because of their busy schedules it was never a real possibility. Since all of New York is currently on a stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus pandemic, the pair were finally able to take on a furry friend.
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| U.S. spy agencies collected raw intel hinting at public health crisis in Wuhan, China, in November Posted: 09 Apr 2020 03:43 PM PDT  Current and former officials say there was no formal assessment in November but that there was raw intelligence that fueled formal assessments written in December.
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| China Reclassifies Dogs from Livestock to Pets in Response to Coronavirus Posted: 09 Apr 2020 02:59 PM PDT  China's agriculture ministry has reclassified dogs, which it previously deemed livestock, as pets in response to the coronavirus pandemic."As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilization and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been 'specialized' to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China," the Ministry of Agriculture said in guidelines published on Wednesday that are now open to public comment.The new coronavirus is thought to have originated in bats that then infected wild animals that were sold in the so-called wet markets of Wuhan, where the outbreak began.In February, as the virus was beginning to spread and before it reached global pandemic status the next month, China temporarily banned the farming and consumption of "terrestrial wildlife of important ecological, scientific and social value," and plans to sign the ban into permanent law later this year. But the wildlife trade is widespread in the country, and previous efforts to curtail the market have had little effect.The guidelines list 18 traditional livestock species, including cattle, pigs, poultry, and camels, as well as 13 "special" species that will also be allowed to be sold, including reindeer, alpaca, pheasants, ostriches, and foxes.Several U.S. lawmakers have criticized China's wildlife trade and called on the country to do more to prevent outbreaks like the coronavirus from occurring again in the future."While I welcomed the announcement last month that the People's Republic of China (PRC) has permanently banned the trade and consumption of non-aquatic wild animals, I share the concerns of many in the conservation community that this ban does not go far enough," said Representative Mike McCaul (R., Texas). "The policy does not ban the trade of wild animals for fur, medicine, or research, and I believe that these loopholes may be exploited to illegally sell or trade these animals."
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| Saudi, Russia outline record oil cut under U.S. pressure as demand crashes Posted: 09 Apr 2020 06:46 PM PDT  OPEC, Russia and other allies outlined plans on Thursday to cut their oil output by more than a fifth and said they expected the United States and other producers to join in their effort to prop up prices hammered by the coronavirus crisis. The planned output curbs by OPEC+ amount to 10 million barrels per day (bpd) or 10% of global supplies, with another 5 million bpd expected to come from other nations to help deal with the deepest oil crisis in decades. Global fuel demand has plunged by around 30 million bpd, or 30% of global supplies, as steps to fight the virus have grounded planes, cut vehicle usage and curbed economic activity.
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| Coronavirus: New York ramps up mass burials amid outbreak Posted: 10 Apr 2020 10:03 AM PDT  Drone footage shows coffins stacked in a pit in the city, as the state logs more cases than any country.
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| General says coronavirus may affect more Navy ships Posted: 09 Apr 2020 07:49 AM PDT  Pentagon leaders anticipate that the coronavirus may strike more Navy ships at sea after an outbreak aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific infected more than 400 sailors, a top general said Thursday. Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said one member of the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt was hospitalized Thursday in intensive care on Guam, where the carrier has been docked for more than a week. "It's not a good idea to think that the Teddy Roosevelt is a one-of-a-kind issue," Hyten told a Pentagon news conference.
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| Pope presides over haunting Good Friday procession under lockdown Posted: 10 Apr 2020 01:05 PM PDT  Pope Francis entered a torch-lit, but hauntingly empty Saint Peter's Square for a Good Friday procession under a lockdown caused by a coronavirus that has claimed 100,000 lives worldwide. The Argentine-born pontiff walked up to his podium flanked by five prison inmates from the hard-hit northern Italian city of Padua and five Vatican doctors and nurses. Earlier, Francis had said that medics and priests who died after becoming infected while looking after COVID-19 victims "gave their lives out of love, like soldiers at the front".
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| The first ER doctor to die from the coronavirus in the US said he was infected because he had to wear the same mask 4 days in a row Posted: 10 Apr 2020 07:58 AM PDT  Frank Gabrin worked in New York emergency rooms where, he told friends, there was a shortage of protective equipment. The hospitals denied a shortage.
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| 'Hope to God it's the right decision': Trump to name new coronavirus task force focused on 'reopening' Posted: 10 Apr 2020 01:14 PM PDT  The makeup of Trump's second coronavirus taskforce could signal his thinking on reopening the nation as federal guidelines are set to expire this month.
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| U.K. Not Ready to Ease Lockdown as Daily Death Toll Reaches 980 Posted: 10 Apr 2020 11:07 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- The U.K. does not yet have the evidence it needs to ease restrictions on movement imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, as officials reported 980 deaths in a single day.As Prime Minister Boris Johnson begins his recovery in hospital, officials are working on a strategy to exit lockdown measures but the outbreak has not yet reached the point at which curbs can be removed. The government's emergency committee will review the restrictions next week.Boris Johnson Kept on Working, But Then the Virus Took Over"The information that we do have so far shows that we're not there yet," Hancock said at a televised briefing when asked about the government's data on the outbreak. "The most important message is to stay at home, because that's what saves lives."While Johnson's medical and scientific advisers warned the lockdown may last for weeks or even months, pressure is building on ministers to reveal their plan for easing restrictions once the U.K. is judged to be past the peak of the outbreak.The economic and social cost of keeping people indoors is becoming more evident, including a rise in cases of domestic abuse, missed treatments for life-threatening illnesses, and beleaguered retailers warning they are on the brink of collapse in spite of government offers of support.'Huge Problems'Hancock said he is "very alive to" the effect of the lockdown on people's lives and said he's working with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on the issue."We do not yet have an established estimate of the impact of the huge problems in the economy that have been caused and the impact on the health of the nation, but it's a piece of work I'm working on jointly with the chancellor," Hancock said. "To make sure that when we make the big policy decisions -- especially around social-distancing -- we take into account the entire impact on the health and wellbeing of everyone in the country."With good weather forecast for much of the long holiday weekend, ministers are anxious to avoid scenes of people gathering in groups in parks, seaside resorts and beauty spots. The government rolled out an advertising campaign on social media and in print urging Britons to stay home, protect the National Health Service and save lives over the Easter break.The death toll from the virus rose by a further 980 -- the highest daily total so far -- to bring the total to 8,958 in the latest data published Friday.UnprotectedHancock announced a plan to improve the provision of protective equipment to health service and social care staff to avoid them catching the virus. Supply chains have been stepped up and domestic manufacturers, including Burberry, have switched their facilities to producing protective garments, he said.The government has faced criticism amid reports of frontline staff working without equipment including masks and gowns, and the British Medical Association said this week more than two-thirds of doctors have said they don't feel safely protected where they work.Hancock risked further anger from health workers when he said the use of personal protective equipment, known as PPE, should be limited to those who really need it."Everyone should use the equipment they clinically need in line with the guidelines, no more, no less," he said. "We need everyone to treat PPE like the precious resource that it is."LockdownWhen the U.K. imposed sweeping restrictions on movement on March 23, Johnson said the measures would be reviewed in three weeks -- a deadline that falls on Monday. The lockdown has brought the economy to a near halt and triggered a surge in the number of people claiming welfare payments for the first time.But it will be "several more weeks" before scientists will be able to draw conclusions about the rate of decline in cases and recommend any lifting of measures, Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist who advises the government, told BBC Radio 4 on Friday. That's despite "preliminary evidence" the restrictions are working better than anticipated, he said.The government and its scientific advisers are working on an exit strategy as a top priority, according to Ferguson, and will likely consider age and geography in a staggered lifting of restrictions. He also called for widespread testing to identify cases and track transmissions."We clearly don't want these measures to continue any longer than is absolutely necessary, the economic costs, social costs, personal and health costs are huge," he said. "But we do want to find a set of policies which maintains suppression" of the virus.Following a call late Thursday with opposition parties described by Johnson's office as "constructive," new Labour Party leader Keir Starmer called on the government to publish its strategy for exiting the lockdown.Yet the government faces making a critical choice -- which risks triggering a second wave of infections if restrictions are lifted too early, or paralyzing the economy if left too late -- without Johnson, at least in the short term.When Johnson, who is now able to take short walks in the hospital, returns to work will be "on the advice of his medical team," his spokesman James Slack said. The premier's recovery "is at an early stage," he told reporters on a conference call.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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| Back from quarantine in China, Taiwanese fear discrimination at home Posted: 10 Apr 2020 09:16 AM PDT  Stigma against people exposed to COVID-19 is not unique to Taiwan. But those returning to Taiwan after visiting China's Hubei province are bracing for more.
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| Almost Everything on Levi’s Site is 40 Percent Off Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:52 PM PDT |
| Lockdown in West Bank, crowds in Gaza: Palestinians divided over coronavirus Posted: 09 Apr 2020 02:06 AM PDT  Political and physical divisions between Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have induced two very different responses to the coronavirus pandemic, with a strict lockdown in the first and crowds milling about freely in the second. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which has 250 recorded cases of the COVID-19 lung disease, a lockdown on public life was swiftly imposed - Bethlehem was sealed off after the first outbreak in March and a state of emergency declared. Forty km (25 miles) apart and separated by Israel, the West Bank and Gaza have no direct link between them.
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| Leading Scientific Journal Nature Apologizes for ‘Associating’ Coronavirus with China Posted: 09 Apr 2020 12:05 PM PDT  The leading British scientific journal Nature apologized in an article published on Tuesday for "associating" the coronavirus with its origin place in China on the grounds that the linkage had inspired racist attacks against people with Asian heritage across the world."That we did so was an error on our part, for which we take responsibility and apologize," the journal said in an article published Tuesday.The coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China and first appeared in bats thought to have infected wild animals that were sold in the city's wet markets. Since then, it has spread to at least 177 countries and infected 1.4 million people. As of Thursday morning, at least 89,000 people had died after contracting the respiratory illness."It's clear that since the outbreak was first reported, people of Asian descent around the world have been subjected to racist attacks, with untold human costs – for example, on their health and livelihoods," the article read.Nature remarked that the World Health Organization's dubbing the new coronavirus COVID-19 was a subtle reminder to "those who had erroneously been associating the virus with Wuhan and with China in their news coverage – including Nature."The publication urged that "Coronavirus stigma must stop – now.""It would be tragic if stigma, fueled by the coronavirus, led Asia's young people to retreat from international campuses, curtailing their own education, reducing their own and others' opportunities and leaving research worse off – just when the world is relying on it to find a way out," the journal said.The Nature report also chastised "a minority of politicians," who are "sticking with the outdated script.""Continuing to associate a virus and the disease it causes with a specific place is irresponsible and needs to stop," the report said.President Trump briefly referred to the coronavirus as the "Chinese virus," defending his use of the term by saying "it comes from China," but later backed away from the phrase after reports of an uptick in violence against Asian Americans."Look, everyone knows it came out of China, but I decided we shouldn't make any more of a big deal out of it," Trump said early last month.The Communist Chinese government has denied that the virus originated in China and said that it is "strongly indignant" over the phrase, calling it "a kind of stigmatization." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang demanded last month that the U.S. "immediately stop its unjustified accusations against China."
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| FBI arrests Texas man for coronavirus hoax meant to empty grocery stores Posted: 09 Apr 2020 08:38 AM PDT  A Texas man is facing federal charges for allegedly posting on Facebook that he had paid a person with coronavirus to spread the virus in San Antonio-area grocery stores in an attempt to get people to stop shopping.
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| Coronavirus: New York has more cases than any country Posted: 10 Apr 2020 04:14 AM PDT  Photos emerge of workers in hazmat outfits stacking coffins in a mass grave in New York City.
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| Experts warn that there is no proof the coronavirus will stop spreading in warmer weather Posted: 09 Apr 2020 02:57 PM PDT  A recently released report indicates that warmer weather won't have a significant impact on the coronavirus.
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| Barr says Russia probe was started 'without basis' Posted: 09 Apr 2020 07:57 PM PDT  Attorney General William Barr believes the Russia investigation that shadowed President Donald Trump for the first two years of his administration was started without any basis and amounted to an effort to "sabotage the presidency," he said in an interview with Fox News Channel. Barr offered no support for his assertion that the FBI lacked a basis for opening the investigation and made no mention of the fact that the bureau began its probe after a Trump campaign adviser purported to have early knowledge that Russia had dirt on Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
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| Boris Johnson walking in hospital as UK sees record death toll Posted: 10 Apr 2020 10:56 AM PDT  Prime Minister Boris Johnson was able to walk in hospital on Friday some 24 hours after leaving intensive care treatment for COVID-19, as Britain recorded nearly 1,000 daily deaths from the virus for the first time. "The Prime Minister has been able to do short walks, between periods of rest, as part of the care he is receiving to aid his recovery," a Downing Street spokesman said. Johnson left intensive care at London's St Thomas' Hospital on Thursday evening, three days after being admitted due to his then-worsening condition.
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| Rare look at stockpile handouts shows which states got ventilators, masks amid coronavirus Posted: 10 Apr 2020 08:02 AM PDT  A federal report gives the nation its closest look yet at how the secretive Strategic National Stockpile distributed supplies amid the coronavirus.
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| Inmates at Kansas prison take over cell block, damage property Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:43 PM PDT  There have been COVID-19 cases involving inmates at the prison, but a cause of the disturbance at Lansing Correctional Facility was not clear.
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| Harvey Weinstein free of coronavirus symptoms, spokesman says Posted: 09 Apr 2020 05:06 PM PDT  "As of now, it's been 14 days since reports of concern from people inside the prison, and he has no symptoms and no issues," Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer said. Weinstein, 68, was sentenced on March 11 for sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress. Michael Powers, head of the state corrections officers union, said on March 22 that Weinstein had tested positive for the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19.
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| China reclassifies dogs as pets, not livestock Posted: 10 Apr 2020 11:10 AM PDT  The move signals an official turn against dog meat consumption in China.
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| Bill Gates thinks schools will be able to re-open by fall, but 'low-income students will be hurt the most by these school closures' Posted: 09 Apr 2020 06:11 AM PDT  Bill Gates highlighted the inequalities surfaced by online learning, and expects low attendance as students finish this school year at home.
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| Saudi cease-fire takes effect in Yemen, rebels suspect ploy Posted: 09 Apr 2020 05:40 AM PDT  A cease-fire proposed by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen went into effect Thursday, potentially paving the way for peace talks to end the more than 5-year-old conflict. Houthi rebels, who control northern Yemen and the capital, Sanaa, quickly dismissed the offer as a ploy by the kingdom to boost its international standing while a spokesman for the rebel forces accused the coalition of several attacks on Thursday. "The Saudis are still employing their air, land and naval forces to tighten the siege on Yemen ... this is an announcement only to restore (their positions), to close ranks."
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| Europe Is Looking at Several More Weeks of Virus Lockdowns Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:34 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Italy and Spain are preparing for several more weeks under lockdown as volatile coronavirus infection rates prevent Europe's governments from easing curbs on public life.Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose country has reported the most virus-linked deaths worldwide, is leaning toward an extension to early May, though a small number of businesses may be allowed to reopen. Spain prolonged a state of emergency until April 25 and the U.K. also is likely to extend restrictions.German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined Spain and Italy on Thursday in upholding curbs on people's movement and face-to-face contacts, saying progress in defeating the pandemic is "fragile" and it's too early to relent. In a plea echoed elsewhere in Europe, she called on Germans to abide by the measures over the long Easter weekend."We must stay focused," she said after a cabinet meeting.As the pandemic maintains its grip on Europe, policy makers are caught between the urgent need to restart battered economies and calls by health officials to maintain lockdowns. Political uncertainty in the U.K. eased after Prime Minister Boris Johnson was released from intensive care, though he remained hospitalized to recover from a coronavirus infection.Merkel's cautious words echo the approach in other European countries faced with major outbreaks. Italy reported a rise in deaths and infections, while France's death toll increased with a backlog of data from nursing homes. U.K. deaths, though lower than in Europe's worst-hit countries, rose by 881 to almost 8,000."We're not done yet, we must keep going," Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, who is deputizing for Johnson, said in London. "Deaths are still rising, and we still haven't seen the peak of the virus."Conte's DilemmaItaly's containment measures run until Monday. Conte is inclined to keep those restrictions fundamentally unchanged, according to three trade union and business representatives who met with him on Thursday. The Italian premier is expected to announce an extension as early as Friday, according to two officials.Any slight easing will be gradual and on a regional basis, according to the officials, who asked not to be identified by name in line with policy. Businesses that could be allowed to open include bookshops and stationary stores, agricultural machinery makers, forestry companies and perhaps sellers of baby clothes, according to newspaper Corriere della Sera.With expanded testing under way, Italy recorded Thursday a second straight increase in the number of daily new coronavirus cases, counting 4,204 confirmed infections compared with 3,836 on Wednesday. Another 610 patients died, bringing the death toll to 18,279, according to civil protection authorities.Infections in Spain rose to more than 157,000 and deaths surpassed 15,800 on Friday, underscoring the severity of Europe's most-extensive outbreak, even as daily fatalities slowed to the lowest since March 24.Spanish lawmakers extended a national state of emergency for a second time on Thursday as the opposition People's Party joined Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's coalition government in supporting the measure. His government's poll ratings have declined as the virus ravaged Spain's health system.Get Going AgainFrance reported 1,341 new deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday after including two days of data from nursing homes, while the number of intensive-care patients declined for the first time since the outbreak began."So we can hope for a leveling off, but it's a very high leveling off," Jerome Salomon, head France's public health agency, said at a briefing. "It remains to be confirmed in the days ahead."New cases in Germany climbed the most in five days, according to figures Thursday from Johns Hopkins University. Merkel and the premiers of Germany's 16 states plan to meet on Wednesday to consider the next steps."I would really love to be the first one to say to you that everything is how it was and we can get things going again," Merkel said Thursday. "But that's not the case. My job right now is to say what is happening now."(Updates with Spanish data from Friday in 11th paragraph)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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| Letters to the Editor: Why is the federal government seizing medical supply orders? Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Trump doesn't want the states asking Washington for help, but his administration is seizing medical orders from providers. Why?
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| An 86-year-old woman with dementia was pushed and killed in an NYC emergency room over social distancing Posted: 09 Apr 2020 08:42 AM PDT  Janie Marshall grabbed onto a 32-year-old patient's IV pole to regain her balance, and the woman threw her to the floor, The New York Times reported.
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| Japan to Pay Companies to Move Production Out of China Posted: 09 Apr 2020 01:06 PM PDT  Japan will devote more than $2.2 billion of its coronavirus economic stimulus package to incentivize its manufacturers to move their production out of China as relations fray between the neighboring countries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.The record stimulus plan provides $2 billion for manufacturers to transfer production to Japan and over $216 million to help companies move production to other countries. Imports from China, Japan's biggest trading partner, were down by nearly 50 percent in February as facilities in China closed while the coronavirus ripped through the country.A state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month — the first such visit in about a decade — was postponed indefinitely last month amid the coronavirus pandemic."We are doing our best to resume economic development," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Wednesday of Japan's decision during a press conference in Beijing."In this process, we hope other countries will act like China and take proper measures to ensure the world economy will be impacted as little as possible and to ensure that supply chains are impacted as little as possible."Politicians in Japan and the U.S., among other countries, have placed blame on China for failing to respond strongly during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak and concealing the scale of the threat from other nations. Despite recent developments, Japan has donated masks and personal protective equipment to China."Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the Japanese government and people have expressed sympathy, understanding and support to us," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in early February.As of Thursday, Japan had more than 4,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least 85 deaths from the respiratory illness.
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| China ZTE executive quits amid sex assault allegations Posted: 10 Apr 2020 08:34 AM PDT  Bao Yuming steps down from the tech giant's board after reports of a police investigation.
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| Young people, who are least likely die from the coronavirus, should be released early from the UK's lockdown to help the economy, a new paper said Posted: 09 Apr 2020 08:26 AM PDT  The paper, from the UK's University of Warwick, says the economic benefit is worth the health risk, since young people are less vulnerable anyway.
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| US offers $10mn cash for information on Hezbollah boss Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:07 PM PDT  The United States announced on Friday a 10 million-dollar reward for "any information on the activities, networks and associates" of Muhammad Kawtharani, a Lebanese Hezbollah commander accused of playing a key role in coordinating pro-Iran groups in Iraq. Kawtharani is a senior official of the Lebanese Shiite movement in Iraq, "and has taken over some of the political coordination of Iran-aligned paramilitary groups formerly organized by Qassim Suleimani," the US State Department said in a statement. Suleimani, a powerful leader of the Revolutionary Guard, the ideological army of Tehran, was killed in early January in an American strike targeting him in Baghdad.
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| DeVos reaches settlement in lawsuit over loan relief program Posted: 10 Apr 2020 01:45 PM PDT  The U.S. Education Department is promising to process student loan forgiveness claims for nearly 170,000 borrowers within 18 months as part of a proposed settlement announced Friday in a federal lawsuit. The suit alleges that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos illegally stalled a program known as borrower defense to repayment, which promises to forgive federal student loans for borrowers who are cheated by their colleges. Under the settlement, DeVos admits no wrongdoing but promises to issue decisions on all pending claims within 18 months, and to cancel debt for approved claims within 21 months.
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| Using his own 'metrics,' Trump says ending U.S. shutdown is biggest decision yet Posted: 10 Apr 2020 11:28 AM PDT  President Donald Trump said on Friday he faced his biggest decision yet with regard to when to re-open the U.S. economy from its coronavirus shutdown and pledged to listen to health experts when making that determination. Speaking at a White House coronavirus briefing, Trump said he would unveil a new advisory group next week that would focus on the process of economic opening. The president, who faced criticism for playing down the threat from the virus in its early stages, has chafed at the devastating economic impact of the strict social distancing measures his administration has recommended.
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| Thousands of People in Dorms Pose New Challenge to Singapore Virus Fight Posted: 09 Apr 2020 06:31 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Tightly packed dormitories housing thousands of foreign workers have emerged as one of Singapore's biggest challenges in its fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus.The city state reported its highest daily increase of infections Thursday, and more than 200 of the 287 new cases were linked to foreign worker dormitories that house mainly low-wage workers in construction and other sectors. Those groups now account for about a quarter of the country's 1,910 cases.Authorities have moved swiftly to isolate the clusters. Two dormitories that together house almost 20,000 people were on Sunday designated by the Ministry of Manpower as "isolation areas" after new, linked virus cases emerged, while two more dormitories were gazetted this week. Residents were ordered to stay in their shared rooms for two weeks, but would still receive wages as well as deliveries of food and other essentials."It is honestly a difficult situation," said Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases physician at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital, who drew comparisons to cruise ships like the Diamond Princess, where about 700 of its roughly 3,700 passengers were infected with Covid-19. "This is going to be a big mess."For Singapore, a country that has been championed by health officials for its methodical virus response since the outbreak began, the move to quarantine potentially exposed workers living in close proximity has raised questions about whether the conditions will allow for social distancing -- one of the key strategies utilized around the world to contain the outbreak's spread."To try and sort this out, they need to remain in the rooms for weeks with no interactions," Leong said, adding that Singapore would have to also navigate language barriers and cultural differences among the workers.Adequate social distancing is already a challenge for those who don't live in worker dorms. The government gave out more than 7,000 warnings to people who didn't observe rules on the first day of a month-long so-called "circuit breaker" that has seen schools and most workplaces closed. The prime minister warned Thursday that people are still not doing enough to stay apart from one other.Key WorkforceForeigners make up about 38% of Singapore's overall workforce, including foreign domestic workers, according to government figures through the end of last year. They have an outsize share in the construction industry, where three of every four workers is foreign, while foreigners account for about half of Singapore's manufacturing workforce and 30% in services.A fixture in industries that depend on low-wage workers, there are more than 200,000 migrants from across Asia who live in 43 dormitories in Singapore, Minister of Manpower Josephine Teo wrote in a Facebook post on Monday, noting there was "no question" standards in dormitories should be raised. Singapore charities that support migrant workers say they have seen 10 or more people share a single room.With the coronavirus ravaging much of the planet, crowded spaces like these "pose transmission risks for everyone," the World Health Organization said."When people are in quarantine, physical distancing becomes even more challenging," a WHO spokesman wrote by email. "In such conditions, it's especially important to follow guidance on regular hand washing, respiratory etiquette and other practices to keep people healthy and prevent disease spread."Singapore is providing on-site support, including food and essential supplies while preventive measures are being put in place in the dormitories, the spokesman wrote.The government has so far closed non-essential amenities such as gyms and libraries, prevented inter-mingling between blocks, staggered meal and recreation times. It's also established basic health care facilities at two of the dormitories, while the authorities are seeking to whittle down the number of residents in affected blocks. Some healthy foreign workers operating in essential services have been moved to vacant public housing apartments.Meanwhile, Singapore has also deployed its army doctors, medical military experts and medics at the dormitories to take care of foreign workers who are unwell or infected, according to a Facebook post by Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen.Singapore is not the only country with coronavirus clusters in foreign worker residences. In Malaysia, the government on Tuesday imposed an "enhanced movement control order" on two apartment facilities in Kuala Lumpur that house some 6,000 residents after 15 people tested positive for the virus, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Wednesday. 97% of the residents are from abroad, mostly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, he said.Crowded SpacesWith 38 confirmed cases currently, the purpose-built workers accommodation Westlite Toh Guan was among the two facilities to be isolated in Singapore on Sunday. There, a total of 6,800 residents are spread across 687 apartment units with an average of eight to 10 occupants per room, according to emails with Centurion Corporation, which owns the buildings. The units include bathrooms, a kitchen, showers and dining space.Like the other gazetted dormitories, residents there have received care packs consisting of masks, thermometers and hand sanitizer, and "after some initial hitches" meals are being delivered in a timely fashion, according to a government statement on Tuesday.Ah Hlaing, a Burmese caregiver at a daycare center for the elderly who shares an apartment at the dormitory with about 10 people, said after initially being upset over the new rules, she acknowledges they are necessary.She was "upset because we can't go out and have to stay in the room," Ah said, adding she has had access to the essentials including food and sanitary products. "We have to accept now that at this time, we can't do anything."Some rights groups have expressed concern the government is not doing enough."The key vulnerability, crowding, is not really being addressed with sufficient determination," said Alex Wu, vice president at Transient Workers Count Too, a registered charity that helps low-wage migrant workers. "Infectious diseases thrive through human proximity. In fact, requiring workers to stay in their rooms except for occasional periods will intensify contact, not reduce it."(Updates with new infection data in second paragraph)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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| Top House Republican says it's 'disgusting' Democrats want mail-in voting funding in the next coronavirus bill Posted: 09 Apr 2020 12:49 PM PDT  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) isn't too worried about democracy right now.As Congress discusses further relief bills amid the COVID-19 pandemic, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has insisted they include funding for mail-in ballots through the primaries and November election. But McCarthy slammed that demand as "disgusting" on Thursday, even after Wisconsin's pandemic primary proved problematic just days earlier."You want to hold up the bill because you want to change election law for November, because you think that gives you some political benefit?" McCarthy told Politico and other reporters during a press call. "That's disgusting to me," he continued, saying Democrats should worry about "the health of the nation" and "our economy" instead."The health of the nation" is exactly what Democrats say they are trying to address in funding mail-in voting. The current system relies on in-person voting — something that isn't safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic's stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. Wisconsin displayed how untenable the in-person voting system is on Tuesday when hundreds of polling sites had to close, in-person turnout plunged, and voters were forced to wait for hours in socially distanced lines. Absentee ballot returns skyrocketed, but many people in Wisconsin reported they didn't receive them in time to cast their votes.Without a provision for remote voting in Congress, every coronavirus relief package can be held up with a single sign of opposition. That's what happened Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) $250 billion small business loan package as Democrats demanded more accountability and an additional $250 billion in funding for health care facilities and local and state governments.More stories from theweek.com A federal program promised small businesses up to $2 million in loans. Now it's maxing out at $15,000. Sting, Jimmy Fallon, and the Roots perform 'Don't Stand So Close to Me' remotely, creatively Google, Apple elicit praise and concern over massive coronavirus partnership
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| Turkey's COVID-19 infection rate is the fastest rising in the world. Here's why it got so many cases so quickly. Posted: 09 Apr 2020 10:36 PM PDT  Less than a month ago, Turkey didn't have a single case. As of April 10, it had 42,282 confirmed cases with 908 deaths.
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| Army Designs New Camera Drones to Be Fired from Grenade Launchers Posted: 10 Apr 2020 06:51 AM PDT  Army scientists have created a reconnaissance drone that soldiers will be able to fire from their 40mm grenade launchers.
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| New case of Ebola in DR Congo two days before WHO set to announce end to outbreak Posted: 10 Apr 2020 10:24 AM PDT  A new case of Ebola was reported in eastern DR Congo on Friday, just three days before a deadline that would have marked the official end to the long epidemic, the UN said. "Unfortunately, this means the government of DRC will not be able to declare an end to the Ebola outbreak on Monday, as hoped," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), said on Twitter. The country's health ministry said the case - the first recorded in 52 days - was a 26-year-old man. "Our teams, in collaboration with the WHO, are already on the ground to carry out further investigations and implement health measures," the ministry's Ebola task force said in a statement. A health official said the patient reportedly died in hospital early Thursday, several days after falling ill with Ebola symptoms. The epidemic, the 10th in the Democratic Republic of Congo's history, dates back to August 1 2018.
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| Denmark rushed to lock down before almost every other country. Now its response is so far ahead that it's starting to remove restrictions. Posted: 10 Apr 2020 01:57 AM PDT  Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said schools will reopen on April 15, but warned that the country can't return to normal too quickly.
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| Coronavirus: Canada lost a record one million jobs in March Posted: 09 Apr 2020 08:49 AM PDT  The country's unemployment rate rose to 7.8% as non-essential business closed due to the coronavirus.
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| AP PHOTOS: Virus stills Iran's frenetic capital, Tehran Posted: 08 Apr 2020 11:10 PM PDT  The typically frenetic streets of Iran's capital, Tehran, have fallen silent and empty over recent days due to the new coronavirus outbreak that's gripped the Islamic Republic. Iran's government for days downplayed the effects of the virus. The same goes for the cinemas, the bus stations and the malls, including a massive one in Tehran's outskirts now housing a newly built clinic for the virus.
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| Saudi-Mexican clash halts record oil cut deal despite Trump pressure Posted: 10 Apr 2020 05:25 AM PDT  Top oil nations struggled to finalise record output cuts at G20 talks on Friday to boost prices slammed by the coronavirus crisis, as Saudi Arabia clashed with Mexico despite U.S. President Donald Trump's mediation offer. OPEC led by Saudi Arabia and its allies led by Russia, which together make up the informal OPEC+ group, had forged a pact to curb crude production by 10 million barrels per day (bpd) or 10% of global supplies in marathon talks on Thursday. Russia and OPEC said they wanted other producers including the United States and Canada to cut a further 5%.
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| Global Cases Top 1.5 Million; Singapore Numbers Up: Virus Update Posted: 08 Apr 2020 05:42 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Global cases of the coronavirus topped 1.5 million, less than a week after surpassing the 1-million mark. New York, the U.K. and Belgium reported their deadliest days so far. Singapore announced its largest daily increase.The crisis will escalate if countries don't start showing more solidarity, the head of the World Health Organization said, urging the U.S. and China to show "honest leadership" and stop bickering.U.S. Democrats are seeking at least $500 billion in the next stimulus bill, and Hong Kong announced a fresh package valued at about $18 billion. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is stable and responding to treatment at a London hospital.Key Developments:Global cases top 1.5 million; deaths pass 88,000: Johns HopkinsSingapore reported its largest daily increaseFederal medical aid to states falls short, House report saysGenome researchers find most NYC cases came from EuropeU.S. recession model at 100% confirms downturn is already hereSmoking helps open gateway to coronavirus infection, study showsJack Ma Helps Repair China's Image (8:15 a.m. HK)China's richest person is now playing a prominent role in philanthropic efforts that are effectively helping President Xi Jinping improve the country's image overseas after Covid-19 spread around the world, unleashing a devastating human and economic toll. That's a stark turn from just 18 months earlier, when Ma had to publicly dispute speculation that the government had prompted him to step down from the e-commerce giant he founded.Half a Billion People at Risk of Poverty (8:00 a.m. HK)The economic hit from coronavirus threatens to put more than half a billion people into poverty unless countries take action to cushion the blow, according to a report from the charity group, Oxfam. Under the most serious scenario of a 20% contraction in income, the number of people living in poverty could increase by between 434 million and 611 million, said the report, which is based on an analysis by researchers at King's College London and the Australian National University.China Has 63 Cases (7:56 a.m. HK)China had 63 additional confirmed coronavirus cases on April 8, with 61 of them from abroad, according to statement from the country's National Health Commission. There were 56 asymptomatic cases, half of them from overseas.Singapore Numbers Surge (7:30 a.m. HK)The city-state reported its largest daily increase in coronaviruscases on Wednesday, just as the country started a partial lockdown. Authorities said there were 142 new cases, bringing Singapore's total to 1,623. An Indian national who died while awaiting his test result was subsequently confirmed to have the infection, according to the Ministry of Health. Investigations are going on to establish the cause of death, it said. If confirmed, that would be the seventh fatality linked to the disease.Starbucks Sees Six Months of Pain (7:27 a.m. HK)Starbucks Corp. said a sharp slowdown from the coronavirus pandemic will worsen before getting better, with the financial impact extending as far as September. The company based its assessment on the tentative recovery in the Chinese market, its most important along with the U.S. The coffee chain went through social distancing and mandatory closures in the Asian nation earlier in the year, giving it an early glimpse at how the situation would play out in the U.S. and elsewhere.Airlines Squeezed By Delays in U.S. Rescue Package (7:13 a.m. HK)U.S. airlines' desperate bid for $29 billion in government rescue cash is being frustrated by a lengthening process and demands that companies provide more detailed financial information, people familiar with the situation said.Carriers that filed April 3 for the grants intended to help meet payroll costs expected the checks to begin arriving days ago, said people familiar with the aid discussions. Instead, U.S. Treasury officials have asked for another round of data that appears to be more related to a separate loan process instead of the cash grants, further delaying the relief, the people said.California Has $1.4 Billion Plan to Buy Medical Equipment (5:17 p.m. NY)California Governor Gavin Newsom secured a deal to import 200 million masks on a monthly basis for health care workers, grocery store employees and others on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic, part of a $1.4 billion planned investment in personal protective equipment.Some of that equipment could be shared with other states facing shortages, Newsom said at a press briefing Wednesday,"California is just uniquely resourced," Newsom said. It can use "the kind of scale that few other states, few other countries can even resource, so we're pleased to do that and it's our responsibility to do more."Read more hereU.S. Cases Climb 9.6%, Deaths Top 14,000 (4:20 p.m. NY)The growth in U.S. coronavirus cases showed signs of slowing Wednesday, even as deaths accelerated in some of the hardest-hit states.U.S. cases rose 9.6% from the day before to 419,975 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. Cases nationally had been climbing an average of 11% a day over the past week. Deaths rose 19% to 14,262.New York had another day of record fatalities, reporting 779 more deaths. The state has lost more than 1,500 to the virus over the past two days, for a total of almost 6,300. Still, Governor Andrew Cuomo said hospitalizations are falling, showing social distancing is working."Nobody is saying we peaked," Cuomo said. "We've flattened the curve for this point of time."New Jersey reported a record 275 deaths. California also had one of its deadliest days, with 68 fatalities. Illinois had 82.Michigan, which has the most infections after New York and New Jersey, saw cases increase 7% to surpass 20,000, according to the state health department. Deaths rose by 114 to 959N.J. Has Record New Deaths (1:36 p.m. NY)New Jersey reported a second day of record new deaths from Covid-19 and a tapering of infections. Cases rose by 7% to 47,437, the fourth straight day of increases of 10% or less. In the last two weeks of March, New Jersey saw daily increases from 20% to 82%. Governor Phil Murphy reported 275 new fatalities since yesterday, the biggest one-day increase since the crisis began.N.Y. Reports Record 779 Daily Deaths (1:36 p.m. NY)New York suffered another day of record fatalities from the coronavirus outbreak, reporting 779 additional deaths even as hospitalizations declined."The number of deaths will continue to rise as those hospitalized for a period of time pass away," Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday at his daily virus briefing. The state has lost more than 1,500 people to the virus in the last two days, for a total of almost 6,300. WHO Says World Must Pull Together (1 p.m. NY)The coronavirus crisis will escalate if countries don't start showing more solidarity, the head of the World Health Organization said, urging the U.S. and China to show "honest leadership" and stop bickering."If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva Wednesday. "No using Covid-19 to score political points."When asked about President Donald Trump's threat to cut funding and claim that the WHO favors China, Tedros said the WHO tries to treat everyone equally, and the WHO will do an assessment of its successes and failures. He urged the U.S., China, Group of 20 countries and the rest of the world to come together and fight."For God's sake, we have lost more than 60,000 citizens of the world," he said. "Even one person is precious."'Too Early' for Europe to Start Easing Restrictions, Agency Says (12:47 p.m. NY)The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned Europe not to rush into lifting restrictions that are helping slow the spread of the pandemic."Based on the available evidence, it is currently too early to start lifting all community and physical distancing measures" in Europe, the agency said in its latest risk assessment. "Sustained transmission of the virus is to be expected if current interventions are lifted too quickly."U.K. Announces New High for Fatalities (12:02 p.m. NY)The U.K. reported a further 938 deaths from the coronavirus on Wednesday, up from yesterday's record daily total of 786.In total 60,733 people have tested positive for the illness, up from 55,242 reported on Tuesday, according to the latest figures from the Department of Heath and Social Care. The day's figures indicate a slight increase in the rate of growth.Some 14,682 tests were conducted in the country on April 7, more than the 14,006 conducted the day before. The U.K. aims to conduct 100,000 tests a day by the end of April, seeking to replicate the mass screening seen in countries such as South Korea and Germany.EU Plans to Prolong External-Border Closure Until May 15 (11:45 a.m. NY)The European Commission proposed prolonging until May 15 a ban on most travel into the European Union. Maintaining the restriction on non-essential travel into the bloc for another 30 days is necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the commission said in a recommendation that needs the approval of member-country governments.EU Braces for Arrival of 8,000 Cruise-Ship Passengers (11:00 a.m. NY)Eleven cruise ships carrying around 8,000 passengers in total will arrive at European Unions ports between April 8 and 11, the European Commission said. The EU laid out guidelines for member nations on handling the travelers, saying ships with passengers known to be infected with the coronavirus should be directed to ports close to hospitals with adequate capacity.De Blasio Says Distancing Eases Ventilator Demand (10:55 a.m. NY)New York City's social-distancing strategy appears to be working, and one result is less demand for ventilators than had been projected, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.The city had estimated that it would need as many as 300 more of the life-saving machines this week to treat coronavirus patients but has needed to add only 100, de Blasio said Wednesday at his daily virus briefing. It has 5,500 in all.Statewide, the infection rate has begun flattening, even as the death count rises.EU Working for Coordinated Ends to Members' Lockdowns (10:40 a.m. NY)The European Commission is trying to coordinate how member states end lockdowns following criticism that the bloc's initial response to the pandemic was chaotic. An internal draft of a memo seen by Bloomberg sets out conditions for easing to begin as well as other steps that be needed, such as expanding testing capacities and using apps to gather data. The adoption of the plan has been pushed back, according to commission spokesman Eric Mamer, who told journalists in Brussels that timing is a "tricky issue" since countries are at different stages of the outbreak.Oktoberfest in Doubt as Germany Sees Lasting Impact (8:59 a.m. NY)Bavaria's state premier cast doubt over the annual Oktoberfest, offering an idea of how long German authorities expect the pandemic to upend social life. Markus Soeder, a political ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, told the Bild newspaper that a decision will be taken in June, but that widespread travel and border openings by then are "very unlikely." The traditional beer festival, which draws millions to the Bavarian capital of Munich, is scheduled to start Sept. 19 and last two weeks. If it takes place at all, "it will be under completely different conditions," Soeder told Bild.India's Most Populous State Seals 15 Districts (8:23 a.m. NY)India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, has sealed off 15 of its districts worst affected by infections. The state has so far recorded 326 infections and three deaths. India has had total infections of 5,360 and 164 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. A 21-day national lockdown ends April 14.Boris Johnson is Stable, Responding to Treatment (7:54 a.m. NY)U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in a stable condition in intensive care and is "responding to treatment" for a severe coronavirus infection, his spokesman said. Johnson was taken into St Thomas' hospital in London on Sunday and moved to the critical care unit on Monday after struggling to shake off the symptoms, including a cough and a fever.Democrats Seek At Least $500 Billion in Next Stimulus Bill (7:36 a.m. NY)Democrats want $250 billion in small business aid, with $125 billion channeled through community-based financial institutions that serve farmers, family, women, minority and veteran-owned cos, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.Hong Kong Unveils Virus Relief Package (6:33 a.m. NY)Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced a fresh government stimulus package worth about HK$137.5 billion ($17.7 billion) to support the city's deteriorating economy. The spending package will include an HK$80 billion job security program to subsidize 50% of wages for affected workers for six months.WHO Says Lifting Lockdowns May Be Premature (6 a.m. NY)"To think we're close to an endpoint would be dangerous," Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's regional director for Europe, said at a briefing. Sweden is showing a fresh surge in cases, while the WHO is concerned about a dramatic increase in Turkey, he said. Countries should not lower their guard, he said."We have got to ensure that the public understands we're moving to a new phase," said Bruce Aylward, one of the WHO's top officials who recently led a mission to Spain. Countries need to make sure they're hunting the disease down, because the key to eradication is testing patients, isolating them and tracing their close contacts. Some restrictions may need to continue for some time while others are gradually loosened, he said. "It's not lifting lockdowns and going back to normal. It's a new normal."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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| Report: Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen moved to solitary confinement Posted: 10 Apr 2020 03:45 AM PDT  President Trump's former personal attorney has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement at a federal prison.
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