world news: 2020-03-22

Saturday, 28 March 2020

China threatens to strike back after Taiwan deal

China has denounced a U.S. act that increases American support for Taiwan internationally.

South Korea virus test-kit makers approved to export to US

The companies won pre-approval under emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration that allows for the products to be sold in America, South Korea's foreign ministry said, without naming the firms. The US has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus than anywhere else in the world. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said earlier this week that his US counterpart Donald Trump had asked for test kits, although the White House has not confirmed the request.

'Each day we get news of another brother or sister who has fallen': United Auto Workers announce death of fourth Fiat Chrysler employee due to the coronavirus

The fourth FCA death comes as some plants among the Detroit Big Three, whose workers are unionized with the UAW, prepare to come back online.

Want to Escape a Lockdown? Try Sweden

Asia virus latest: People return to China epicentre, security talks off

Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus first emerged last year, partly reopened on Saturday after more than two months of near total isolation for its population of 11 million. A top Asian security conference that gathers defence ministers -- including from the US and China -- and senior military officials was cancelled due to the pandemic. Thousands of migrant workers in India, left jobless and penniless by the full shutdown of the country, are walking long distances back to their home villages after all transport was stopped except for essential services.

Cuomo responds to idea of an 'enforceable' New York quarantine

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded during a Saturday news conference to President Trump's idea of an "enforceable" quarantine in the New York tri-state area.

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Trump announces quarantine on New York, parts of New Jersey and Conn. 'will not be necessary;' CDC to issue 'travel advisory'

03/28/20 5:34 PM

Toughest weeks lie ahead in coronavirus fight, warns French PM

The next two weeks will be the toughest yet in the fight against coronavirus in France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned on Saturday as his government raced to add intensive care beds and source protective gear.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2Jj25Er

Russia's Rosneft terminates Venezuela operations

Russia's largest oil producer, Rosneft, said on Saturday it had terminated operations in Venezuela and disposed of its assets relating to its operations there.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/3bz4bMy

How Much Should the Public Know About Who Has the Coronavirus?

By BY THOMAS FULLER from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2WXgZIB

Mike Longo, Jazz Pianist, Composer and Educator, Dies at 83

By BY STEVE SMITH from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/3bztjCN

Figuring Out Home Schooling in the Age of Coronavirus

By BY FRANCESCA DONNER AND CORINNE PURTILL from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2wyDbhn

Tornado Strikes Jonesboro, Ark., Causing Injuries, Official Says

By BY MICHAEL LEVENSON from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3bzrbuU

Former Republican senator Tom Coburn dies aged 72

* Oklahoman served in House of Representatives and Senate * Rightwing Republican advocated range of conservative causes * Resigned senate in 2014 after cancer diagnosisThe former Republican senator Tom Coburn has died at 72, according to a newspaper in his native Oklahoma.The Oklahoman published a statement from the senator’s family and said he died after “a long fight with prostate cancer”. Coburn, the paper said, "served in the Senate from 2005 to 2015 and in the US House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. After leaving the Senate, he pushed for a constitutional convention and advocated for a range of conservative fiscal causes.”Mike Pence, the vice-president, wrote on Twitter: “Tom Coburn was a great conservative voice in the United States Congress and American physician whose legacy will live on. Karen and I send our deepest sympathies and prayers to his family during this tough time.”Coburn was a doctor who resigned his Senate seat following his cancer diagnosis.“This decision isn’t about my health, my prognosis or even my hopes and desires,” he said then. “As a citizen, I am now convinced that I can best serve my own children and grandchildren by shifting my focus elsewhere.”One such effort was in support of rightwing efforts to call a Constitutional Convention, in an attempt to dramatically restrict the powers of the US federal government.“We’re in a battle for the future of our country,” Coburn told the annual convention of the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) in New Orleans in August 2018. “We’re either going to become a socialist, Marxist country like western Europe, or we’re going to be free. As far as me and my family and my guns, I’m going to be free.”

Deadliest Day in Italy, Spain Shows Worst of Virus Not Over

(Bloomberg) -- Italy and Spain suffered their deadliest days yet from the coronavirus outbreak. The government in Madrid warned citizens that the situation will get worse.Italy reported 969 deaths in 24 hours, and Spain 769. Italy now has 86,498 total cases, roughly the same number as the U.S. and more than China, where the disease’s first outbreak occurred. A slowdown in new cases in Italy was the one silver lining.Both countries are in almost complete lockdown, with their governments counting on limited social interactions to help contain the spread of the disease. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez convened an emergency cabinet meeting to try to chart a way out of the crisis rapidly engulfing the nation.“We may be entering a phase of stabilization, but we haven’t reached the peak yet,” Health Minister Salvador Illa said at a news conference in Madrid.With Italy and Spain now reporting the most deaths worldwide, Europe’s outbreak is stretching health-care systems and in some cases forcing doctors to choose who should live or die. The head of the World Health Organization tried to rally support for the battle against the disease on Friday, even as some world leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump question the need for extreme measures.U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was criticized for being slow to react to the epidemic, became the first world leader to say he has tested positive and is self-isolating in his Downing Street offices with “mild symptoms.” Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, also has the virus.U.K. infections are doubling every three to four days, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said. Some 14,543 people in Britain have now tested positive for coronavirus, a 2,885 increase on Thursday’s tally. Apart from Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also tested positive and the government’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said he had symptoms and would self-isolate for a week.aIn France, cases rose to 32,964 from 29,155, with a total of 1,696 deaths.European Union leaders have largely recognized the danger but struggled to agree at a virtual summit Thursday on a joint strategy to limit the economic impact. They left key details to be hammered out in the weeks ahead.Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a video statement that while the ECB and the European Commission have taken “important and positive financial and economic decisions” to counter the coronavirus crisis, heads of state so far have failed to act collectively.‘Extraordinary Crisis’In the absence of a shared EU response, national governments have been going it alone. In Germany, the upper house of parliament gave the final green light Friday to a package totaling more than 750 billion euros ($826 billion).While the death toll is still mounting, Italy’s health authorities sounded cautiously optimistic in recent days as new cases appear to be slowing. That was confirmed Friday, as new infections in the country slowed to 5,959, compared with 6,153 the previous day, civil protection authorities said at their daily news conference in Rome.Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana, who heads the region with the worst outbreak, said before Friday’s death toll was released that a decline in cases may come in days.Even as the spread seems to be slowing, evidence of its impact on the economy is starting to emerge. Confidence among Italian businesses crashed this month across all sectors. Consumer sentiment also deteriorated.Alitalia, Italy’s bankrupt state airline, announced it will lay off almost 7,000 workers, while Arcelor Mittal’s Taranto steel mill, Europe’s largest by capacity, asked to temporarily suspend its whole staff, more than 8,000 people.Italy’s gross domestic product may shrink by 6.5% in 2020, according to research group Prometeia. The government has pledged to launch a second stimulus package worth at least 25 billion euros in April, after approving a similar amount this month.(Updates with French figures in eighth 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.

June 2 shaping up to be a new Super Tuesday

June 2 has officially become the second-biggest day for allocating delegates of the entire 2020 Democratic primary cycle, behind March 3.

Trump criticizes governors who have not been 'appreciative' of the administration's efforts to fight the coronavirus

At a coronavirus task force briefing on Friday, President Trump attacked some governors for their criticism of him, saying, “I want them to be appreciative.”

Germany looks at tracking patients to rein in coronavirus - reports

Germany has proposed using big data and location tracking to isolate people with coronavirus once social distancing measures now in force have slowed its spread, media reported on Friday. The Interior Ministry's strategy paper recommends following South Korea in aggressively testing for COVID-19 and using smartphone location data to help trace people who have come into contact with those infected with the flu-like disease. Surveillance is a sensitive topic in Germany, where memories of the dreaded East German Stasi secret police and its extensive network of informants are still fresh in the minds of many.

Virus prevention measures turn violent in parts of Africa

Police fired tear gas at a crowd of Kenyan ferry commuters as the country’s first day of a coronavirus curfew slid into chaos. Virus prevention measures have taken a violent turn in parts of Africa as countries impose lockdowns and curfews or seal off major cities. Cases across Africa were set to climb above 4,000 late Saturday.

A 1,000-bed US Navy hospital ship just docked in Los Angeles to increase local healthcare capacity — see inside the USNS Mercy

The arrival of the USNS Mercy will allow local hospitals to focus its resources and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) on COVID-19 patients.

Africa lockdowns begin as coronavirus cases rise above 1,000

Uganda, Eritrea and Angola announced their first cases, meaning 42 of Africa’s 54 countries are now affected.

Coronavirus: The woman behind India's first testing kit

With the first made-in-India kits, the country could hugely scale up testing for the coronavirus.

Friday, 27 March 2020

A Silent Spring Is Saying Something

By BY ROGER COHEN from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/39t7hQt

Un ejército de costura cose mascarillas para Estados Unidos

By BY DAVID ENRICH, RACHEL ABRAMS AND STEVEN KURUTZ from NYT en Español https://ift.tt/2ULO9Ia

One Continent, Two Very Different Political Responses to the Pandemic

By BY IAN AUSTEN from NYT World https://ift.tt/2UH00Y7

Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today

By BY LARA TAKENAGA AND JONATHAN WOLFE from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3aoLlrj

Locked Out of the Virtual Classroom

By BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2y7u6MG

In This Emergency, Mom Knows Best

By BY BRET STEPHENS from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/3boDJoK

‘We Have Lost It All’: The Shock Felt by Millions of Unemployed Americans

By BY SABRINA TAVERNISE, AUDRA D. S. BURCH, SARAH MERVOSH AND CAMPBELL ROBERTSON from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/39nz70O

For Dr. Deborah Birx, Urging Calm Has Come With Heavy Criticism

By BY NOAH WEILAND AND MAGGIE HABERMAN from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/3akDcnD

Pope faces coronavirus 'tempest' alone in St Peter's Square

Pope Francis stood alone in vast Saint Peter's Square Friday to bless Catholics around the world suffering under the coronavirus pandemic, urging people to ease their fears through faith. In a historic first, the Argentine performed the rarely recited "Urbi et Orbi" blessing from the steps of the basilica to an empty square, addressing those in lockdown across the globe via television, radio and social media.

'Choppy waters' await Navy as virus strikes aircraft carrier

The Navy, the military service hit hardest by the coronavirus, scrambled Friday to contain its first at-sea outbreak, with at least two dozen infected aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, one of 11 active aircraft carriers whose mission is central to the Pentagon's strategy for deterring war with China and Iran. The Roosevelt and its contingent of warplanes may be sidelined for days, sitting pier side in Guam as the entire crew — more than 5,000 — is tested. “The Navy is headed into choppy waters in terms of readiness in the months ahead,” says retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former ship commander who rose to become NATO's top commander in Europe.

North Korea Seeks International Help for Virus Testing, FT Says

Coronavirus: Asia's 'shining star' heads for recession due to virus

Singapore's sharp slowdown suggests a major contraction for a world economy battling coronavirus.

101-year-old Italian man, born amid Spanish flu pandemic, survives coronavirus illness, official says

Identified as Mr. P., a 101-year-old man from Rimini, Italy, survived COVID-19, an official from his city told local media.

Tehran says missing former U.S. agent left Iran years ago

Tehran said on Thursday that a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran 13 years ago had left the country a long time ago, despite his family saying a day earlier that he had died in Iranian custody. Robert Levinson went missing on Iran's Kish Island in the Gulf in March 2007. The case is another irritant in the already hostile relationship between Washington and Tehran.

Syria, UAE leaders discuss coronavirus, a thaw in relations

North Korea is secretly asking for coronavirus aid from other countries while publicly denying that it has any cases

Officials in the isolated country have been privately asking other countries and aid groups for supplies like masks and test kits, reports say.

Europe Reaches Libya Breakthrough With Naval Mission Deal

‘It's a steep road ahead’: Sanders admits it's going to be tough to beat Biden but he won't stop trying

Bernie Sanders is continuing to assess the future of his presidential campaign as he lags behind Joe Biden in delegate count and has to face up to the challenge of running for office during the coronavirus pandemic.Speaking to NPR’s Noel King on Morning Edition, Senator Sanders acknowledged that the path ahead would be challenging: “it's going to be a very steep road.”

Trump and Kushner can still benefit from the $2.2. trillion coronavirus bill, despite Democratic safeguards

Democrats insisted on, and Republicans agreed to, language in a $2.2 trillion coronavirus financial rescue package that bars participation in a $500 billion loan program by any company controlled by the president, top White House officials, members of Congress, or their spouses, children, or children-in-law. But "even the fine print in a near-final 880-page version of the bill has fine print," The New York Times reports, and that provision, meant to block President Trump from profiting off the massive bill, is no exception."It turns out that the provision might not preclude funds from going to companies owned by the family of Mr. Trump's son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner, while Mr. Trump's companies would not be barred from benefiting from other elements of the bill intended to help broad swaths of American business," the Times reports. Trump hotels, for example, will be eligible for the $350 billion in small-business loans or grants, thanks to lobbying by the hotel industry, and "the Trump Organization could also benefit from the $15 billion change to the tax code won by restaurants and retailers."As for Kushner, the Times explains:> While the provision expressly bars such funds from going to companies controlled by "the spouse, child, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law" of the president and other officials, in order for the prohibition to kick in, the person in question would have to "directly or indirectly" own or control 20 percent or more of a company. Mr. Kushner rarely owns that much in his family firm's various real estate projects, according to a person familiar with the family's business arrangements. The ownership is usually divided between Mr. Kushner, his three siblings, his two parents and various outside investors. [The New York Times]The various members of the Trump and Kushner families are presumably too wealthy to qualify for the $1,200 direct payments in the legislation, at least. Read more about the fine print at The New York Times.More stories from theweek.com Trump has never been worse — but his approval is surging. Why? 5 cartoons about Dr. Fauci's impossible task Coronavirus stimulus might be delayed another day after 1 congressman threatens to disrupt unanimous vote

UAE orders overnight curfew for deep clean, Gulf coronavirus cases rise

The United Arab Emirates directed most of the public and private sectors to have the majority of staff work from home, and imposed overnight curfews as a temporary measure this weekend for a nationwide disinfection to combat the coronavirus. Only essential service workers would be allowed out and violators will face fines, a security forces spokesman said in a press conference on Thursday. The UAE has slowly followed other Gulf states in suspending passenger flights and closing public venues such as restaurants and malls.

After Putin's Big Fail, Russia Braces for COVID-19 Onslaught

Only days after the Kremlin assured the Russians that the coronavirus pandemic was under control, Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told Russian President Vladimir Putin that “the momentum is high and a serious situation is unfolding.” Contrary to the previously reported low rate of infection, "the real number of those who are sick is significantly higher,” Sobyanin said. He added that the number of tests conducted to date has been extremely low “and no one on earth knows the real picture.”Russia Swore It Whipped the Virus, and Fox and CNN Bought ItOn Wednesday, officially released statistics listed 658 coronavirus infections and no deaths. To date, there have been at least 3 known deaths of coronavirus patients in Russia, but they are being attributed to other causes and thereby deceptively omitted from government reports. The official bulletin about the coronavirus, released by Russia’s federal agency Rospotrebnadzor on March 24, states that more than 112,074 people remain under medical supervision.Concerned Russian doctors sounded the alarm that potential coronavirus cases are being ascribed to pneumonia and seasonal flu without testing. For example, the city of St. Petersburg experienced a sharp jump of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus cases. During just one week in March, 63,000 SARS cases and 406 cases of pneumonia have been recorded, according to Interfax. The city’s administration emphasized that the incidence of SARS is at the epidemiological threshold. The Interfax news report did not point out that the official name of the novel coronavirus is SARS-CoV-2.In light of the Kremlin’s pandemic propensity for lying, the public disregarded initial claims that the government successfully curtailed the spread of the coronavirus. Panic buying ensued, leading to the rising prices of sugar, buckwheat, produce and other food items.As the coronavirus curve keeps on climbing, President Putin is on a mission to demonstrate his leadership. He postponed a nationwide vote on pending constitutional changes, which are meant to secure his lifelong presidency. The voting may take place later in the year and possibly be conducted by mail. The decision is being left solely to Putin.Putin Worries Coronavirus Could Screw Up His Constitutional ‘Coronation’In a televised address to the nation Wednesday, Putin announced a sweeping array of measures, which he said were designed to prevent “what is happening today in many Western countries, both in Europe and overseas” from becoming Russia’s future. Starting on March 28, Russians are getting one week of paid leave to stay home, in an attempt to “flatten the curve” of the pandemic. With exception of the Russians trying to return from abroad, Russia stopped all international flights.Russian pundits and medical experts described the fight against the coronavirus pandemic as a rehearsal for biological warfare. Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian army to carry out drills designed to increase its readiness to fight the novel coronavirus. The drills will include specialist medical units and nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops. Discussions are underway as to the potential cancellation of the Victory Day parade in May of this year, but final determination will be made depending on the efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. There is a possibility the parade, commemorating the surrender of the Nazis in WWII, may be held without spectators. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien is currently set to attend the event, in lieu of Donald J. Trump. Kremlin-controlled state TV shows are taking unprecedented measures to protect some of their most cherished assets: the hosts, whose full-throated support of Vladimir Putin is especially important during these challenging times. Popular Russian info-talk show 60 Minutes is now filming its segments without audiences. After the host Olga Skabeeva could be heard coughing during a commercial break, she was separated from her husband and co-host Evgeny Popov. The married couple are now hosting 60 Minutes separately, on different days. Likewise, they are staying apart during the off-work hours, because even if one of them falls ill, the show must go on.Speaking of performance art, Vladimir Putin embarked on a visit to Moscow’s hospital for monitoring suspected coronavirus patients. Unlike U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who frequently claims that the threat of coronavirus is widely overblown, Vladimir Putin is an old Chekist who believes in science, facts and bio-warfare. Taking no chances, Putin donned a hazmat suit and visited only one patient— Dmitry Garkavi, who is a doctor and a social media influencer. The drop-in was not particularly risky, since Garkavi was hospitalized with pneumonia, and tested negative for coronavirus—twice. In his social media posts, Garkavi remarked that he communicated with Vladimir Putin for all of “10-15 seconds.” After the brief exchange, Putin observed other patients through the glass of the hospital’s control room, was helped out of his outfit and promptly left the building. The hazmat suit sported by the Russian leader was distinctly different than the protective attire worn by hospital workers. It was purchased for the Russian president by his staff especially for his hospital visit. Putin’s yellow jumpsuit is now in high demand, but is completely sold out at the store where it was bought.Vladimir Putin’s coronavirus photo op promptly made the rounds on Russian state television. During his show, The Evening with Vladimir Soloviev, the host beamed with pride when he pointed out: “Out of all of the world leaders, only [China’a President] Xi Jinping and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin went to visit the sick.” For contrast, Soloviev introduced a clip of the U.S. President Donald J. Trump rapidly moving away from the White House's coronavirus task force response coordinator, Dr Deborah Birx, as soon as she mentioned her low grade fever.In spite of Russia’s own issues with coronavirus testing, widespread shortages of medical equipment and protective medical gear, the Kremlin is posturing by offering to help other countries in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov offered to help Washington in the fight against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and complained about “rude” American media trying to switch the focus to other countries (like Russia).State TV host Vladimir Soloviev pompously predicted: “I have a feeling that we will end up saving humanity—again, like we’ve done more than once,” an apparent reference to Russia’s sacrifices defeating the Nazis in World War II. Russian state media are framing the failure by the Trump administration to offer help to its European allies in their fight against the deadly pandemic as the defeat of the United States, the end of NATO, and the virtual nonexistence of transatlantic unity. Russian experts believe that the outcome of the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic will change the entire balance of power in the world. Russian state media outlet Vesti described the course chosen by the administration of the U.S. President Donald J. Trump as “indecisive,” “poorly coordinated” and hesitant to implement the tough measures recommended by the experts in curtailing the deadly pandemic.Vesti argued that “coronavirus will determine the winner in the rivalry between China and the United States.” But the stakes are much higher. Kremlin-controlled media believe that on a larger scale, “the success or failure of the United States will form a global view of the effectiveness of democracy compared to autocracy. This, in turn, will affect America’s global position, its ability to attract vacillating allies into its orbit from China’s sphere of influence, and possibly determine the global geopolitical leader for years to come.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

Vietnam PM Orders Cut in Flights From Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh

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Country star John Rich puts on a special show from his Nashville home. Watch 'Fox Nation Presents a Night with John Rich LIVE' o

03/27/20 4:59 PM

Saturday, 28 March 2020

Friday, 27 March 2020

Thursday, 26 March 2020