Panama coronavirus cases rise to 5,538, deaths reach 159

Confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Panama reached 5,538 on Saturday, a rise of 200 from the previous day, while related deaths increased by five to 159, the health ministry said.

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An alarming number of Americans believe a coronavirus vaccine exists and is being withheld

Nearly a third of Americans believe that it is either "probably" or "definitely" true that a coronavirus vaccine exists and is being withheld, according to a new study by the Democracy Fund and the UCLA Nationscape Project, in partnership with USA Today. "To see about a third of people give that some level of, 'Yeah, that might be true,' that was pretty shocking to me," said Robert Griffin, the research director at the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. "That's a pretty dark type of thought to be floating around the public."While there are as many as 150 different vaccines in various stages of development at this point, a COVID-19 vaccination will only be ready in 12 to 18 months "if we're really lucky," Seth Berkley, the head of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, a global immunization partnership, told AFP on Friday. He added that "one of the challenges" of this particular pandemic is that "we don't know if we can make a vaccine … we have no proof of concept yet."Still, the Democracy Fund/UCLA Nationscape Project study found that many such unfounded beliefs have become widespread among the American electorate, including that some 44 percent of voters think it is probable that the virus was created in a lab, while another 48 percent think the U.S is "concealing" the true number of COVID-19 deaths, a belief that is held by more than half of Democrats."Not all of this is necessarily conspiracy-thinking," argued Griffin. "Some of it might just might purely be misunderstanding or things that people don't know yet, a lack of education."The survey was conducted as part of a large-scale survey of the American electorate, which will be ongoing through the 2020 election cycle. The latest results came from a sampling of 6,300 Americans between April 2 and 8, and has a margin of error of 2.2 percent. You can read more of the results here.More stories from theweek.com Cuomo says New York's coronavirus situation is back to where it was 21 days ago The president is unwell Trump wants praise for his coronavirus response. Here it is.

Trump says he was being 'sarcastic' about injecting coronavirus patients with disinfectant

Speaking to reporters after signing a $484 billion coronavirus relief package into law, President Trump was asked about the idea of injecting coronavirus patients with a disinfectant, something he floated during Thursday’s coronavirus task force briefing. He claimed he was being sarcastic.

World leaders launch plan to speed COVID-19 drugs, vaccine; U.S. stays away

World leaders pledged on Friday to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 and to share them around the globe, but the United States did not take part in the launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were among those who joined a video conference to launch what the WHO billed as a "landmark collaboration" to fight the pandemic. The aim is to speed development of safe and effective drugs, tests and vaccines to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19, the lung disease caused be the novel coronavirus - and ensure equal access to treatments for rich and poor.

Lebanon bank attacked with explosive amid economic crisis

Assailants lobbed an explosive device at a bank in Lebanon Saturday, in the latest attack on financial institutions in a country facing its worst economic crisis in decades. The official National News Agency said the night-time assault targeted a branch of Fransabank in the southern port city of Sidon, damaging its glass facade. The attack came a day after Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Lebanese bank deposits had plunged $5.7 billion in the first two months of the year, despite curbs on withdrawals and a ban on transfers abroad.

A 57-page memo urged GOP campaigns to blame China for the coronavirus pandemic and insist the term 'Chinese virus' isn't racist

The memo said Republicans shouldn't defend Trump's handling of the pandemic but should shift the conversation to blaming China.

New York man and girlfriend quarantining in Mexico are shot and killed

Police said at least 20 gunshots were fired at the couple's car as they were driving down a street in Juarez.

I'm a postal worker. In the coronavirus crisis, I am my customers' link to the world.

While Washington debates the fate of the Postal Service and the fiscal hit it’s taken from the coronavirus pandemic, a remarkable shift has occurred in how people view the mail and their mail carrier in the COVID-19 era.

Larry Summers Advising Biden Campaign on Economic Recovery

China reports 11 new coronavirus cases, no deaths on Saturday

China reported 11 new coronavirus cases on April 25, compared to 12 on the previous day, with no fatalities, according to official data published on Sunday.

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Argentina extends coronavirus quarantine until May 10

Argentina will extend a mandatory nationwide quarantine period until May 10 in a bid to combat the advance of the coronavirus, the office of President Alberto Fernandez said in statement Saturday.

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Chicago Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages Starting in 2021

By BY MARIEL PADILLA from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2xYzgej

Where Is Kim Jong-un? How Experts Track North Korea’s Leader

By BY CHRISTOPH KOETTL, ROBIN STEIN, AINARA TIEFENTHÄLER AND DAVID BOTTI from NYT World https://ift.tt/2yLxNrG

U.S. warship heads to port after coronavirus outbreak

At least 18 sailors aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer have tested positive for the new coronavirus, U.S. officials said on Friday, dealing another blow to the military as it faces fallout over its handling of an outbreak on an aircraft carrier last month. The Navy confirmed a Reuters report on the outbreak aboard the Kidd, a destroyer that was on a counter-narcotics mission, and said the number of those infected with the virus on the vessel was expected to rise. A Navy spokesman said the Kidd was currently operating in the Pacific.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hasn't been publicly seen in 2 weeks, fueling reports and rumors that he may be dead or in grave condition. Here's what we know.

Experts have long noted the North Korean leader had health risks and could suffer cardiac issues due to his weight.

Trump claims his dangerous disinfectant claims were meant 'sarcastically', as US coronavirus death toll passes 50,000

After promoting the idea that both sunlight and injecting disinfectant could help tackle Covid-19, Donald Trump claimed his comments were sarcastic."I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters ... to see what would happen," the president said on Friday as he signed another coronavirus relief bill into law. He had faced a torrent of ridicule for his comments, which were directed at doctors on his coronavirus taskforce, not at reporters.

Thousands gather at Wisconsin state Capitol to protest coronavirus restrictions

The crowd stood shoulder to shoulder in defiance of the Wisconsin governor's order to keep businesses and schools closed.

Cuomo to McConnell on passing state bankruptcy law: "I dare you"

He warned that such a bill would signal "turmoil" to the markets, further jeopardizing the country's economy.

Coronavirus: Ecuador 'victim' found alive in hospital mix-up

Alba Maruri was wrongly declared to be dead, and someone else's ashes were sent to her family.

Poland’s Lockdown Election Is a Farce, Supreme Court Chief Says

Grocery stores are portioning flour from industrial bags to deal with demand

Baking has become a favorite hobby of homebound, stir-crazy Americans.

Poll of Latinos finds only about half would vote for Biden

A new poll of Latinos nationwide indicates Trump's ability to dominate news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic is playing to his advantage with the largest bloc of minority voters.

STC announces plan for self-rule in south Yemen; government calls move 'catastrophic'

Yemen’s separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Sunday announced it would establish a self-ruled administration in the regions under their control, which the internationally recognized Saudi-backed government said would have “catastrophic consequences” for a November peace deal.

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4 men confine woman in her home to rob her of stimulus check, police say

The woman whose house was broken into told police the suspects were aware she had received her check and intended to rob her.

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Footage from a decades-old TV interview offers new clue about a former Joe Biden aide's claim the then-senator sexually assaulte

04/24/20 5:48 PM

In already poor Honduras, coronavirus pushes some into homelessness

Poor Hondurans who were barely eking out a living selling basics on the capital's gritty streets prior to the coronavirus outbreak are now sleeping on those same streets as they can no longer afford their rent.

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Workers volunteered to live in a factory for 28 days to produce millions of pounds of raw PPE materials to make masks and gowns for frontline medical workers

Forty-three Braskem America employees volunteered to live in the factory to limit outside exposure to the coronavirus as they made raw PPE materials.

The Government’s Small Business Loan Program Is Lending Money Again. Here’s How to Apply

Everything small business owners need to know about the renewed Payroll Protection Program (PPP).

Navy wants to reinstate fired captain of coronavirus-hit aircraft carrier, sources say

In an extraordinary reversal, the U.S. Navy has recommended reinstating the fired captain of the coronavirus-hit aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, whose crew hailed him as their hero for risking his job to safeguard their lives, officials said on Friday. The Navy's leadership made the recommendation to reinstate Captain Brett Crozier to Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday, just three weeks after Crozier was relieved of command after the leak of a letter he wrote calling on the Navy for stronger measures to protect the crew, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Pentagon issued a statement acknowledging Esper received the results of the Navy's preliminary inquiry into the Roosevelt incident.

Donald Trump claims he was being sarcastic when suggesting injecting disinfectant to treat coronavirus

Donald Trump has insisted that his suggestion people with coronavirus could be treated with injections of disinfectant was “sarcastic” after a heated and widespread backlash. The US president also denied urging medical experts to look into the idea - despite footage making clear he had done just that - and said the remarks were meant for reporters. “I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen,” Mr Trump told a journalist who asked him to clarify, repeatedly saying he had been sarcastic. The backtracking came after medical experts, political opponents, figures in the Trump administration and even a detergent company had warned of the dangers of such action. The makers of cleaning fluids Lysol and Dettol issued a statement saying “under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body”. A spokesman for the US Environmental Protection Agency said disinfectants should be used for surfaces only, adding: “Never apply the product to yourself or others. Do not ingest disinfectant products."

Nova Scotia gunman's first victim was girlfriend, who survived

Gabriel Wortman is believed to have killed 22 people over the span of 12 hours across Nova Scotia.

Judge tosses California ammunition purchase law

A federal judge on Thursday blocked a California law requiring background checks for people buying ammunition, issuing a sharply worded rebuke of “onerous and convoluted” regulations that violate the constitutional right to bear arms. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego ruled in favor of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, which asked him to stop the checks and related restrictions on ammo sales.

Armenia decries crimes against 'civilisation' on genocide anniversary

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday decried crimes against "civilisation" and demanded an apology from Turkey as his country marked the 105th anniversary of the WWI-era Armenian genocide. The genocide is a "crime not only against our ethnic identity, but also against human civilisation," Pashinyan said in a message after laying flowers at a genocide memorial in the capital Yerevan. Commemorative events were scaled back this year due to the coronavirus restrictions imposed throughout the country, and the Yerevan memorial was closed to the public.

Publicly traded companies have 2 weeks to give back loans intended for small businesses or face 'severe consequences,' Treasury Department says

Some publicly traded companies like Shake Shack gave back their loans this week, while others held on to them.

Guatemalan wrongly deported amid coronavirus crisis is reunited with family in U.S.

"I am very happy," Gilmer Barrios said. "It had been almost a month since I saw my wife, and I am going to see my children in a little while."

Bolsonaro Strikes Back After Key Aide Exit Leaves Brazil Reeling

(Bloomberg) -- The resignation of Sergio Moro, the Brazilian judge who gained superstar status for taking down a network of corrupt politicians and CEOs, set off a storm in President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration.Pot-banging protests erupted across the country late Friday as the president spoke to refute Moro’s allegations that he had tried to interfere with federal police investigations.“I was promised carte blanche to appoint all advisers, including judicial bodies,” Moro told reporters Friday morning, announcing his decision to quit after Bolsonaro fired Brazil’s federal police chief. “I can’t go on without ensuring the federal police its autonomy.”Bolsonaro called the accusations unfounded and said he was disappointed and surprised at the former judge, who he said he saw as an “idol” in his lawmaker days. As the president spoke, the country’s top prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to open an investigation on Moro’s claims, which he said could either reveal illicit acts allegedly committed by the president or be seen as a slandering.Markets blew up as investors saw Moro’s exit as further proof that Bolsonaro’s administration is crumbling as it muddles its way through the coronavirus crisis, with speculation growing that Economy Minister Paulo Guedes may soon be out as well. The real sank almost 4% to as low as 5.74 per U.S. dollar, but closed the day at 5.58 as the central bank repeatedly stepped in to curb the losses. Stocks ended the day 5.5% lower, paring an earlier decline of almost 10%.“We see a government that’s collapsing in the middle of a pandemic,” said Daniela Casabona, a partner at financial adviser FB Wealth in Sao Paulo.The unpredictable behavior and often explosive rhetoric that helped Bolsonaro get elected is proving a liability in the current crisis. The latest data from the Health Ministry shows coronavirus cases stand at almost 53,000, with 3,670 deaths, although health professionals doubt the official tally.Investors were already spooked after the president fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta last week. The pair publicly sparred over the best way to tackle the coronavirus crisis, with Mandetta urging Brazilians to self isolate, while Bolsonaro repeatedly flaunted that advice by mingling with supporters and calling the illness “a little flu.”Moro’s departures reinforces the perception that Bolsonaro’s administration has fallen into disarray. The crisis is forcing cabinet members to rethink grand plans to get Latin America’s biggest economy back on steady fiscal footing and kick-start growth. Tensions between Guedes and his boss worsened after a stimulus proposal was unveiled Wednesday that the economy minister views as unsustainable, according to people familiar with the discussions.​Rambling SpeechFlanked by ministers and allies including Guedes and son Eduardo Bolsonaro, the president spoke for roughly an hour in Brasilia on Friday afternoon. In a rambling speech that mentioned everything from a murdered councilwoman to the presidential palace’s heated pool and a swath of allegations against him and his family, Bolsonaro recounted his first meeting with Moro, and how the relationship deteriorated in large part due to the former judge’s ego. He stated more than once that appointing positions at the federal police falls to the president, and he needs no authorization to do so.“I never asked the federal police to shield me,” he said. “I’ve always given freedom to my ministers. But if I can replace ministers, why can’t I replace the head of the federal police? I don’t need anyone’s authorization.”The president also accused Moro of trying to negotiate an appointment to the Brazilian Supreme Court in exchange for replacing the head of the federal police, Mauricio Valeixo. Valeixo was the star judge’s right-hand man at the institution that’s akin to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Earlier Friday, Moro said pressure to replace Valeixo began building last year for no obvious reason. Bolsonaro’s insistence makes clear the shuffle was political interference, Moro said.“The change isn’t the problem -- the question is why?” he said. “I couldn’t accept his departure.”The federal police has been carrying out a number of investigations with potential to implicate Bolsonaro’s sons, including a probe on the spread of fake news and another on alleged irregularities with their employees at Rio de Janeiro’s state assembly. The family has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.Moro worked with Valeixo while helming the sweeping Carwash investigation that saw top executives and political leaders jailed, including former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The push made Moro a national hero among many Brazilians, who dubbed him “Super Moro” and made him the poster-boy of anti-corruption protests. With approval ratings that are higher than the president’s, Moro could turn Bolsonaro rival in the 2022 presidential election.His departure is likely to cost Bolsonaro supporters. It could also be an attempt to reshape his cabinet with more like-minded people -- which could include replacing his economy chief as well.Moro’s exit “brings up the possibility that Guedes will leave too,” said Gilmar Alves Lima, an economist at BMG.Brazilian sovereign bonds were the worst performers among emerging markets on Friday. The 2045 bond fell 3.6 cents to 86.82 cents on the dollar.Plans to support the economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic have opened a rift between the president and Guedes, three people familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg News earlier this week. The tensions around market-darling Guedes have made investors even more concerned.BRAZIL INSIGHT: Long U-Shaped Virus Recovery Faces Many Pitfalls“In about a week, we’ve had the health minister depart, rumors of other ministers potentially leaving and increased political noise,” said Jose Tovar, chief executive officer at Rio de Janeiro-based asset manager Truxt Investimentos. “That’s too much.”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.

Coronavirus: China rejects call for probe into origins of disease

Beijing's deputy ambassador to the UK tells the BBC the demands are politically motivated.

Philippine president threatens martial law if communist rebels disrupt aid

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to declare martial law if communist rebels disrupted the flow of relief goods for Filipinos impacted by the coronavirus lockdown restrictions and asked his military to be ready to intervene.