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Tag: U.S.

  • Global virus cases near million as US records youngest death

    A six-week-old baby died of Covid-19 and global agencies warned of food shortages as coronavirus infections around the world neared one million Wednesday.

    Governments expanded lockdowns to affect about half of the planet, with funeral parties banned in the Democratic Republic of Congo, New York locking up its famed street basketball courts and hard-hit Italy extending its economically-crippling lockdown until April 13.

    More than 900,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus and nearly 46,000 have died since it first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, according to an AFP tally.

    HIT A MILLION

    World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the number would hit one million “in the next few days.”

    “I am deeply concerned about the rapid escalation and global spread of infection,” he said.

    “The entire world is shut down,” said US President Donald Trump. “It’s very sad.”

    Cases in the United States soared, rising to more than 213,000, and deaths neared 4,800, according to the Johns Hopkins University database.

    SIX-YEAR-OLD DEAD

    Among the victims was a six-week-old in Connecticut who was brought unresponsive to a hospital late last week, believed to be the youngest victim yet of the virus.

    “Testing confirmed last night that the new-born was Covid-19 positive,” Governor Ned Lamont wrote on Twitter. “This is absolutely heart-breaking.”

    The victims of the coronavirus have been disproportionately elderly, but a number of recent cases have highlighted that the disease can befall even youngsters with seemingly strong immune systems.

    The dead have included a 13-year-old in France, a 12-year-old in Belgium, and 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdullah in Britain, whose family said the “gentle and kind” boy had no underlying health issues.

    US NUMBERS RISE

    The US numbers continued to outpace the rest of the globe, though Washington made clear it believes China, with a reported 82,000 cases, is deliberately masking its figures.

    “How do we know” if they are accurate, Trump asked at a press conference, not denying a Bloomberg report that US intelligence has concluded China is concealing the extent of the coronavirus pandemic there.

    “Their numbers seem to be a little bit on the light side,” Trump said.

    Densely populated New York continued to be the US epicentre.

    REFRIGERATED TRUCKS

    Across the city refrigerated trucks grimly parked outside hospitals to deal with the surge in bodies.

    New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he was closing all playgrounds and basketball courts to enforce “social distancing” to halt transmission.

    “You still see too many situations with too much density by young people,” he said. “No density, no basketball games.”

    In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered all 21 million residents of the Sunshine State to stay inside for one month, after having resisted a lockdown for weeks.

    Germany extended to April 19 its bans on gatherings of more than two people outdoors, with Chancellor Angela Merkel warning that families may not be able to visit during Easter celebrations.

    “A pandemic does not recognise holidays,” she said.

    CHURCHES CLOSED

    In Greece, too, the Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod said all churches are to remain closed over the Easter period, the biggest celebration of the year which culminates on April 19.

    The global crisis wiped more major events off the calendar with Wimbledon, the signature event of tennis, cancelled for the first time since World War II.

    And in a sign of shifting focus, Britain said that UN climate talks due in November in Glasgow were being postponed.

    Lockdowns have been especially challenging in developing countries, with some of the world’s poorest fearing they could lose their livelihoods entirely.

    SOUTH AFRICA

    Dwellers of South Africa’s townships say it is simply impossible to stay at home.

    “We don’t have toilets… we don’t have water, so you must go out,” said Irene Tsetse, 55, who shares a one-bedroom shack in Khayelitsha township with her son.

    The Food and Agriculture Organisation, WHO and the World Trade Organisation warned in a joint statement that panic buying already seen in parts of the world could threaten food supplies.

    “Uncertainty about food availability can spark a wave of export restrictions, creating a shortage on the global market,” they said.

    ITALY

    In Italy, half a million more people require help to afford meals, adding to the 2.7 million already in need last year, according to the country’s biggest agricultural union Coldiretti.

    “Usually we serve 152,525 people. But now we’ve 70,000 more requests,” said Roberto Tuorto, who runs a food aid association.

    It is crucial to “ensure that the economic crisis unleashed by the virus doesn’t become a security crisis,” he warned.

    BRITAIN, FRANCE

    Britain and France both reported their highest daily death tolls from Covid-19, although there were signs that the epidemic could be peaking in Europe.

    Italy’s death toll, the highest in the world, climbed past 13,000 and the government extended its lockdown until April 13.

    “If we start loosening our measures now, all our efforts will have been in vain,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the nation in a televised address.

    In Spain, deaths passed 9,000 on Wednesday, but the rate of new cases continued to slow.

    Fernando Simon, head of the health ministry’s emergency coordination unit, said it appeared the country may have passed the peak.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Guam agrees to quarantine US Navy sailors

    The governor of Guam says the island will take in US sailors from the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt, after the ship’s captain warned that urgent action was needed to stop the virus from spreading to all 4,000 crew members.

    Hundreds of uninfected US Navy sailors will be hosted in unnamed local hotels for 14 days and are strictly prohibited from interacting with local residents.

    “We have an interest in protecting our community and stopping the spread of Covid-19 just as much as the military has an obligation to return the USS Roosevelt to the open ocean to protect Guam and the region,” Gov Lou Leon Guerrero said on Wednesday.

    It comes after the ship’s captain warned military officials: “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die.”

    So far, the US territory has suffered the worst outbreak in the Pacific, according to Radio New Zealand.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Alcohol sales surge in US, research suggests

    Sales of alcohol have reportedly spiked in the US, where almost three out of four people are now under some form of lockdown.

    Online sales of alcoholic drinks more than tripled last week (up 243% compared to the same time period the year before), according to market research firm Nielsen.

    Shops sales also rose by 55% the research suggested – with tequila and gin named as the most popular tipples.

    In the UK, some online wine merchants had been forced to suspend orders “due to unprecedented demand” after pubs and clubs were told to close.

    But British off-licences have been told they can stay open – after being added to the list of essential businesses.

    It came as some British supermarkets placed a limit on the amount of alcohol products shoppers can buy at one time after their supplies kept running dry.

    Meanwhile, in South Africa, the sale of alcohol has been banned.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: US death toll exceeds 5,000

    The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US has gone above 5,000, while confirmed cases worldwide are close to reaching one million.

    There were 884 deaths in the US in 24 hours, a new record, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked virus figures globally.

    The latest victims include a six-week-old baby. More than 216,000 are now infected, the world’s highest figure.

    Reserves of protective equipment and medical supplies are almost exhausted.

    This has left the federal government and individual US states competing for safety gear, while the unprecedented demand has led to profiteering, officials in the Department for Homeland Security were quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

    The Trump administration says it can acquire adequate supplies, and has $16bn (£13bn) available to do so. State and local officials have complained about insufficient protective equipment such as masks and gowns as well as ventilators, needed to help keep patients breathing.

    Meanwhile, US Vice-President Mike Pence warned the US appeared to be on a similar trajectory as Italy where the death toll has exceeded 13,000 – the worst in the world.

    The number of confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day. The worst-hit place is New York City, where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more than 1,300 have died.

    Officials say as many as 240,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 – the disease caused by the virus – even with the mitigation measures in place. In Connecticut, a six-week-old baby has died from coronavirus, believed to be America’s youngest victim of the virus so far.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Turkish, US presidents agree on efforts to combat virus

    The presidents of Turkey and the U.S. agreed that the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak could only be won through global solidarity and cooperation, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the ongoing virus pandemic, as well as bilateral relations and regional developments, said the Turkish Directorate of Communications.

    The leaders agreed to take the necessary steps to share best practices and data on controlling the various effects of the pandemic.

    In a statement, White House’s Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said the two leaders “agreed to work closely together on the international campaign to defeat the virus and bolster the global economy.”

    Besides discussing regional and bilateral issues, the two leaders also agreed “it is more important now than ever for” conflict-hit countries, particularly Syria and Libya, to adhere to cease-fires amid the pandemic.

    In Turkey, more than 10,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 while 168 people died.

    In the U.S., over 3,000 people died of the virus, with 163,429 infected.

    After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the virus has spread to at least 179 countries and regions, according to the U.S-based Johns Hopkins University database.

    The data shows the confirmed number of cases worldwide has surpassed 809,600, with the death toll over 39,500 and more than 172,800 recoveries.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • US in good shape to meet virus ‘peak’ – Trump

    Donald Trump has said the US will be in “a very good shape” in terms of the number of ventilators available by the time the coronavirus outbreak peaks.

    The president said at least 10 US companies were now making the medical devices, and some might be exported.

    The virus can cause severe respiratory issues as it attacks the lungs. Ventilators help keep patients breathing.

    The US has more than 160,000 confirmed virus cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.

    New York City is the worst-hit place in America, with nearly 800 confirmed fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    The US last week became the country with the most reported cases, ahead of Italy and China.

    Speaking at Monday’s Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House, Mr Trump said: “We have now 10 companies at least making the ventilators, and we say go ahead because, honestly, other countries – they’ll never be able to do it.”

    Asked whether there would be enough ventilators for all patients in the US who needed them during a predicted peak in infections in two weeks’ time, Mr Trump responded: “I think we going to be in a very good shape.”

    He said more than a million Americans had been tested for the virus, “more than any other country by far. Not even close”.

    He accused a reporter who pointed out that South Korea had tested proportionally more people when measured by population size of negativity.

    And he added that he should be congratulated on his administration’s progress in fighting the virus.

    Source: bbc.com

  • American Airlines seeks $12bn bailout

    One of the major developments in the last few hours is that the world’s biggest carrier in terms of passengers, American Airlines, is now seeking $12bn (£9.7bn) in support from the US government to help it through the crisis.

    The funds were allocated to the company in the $2.2tn economic stimulus package approved by the US government last week.

    American Airlines hopes the financial support means pay cuts and involuntary furloughs can be avoided.

    The carrier says there will be reduced flight schedules over the next few months and the company will therefore offer enhanced voluntary leave and early retirement options to its staff.

    With airlines around the globe practically grounded, there’s growing concern how those companies can survive the next weeks.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Futures rise as Washington reaches deal on $2 trillion aid package

    U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday, putting Wall Street on course to extend its massive bounce from the previous session, as Washington reached a deal on a $2 trillion stimulus package to help ease some economic pain from the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Senate will vote on the bill later on Wednesday and the House of Representatives is expected to follow soon after.

    At 05:24 a.m. EDT, Dow e-minis 1YMcv1 were up 741 points, or 3.6%, S&P 500 e-minis EScv1 were up 54 points, or 2.21% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis NQcv1 were up 187 points, or 2.48%.

    SPDR S&P 500 ETFs (SPY.P) were up 2.61%.

    The S&P 500 index .SPX closed up 9.38% at 2,447.33? on Tuesday.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Coronavirus: Three US sailors test positive for virus on aircraft carrier

    Three US sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, the first cases reported on a US Navy ship currently on deployment, officials said Tuesday.

    The three have been evacuated and all those they had come into contact with on the vessel, which has more than 5,000 personnel on board, have been quarantined, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly told reporters.

    The ship was last in port in Vietnam 15 days ago but Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday said it was difficult to connect the cases to a particular port visit.

    “We took great precautions when the crew came back from that shore visit, and did enhanced medical screenings of the crew,” he said.

    Overall, the Navy has 86 coronavirus cases, including 57 active-duty service members, he said.

    Last week the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer — currently in port in San Diego according to US media — reported one of its personnel had tested “presumptive positive” for the virus.

    Source: France24

  • Trump wants US reopened by Easter as virus cases mount

    President Donald Trump Tuesday said Tuesday he “would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go” in less than three weeks as the U.S. recorded 600 coronavirus deaths and state officials warn the worst is yet to come.

    “I would love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said during a Fox News town hall meeting, The holiday is celebrated April 12 this year — 19 days from Tuesday. “I think it’s possible. Why isn’t it? We’ve never closed the country before and we’ve had some pretty bad flus and we’ve had some pretty bad viruses, and I think it’s absolutely possible.”

    The U.S. economy has nosedived as the coronavirus pandemic has spread within its borders, with all three stock indices recording major losses following all-time highs earlier this year. The losses have been fueled, in large part, by efforts to limit travel and individual interactions with businesses to rein in the virus known as COVID-19.

    “We have to get our country back to work,” Trump said as he braces for re-election in November’s nationwide polls.

    “This cure is worse than the problem,” he added, referring to measures being implemented in states that include business closures and orders for residents to remain at home.

    Trump’s assessment came just hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned virus cases in his state are “spiking” with the worst to come.

    “The apex is higher than we thought, and the apex is sooner than we thought. That is a bad combination of facts,” Cuomo said during a televised news conference, warning the height of new infections could be reached in two to three weeks.

    The number of hospital beds that will be required at the height of infections in New York state has been raised from 110,000 to 140,000 as the rate of new infections doubles roughly every three days, Cuomo said, warning that the virus is spreading like a “bullet train.”

    “That is a dramatic increase in the rate of infection,” he warned. “We’re not slowing it and it is accelerating on its own.”

    New York currently has nearly, 25,700 confirmed coronavirus, according to official state data.

    That is about 10 times as much as California and Washington states, Cuomo said, imploring federal authorities to prioritize resources, including vital medical equipment like ventilators, for his state.

    There are over 49,700 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 600 deaths in the U.S., according to a list being compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • WHO sees potential of U.S. becoming new coronavirus epicenter

    The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was seeing a “very large acceleration” in coronavirus infections in the United States which had the potential of becoming the new epicenter.

    Asked whether the United States could become the new epicenter, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters: “We are now seeing a very large acceleration in cases in the U.S. So it does have that potential.”

    Source: reuters.com

  • US shuts down website over Coronavirus fraud

    The US Department of Justice announced on Sunday it had shut down a website claiming to sell a Coronavirus vaccine, in its first act of federal enforcement against fraud in connection with the pandemic.

    Lawsuits had been filed against the site coronavirusmedicalkit.com, which claimed to sell vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel Coronavirus, when in fact there is no such vaccine, the Justice Department said in a statement.

    A Texas federal judge on Saturday ordered the site to shut down, according to the statement. Its homepage, however, was still accessible as of Sunday evening.

    “Due to the recent outbreak for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the World Health Organization is giving away vaccine kits. Just pay $4.95 for shipping,” read a statement on the homepage.

    It was followed by a place to leave bank account information to pay shipping fees.

    The Justice Department did not specify how many people fell victim to the scam, but the investigation is ongoing to identify who is behind the fraud and how much money was stolen.

    The intervention by the federal judiciary system is part of ongoing efforts by US authorities to combat the spread of misinformation that has blossomed since the start of the pandemic.

    Attorney General Bill Barr last week urged federal prosecutors to make stopping misinformation a priority and called US civilians to report all such abuses to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

    He also warned citizens against a variety of scams including selling fake treatments online, imitating emails from the WHO or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intended to collect personal data, and asking for donations for imaginary organizations.

    Simultaneously, the US judicial system is on the warpath to combat price gouging of products such as hand sanitizer or hygienic masks.

    More than 33,000 people have been infected by the Coronavirus in the US, and 416 have died, according to a tracker managed by Johns Hopkins University.

    Source: punchng.com

  • US Senate approves $105B virus aid bill, sends to Trump

    The Senate overwhelmingly passed Wednesday a sweeping bill from the House of Representatives to provide billions of dollars in emergency aid as the U.S. and Americans combat the spread of the new coronavirus.

    The Senate’s 90-8 vote on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act sends the package to Trump, who is expected to quickly sign off on the measure.

    It includes free COVID-19 testing, paid family and sick leave for many Americans who otherwise lack the benefit. It applies to employees who work for companies who have between 50 and 500 employees. Companies below the lower employee threshold can apply for a waiver.

    The Joint Committee on Taxation pegged the estimated cost of the package at $105 billion.

    Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his support, but called the Democratic measure imperfect, and said it has “real shortcomings,” including the gaps in sick leave coverage and potential financial impacts on small businesses.

    “I will vote to pass their bill,” McConnell said. “This is a time for urgent bipartisan action, and in this case I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of even a subset of workers.

    The Senate meanwhile is working on a separate package in tandem with the White House that would include sending funds directly to Americans, as well as other stimulus measures as fears of a recession caused by the outbreak persist.

    The stock market has heavily cratered in past weeks as the virus has spread in the U.S. with all three major indices down significantly from their February highs.

    Senate Republicans want a vote on that package by next week.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • New coronavirus can survive on surfaces for hours – Study

    The novel coronavirus can survive on surfaces or in the air for several hours, according to a US-government funded study published Tuesday.

    Scientists found that the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease had similar levels of viability outside the body to its predecessor that caused SARS.

    This means that factors like greater transmission between people with no symptoms might be why the current pandemic is far greater than the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003.

    The new paper was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and carried out by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), University of California, Los Angeles and Princeton.

    The new coronavirus was detectable for up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard.

    The team used a nebulizer to simulate a person coughing or sneezing, and found that the virus was detectable for three hours in the air.

    The study was first posted on a medical pre-print website last week before it was peer-reviewed, and attracted much attention, including some criticism from scientists who said that it may have overstated the airborne threat.

    The virus is predominantly transmitted by respiratory droplets and in this form it is viable for only a few seconds after a person coughs or sneezes.

    Critics questioned whether a nebulizer accurately mimicked a human cough or sneeze.

    The team behind the NEJM study performed similar tests on the SARS virus, finding the two viruses behave similarly.

    But their similar viability fails to explain why the novel coronavirus pandemic has infected close to 200,000 people and caused almost 8,000 deaths, while the SARS epidemic infected about 8,000 and killed nearly 800.

    “This indicates that differences in the epidemiologic characteristics of these viruses probably arise from other factors, including high viral loads in the upper respiratory tract and the potential for persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 to shed and transmit the virus while asymptomatic,” wrote the researchers.

    SARS-CoV-2 is the technical name for the new coronavirus.

    The findings affirm guidance from public health professionals regarding social distancing, avoiding touching the face, covering your cough or sneeze, and frequently disinfecting objects using cleaning sprays or wipes.

    Source: France24

  • US coronavirus death toll surpasses 100, with case in every state

    West Virginia’s governor said on Tuesday night that the state has reported its first positive case of coronavirus, meaning all 50 US states now have confirmed cases.

    Governor Jim Justice said the confirmed case was detected in the state’s Eastern Panhandle, an area close to Washington, DC. He did not immediately disclose the county where the illness occurred.

    In a televised address, he also ordered bars, restaurants and casinos to close, except for carry-out food services.

    “We knew it was coming. We’ve prepared for this and we shouldn’t panic. We should be cautious and we should be concerned, but we should not panic,” Justice said. “We should go ahead and try to live our lives as best we can.”

    Death toll surpasses 100

    The confirmation of the West Virginia case came as the death toll across the US passed the 100 mark on Tuesday after Washington state reported six new fatalities, bringing the country’s total to 103.

    Washington has experienced the most deaths, with 54. Thirty of those deaths were connected with a nursing home in a Seattle suburb.

    New York on Tuesday reported more confirmed cases than Washington state for the first time. New York has topped 1,300 cases, while Washington was just over 1,000.

    For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover in several weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness, including pneumonia.

    Worldwide, the coronavirus has infected more than 184,000, according to the World Health Organization. More than 7,500 people have died as a result of the virus.

    More than 80,000 have recovered from the virus, according to John Hopkins University.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Coronavirus: US volunteers to test first vaccine

    The first trial in people of a vaccine to protect against pandemic coronavirus is starting in the US later on Monday, according to reports.

    A group of 45 healthy volunteers will have the jab, at the Kaiser Permanente research facility, in Seattle.

    The vaccine cannot cause Covid-19 but contains a harmless genetic code copied from the virus that causes the disease.

    Experts say it will still take many months to know if this vaccine, or others also in research, will work.

    Scientists around the world are fast-tracking research.

    And this first human trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health, sidesteps a check that would normally be conducted – making sure the vaccine can trigger an immune response in animals.

    But the biotechnology company behind the work, Moderna Therapeutics, says the vaccine has been made using a tried and tested process.

    Dr John Tregoning, an expert in infectious diseases at Imperial College London, UK, said: “This vaccine uses pre-existing technology.

    “It’s been made to a very high standard, using things that we know are safe to use in people and those taking part in the trial will be very closely monitored.

    “Yes, this is very fast – but it is a race against the virus, not against each other as scientists, and it’s being done for the benefit of humanity.”

    Typical vaccines for viruses, such as measles, are made from a weakened or killed virus.

    But the mRNA-1273 vaccine is not made from the virus that causes Covid-19.

    Instead, it includes a short segment of genetic code copied from the virus that scientists have been able to make in a laboratory.

    This will hopefully prime the body’s own immune system to fight off the real infection.

    The volunteers will be given different doses of the experimental vaccine.

    They will each be given two jabs in total, 28 days apart, into the upper arm muscle.

    But even if these initial safety tests go well, it could still take up to 18 months for any potential vaccine to become available for the public.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Central banks unveil emergency measures as coronavirus death tolls rise in Europe

    The US Federal Reserve and other central banks unveiled emergency measures to prop up the coronavirus-battered global economy, as the three worst-hit European countries recorded their deadliest days of the pandemic.

    The virus has upended society around the planet, with governments imposing restrictions rarely seen outside war-time, including the closing of borders, home quarantine orders and the scrapping of public events.

    After the COVID-19 pandemic began in China late last year, Europe has in recent weeks emerged as the biggest flashpoint and the death toll on the continent surged over the weekend.

    Italy on Sunday announced 368 deaths over the previous 24 hours, the worst single-day toll for any country of the crisis and far exceeding the deadliest day in China recorded in February.

    Spain and France registered 183 and 29 new deaths respectively on Sunday, also their worst one-day tolls.

    Globally, there have been more than 6,400 confirmed deaths from the virus.

    With the virus infecting nearly every sector of the global economy, concerns are growing the world will be catapulted into a damaging recession, leading to stock markets enduring horror losses and wild swings.

    The US Fed attempted to stem the panic with drastic measures announced before Asian markets opened on Monday, slashing its key interest rate to virtually zero in its second emergency rate cut in less than two weeks.

    “What’s happened with the Fed is phenomenal news,” US President Donald Trump said Sunday at a regular briefing of his coronavirus task force. “I can tell you, I’m very happy.”

    But markets were less euphoric, the futures markets on the Dow Jones Index predicting another sharp move downwards and Asian stocks starting the day on the back foot.

    “The good news is that the targeted fiscal response will become more aggressive. The bad news is that all the world’s major economies will continue to effectively lock down any normalcy of economic activity for weeks if not months,” said AxiCorp’s Stephen Innes.

    China on Monday provided more evidence of COVID-19’s dire economic impacts, announcing factory output had contracted for the first time in nearly 30 years.

    Industrial production shrank 13.5 percent in January and February, the government said, which was when China was enduring its most severe travel curbs and quarantine orders to contain the virus.

    Stocking up on weed

    Normal life is at a standstill in much of western Europe, with France ordering all non-essential businesses closed and Spain banning people from leaving home except to go to work, get medical care or buy food.

    Despite Trump’s insistence there is enough food to last through the pandemic, panic-buying has been seen around the world as people stock up on essentials fearing a lengthy period of enforced quarantine.

    Larry Grossman, manager at a Manhattan supermarket, said he had never seen anything like it in 40 years.

    “I have been through Hurricane Sandy… through 9/11, I have never seen shopping like this,” he told AFP, as he restocked the store’s empty shelves.

    New York’s mayor has ordered schools, bars and restaurants in the Big Apple to shut but is allowing take-out food.

    In the Netherlands, cannabis smokers aiming to keep calm and carry on queued up outside Dutch “coffee shops” on Sunday after the government ordered their closure to beat the outbreak.

    “For maybe for the next two months we’re not able to get some weed so it should be nice to at least have some in the house,” said Jonathan outside a “coffee shop” in The Hague.

    ‘Really upset’

    There was pandemonium at several airports as travellers scrambled to get home with countries increasingly slamming shut their borders to prevent the virus spreading.

    In the US, passengers complained of massive queues as staff battled with new entry rules and stipulations on medical screening, leading some to worry they were exposing themselves to the virus in the crowds.

    Joanna, a British student in Cyprus, said she was scrambling to get home, fearful of further restrictions on movement.

    “I think if I stayed here and if it was a lockdown, I think I would be really upset, the fact that I could not go home and see my family,” she told AFP.

    There were continuing signs of improvement in China, with only four new cases recorded in Wuhan — where the virus was first detected in December — although imported cases rose.

    And there have been heartwarming scenes around the world as people attempt to lift spirits.

    In Switzerland, where cases nearly doubled to 2,200 Sunday, Geneva residents applauded, whistled and rang bells from their balconies and windows to thank health workers on the frontline.

    Images of Italians singing from their balconies have also gone viral and the choir of Stockholm’s Katarina church decided to livestream their performances online.

    “People need something to cling on to, I think, and something to listen to,” said chorister Birgitta.

    Source: France24

  • Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine

    cor

    The governments of Germany and the United States are wrestling over the German-based company CureVac, which is working on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, reported German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

    The prominent German media outlet reported, citing unnamed sources, that US President Donald Trump was offering large sums of money to German scientists working on a vaccine. He wanted to secure exclusive rights to their work, the newspaper reported.

    However, in a news release, the company on Sunday rejected “any claims on a possible sale of the company or its technology.”

    The Welt am Sonntag had quoted an anonymous German government source as saying that Trump was doing everything he could to secure a vaccine for the United States, “but only for the US.”

    On Sunday, the head of CureVac’s biggest investor said that an exclusive contract with the US was out of the question.

    “We want to develop a vaccine for the whole world and not individual countries,” the chief executive of dievini Hopp Bio Tech Holding, Christof Hettich, told the Mannheimer Morgen newspaper, echoing a similar statement in the company’s press statement.

    German Health Minister Jens Spahn told German public television that a takeover was not on the cards and that the ministry “has been in good talks with the company for the last two weeks.”

    Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the matter would be discussed in the government’s newly created crisis committee on Monday, while Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told German public TV that “Germany is nor for sale.”

     

    The company is based in the southwestern German city of Tübingen and works with the Paul Ehrlich Institute, linked with the German Health Ministry. It also has sites in Frankfurt and the US city of Boston.

    The company hopes to have an experimental vaccine developed by June or July, and then to get approval for testing on people. The research into several possible vaccines had begun and the two most promising would be chosen for clinical tests, CureVac co-founder and chief production officer Florian von der Mülbe told Reuters on Friday.

    Meeting with Trump

    Trump on Saturdaytested negative for the coronavirus after potentially being exposed to several cases.

    The COVID-19 outbreak, which started in China, has spread across the globe with more than 156,000 confirmed cases and 5,800 deaths. More than 70,000 people have recovered from the virus, which presents for most people as a mild to moderate illness, but can become a serious condition in others.

    On March 2, CureVac’s then-CEO Daniel Menichella attended a meeting at the White House to discuss coronavirus vaccine development with Trump and members of his coronavirus taskforce.

    On March 11, the company announced Menichella would be replaced by company founder Ingmar Hoerr, without giving a reason why.

    Source: dw.com

     

  • US state of Georgia delays primary election over virus fears

    Georgia has become the second US state to delay its presidential primary election over fears of the novel coronavirus.

    The southern state had been scheduled to hold its vote on March 24, but has pushed it back nearly two months, as authorities across the country grapple with whether or not to postpone their states’ primary elections.

    The move comes just a day after four other states — Florida, Ohio, Illinois and Arizona — said they would go ahead with their votes, which are scheduled for next week.

    Louisiana, meanwhile, became the first state to announce a postponement on Friday, when it declared an official disaster and an 11-week postponement of its vote, originally scheduled for April 4.

    The delays come amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic could wreak havoc on the Democrats choosing a candidate to challenge President Donald Trump in the November election.

    “Events are moving rapidly and my highest priority is protecting the health of our poll workers, their families, and the community at large,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement announcing the postponement.

    The delay was announced with the Democratic race less than halfway through, with only 25 of 57 contests completed so far.

    “Our priority is to protect the health and safety of all Georgians and to ensure that as many Georgians as possible have an opportunity to vote,” said state Senator Nikema Williams, who is chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia. “Continued in-person voting could compromise both goals.”

    Voters who have already cast their ballots via early voting will be able to recast their vote in the May 19 primary, she said.

    Earlier in the day Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a public health emergency, with 66 cases of coronavirus and one death in his state so far.

    – 105 delegates for grabs –

    Biden has already swept the primaries in the majority of the American South, including in Alabama Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, which each share a border with Georgia, where 105 delegates are at play.

    Biden leads the overall race as well with 878 delegates over Sanders’ 725. To win the nomination, a candidate needs a majority of 1,991.

    Stacey Abrams, a Georgia Democrat who nearly defeated Kemp for the governorship in mid-term elections in 2018, what would have been a major coup in the deeply red state, has been floated as a potential vice presidential pick.

    She told an ABC television program last month that she would “be honored to run as vice president with the nominee.”

    In the face of the global pandemic and rise in cases across the United States, Biden and Sanders have substantially curtailed campaigning, cancelling rallies and telling staffers to work from home.

    The two face off in a debate on Sunday, but Democratic officials have shifted the venue from Arizona to Washington over coronavirus fears.

    The COVID-19 virus has killed at least 51 Americans and upended daily life across the country, leaving almost no element of political life unscathed.

    In Washington Saturday, Trump’s physician said he had tested negative for coronavirus following concerns over his exposure to members of a Brazilian delegation who later turned up positive and US lawmakers now in self-quarantine over potential infection.

    Source: France24

  • Somali-born US congresswoman Ilhan Omar marries her political aide

    US congresswoman Ilhan Omar has announced her marriage to her chief campaign fundraiser, Tim Mynett.

    “Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed,” the Somali-born politician posted on Instagram, alongside a photo of the couple.

    Ms Omar, a Democrat who represents part of the state of Minnesota, is a prominent critic of President Donald Trump.

    Her previous marriage to Ahmed Hirsi ended last year. They share three children.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Got married! From partners in politics to life partners, so blessed. Alhamdulillah ❤️

    A post shared by Ilhan Omar (@ilhanmn) on

    Source: bbc.com

  • US, UK troops among 3 dead in rocket attack in Iraq – US official

    Multiple rockets hit an Iraqi base housing United States and coalition troops on Wednesday, and an assessment of the incident is under way, said a senior official from the administration of US President Donald Trump.

    “We are closely following the situation at Camp Taji,” the official said. “We are not going to get ahead of the assessment and investigation, which are ongoing.”

    Earlier US media, citing official sources, said that one US soldier and one British soldier were among the three dead. They also said an US contractor was also killed. Those reports have not been confirmed.

    The rocket attack was the 22nd against US military interests in the country since late October, an Iraqi military commander said.

    US Army Colonel Myles Caggins, a US military spokesman in Iraq, said on Twitter more than 15 small rockets hit the base but provided no further details.

    One American official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said more information would be given later in an official announcement.

    Camp Taji, located just north of Baghdad, has been used as a training base for a number of years. There are as many as 6,000 US troops in Iraq, training and advising Iraqi forces and conducting counterterrorism missions.

    Previous rocket attacks targeting US soldiers, diplomats and facilities in Iraq killed one US contractor and an Iraqi soldier. None of the attacks has been claimed, but Washington accuses pro-Iran factions of being responsible.

    Two days after the death of an American in rockets fired on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk at the end of last year, the US army hit five bases in Iraq and Syria used by the pro-Iran armed faction Kataib Hezbollah.

    Kataib Hezbollah was designated a “foreign terrorist organization” by the US Department of State in 2009.

    Tensions then rose further between foes Washington and Tehran after a US drone strike killed the powerful Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and an Iraqi paramilitary commander in Baghdad on January 3.

    The assassination brought the two countries to the brink of war.

    The US leads an international coalition – comprised of dozens of countries and thousands of soldiers – formed in Iraq in 2014 to confront the armed group ISIL (ISIS).

    While ISIL has lost the vast territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, sleeper cells remain capable of carrying out attacks.

    The Iraqi parliament voted to expel all foreign soldiers from the country in the wake of the killing of Soleimani, a decision that has still not been acted on by the government.

    The outgoing government, which resigned in December in the face of mass protests, has yet to be replaced because of a lack of agreement in parliament – one of the most divided in Iraq’s recent history.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • US air strike in Somalia killed civilians – MP

    A US air strike in southern Somalia killed civilians, not al-Shabab fighters as claimed by Washington, family members and a politician told Al Jazeera.

    Washington carried out the air strike near the farming town of Janaale, 95km south of Mogadishu, on Monday claiming the attack killed “five terrorists”.

    The victims were civilians travelling in a minibus heading to the capital Mogadishu, Abdullahi Abdirahman Ali, who lost his father in the air strike, said.

    “The Americans are lying. They killed my elderly father. He is 70 years old and can barely move. He can’t walk without the help of a walking stick. He is not al-Shabab,” Abdullahi told Al Jazeera.

    “They killed these civilians because they know no one will take action against them,” he added, anger palpable in his voice.

    One of the other victims was a 13-year-old boy, relatives said. Photos posted online show some of the bodies burned beyond recognition and the wreckage of a blood-soaked vehicle.

    “The minibus was going to Mogadishu. If the Americans suspected anything, they could have waited for them there. For them it is easier to kill civilians than to question them,” Abdullahi added.

    The Somali government controls Mogadishu after pushing the al-Qaeda-linked group out of the capital in 2011. The US military has a base in the seaside city.

    Mahad Dhoore, a Member of Parliament, also confirmed the victims of the air strike were civilians.

    “They killed civilians. They are not telling the truth when they say they killed terrorists. These people are my constituents,” Mahad told Al Jazeera.

    “Civilians are paying a heavy price. On one hand they are been punished by al-Shabab. On the other American drone strikes are killing them.”

    Washington has carried out at least 25 air strikes in Somalia this year, according to figures released by the US military.

    Last year, the United States conducted more than 60 air raids in the Horn of Africa country.

    “Our air strikes are a key effort to combating terror and helping to bring stability and security to Somalia,” Chris Karns, US Africa Command director of public affairs, said in a statement following the latest attack.

    “Not only do they degrade al-Shabab’s ability to conduct violent activities in the region, but they place relentless pressure on their fighter network and impede their ability to export terrorism,” he added.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • 12 US states declare state of emergency over COVID-19

    At least 12 U.S. states have declared states of emergency so far over the coronavirus outbreak as global cases exceed 110,000.

    On Feb. 29, the U.S. reported the first death from the novel coronavirus in the country, in Washington state.

    On March 2, the governor of Washington state declared a state of emergency. In total, 23 people have died from the virus statewide.

    The current death toll nationwide is 28 and more than 800 people are infected across the U.S.

    Since then, California, Maryland, Utah, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, Florida and New Jersey have all declared states of emergency.

    Two deaths each have been reported from the virus in California and Florida while New Jersey has reported one death.

    The latest states to declare emergencies are North Carolina, Colorado and Massachusetts.

    North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the decision came after a meeting with health experts, business leaders and emergency management in the state and other states.

    “The new cases and the advice of these experts have led us to give new guidance to North Carolina residents and to declare a state of emergency for our state,” Cooper said at a press conference Tuesday.

    The coronavirus, officially known also COVID-19, was first detected last December in Wuhan, China.

    The global death toll from the coronavirus is now over 4,260, with more than 118,100 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    The virus has since spread to six continents and more than 100 countries.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • Nigerian tests positive to coronavirus in U.S.

    A Nigerian has tested positive to Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Washington, US, the Mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, said on Saturday.

    Today News Africa reported that Ms Bowser said the Nigerian man spent time in Washington DC and tested positive for Covid-19 at a hospital in neighbourhood Maryland.

    She said the Nigerian does not live in DC, but travelled to the area from Nigeria where he had been staying with relatives before he fell ill. She, however. did not give further details.

    Ms Bowser gave the information when updating the public on the first presumptive case in Washington.

    She said there were two cases in Washington – the first one was a Nigerian who spent time in Washington DC and tested positive in Maryland, while the second case was that of a DC resident in his 50s who tested positive and has been hospitalized in the district.

    The DC resident is the first to test positive for Covid-19 in Washington.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. has also been recording increasing numbers of cases in the last weeks.

    The U.S. recorded the first confirmed death from coronavirus on February 29.

    The man in his 50s had underlying health conditions, and there was no evidence he had close contact with an infected person or a relevant travel history that would have exposed him to the virus.

    Now the rapidly-spreading virus has killed 19 people in the U.S. and affected more than 30 states and the District of Columbia, turning into a health crisis.

    Federal health officials announced the first case of coronavirus in the U.S. on January 20. The patient was in Washington state, and had just returned five days prior from Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started.

    The outbreak in the U.S. has been raising alarms among its citizens as many of them are not happy with the way the Trump administration was handling the outbreak.

    However, the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said Friday that he was “confident” that the United States would handle the novel coronavirus “better than any nation in the world.”

    Mr Pompeo expressed the optimism during an interview with CNBC, in response to a question about whether the U.S. response could as good as that of China without interfering with people’s civil liberties. China imposed severe restrictions on travel in an effort to contain the virus.

    “I’m confident we can handle it here. I’m confident we’ll handle it better than any nation in the world,” Mr Pompeo said.

    Source: allafrica.com

  • Coronavirus: US Republicans self-quarantine amid outbreak

    Five senior US Republicans have quarantined themselves after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus.

    The members of Congress, who include Texas Senator Ted Cruz, self-isolated after they shook hands with an infected individual at a conference.

    President Donald Trump, who was also at the event last month, insists he is in good health and has not taken a test.

    One Democrat has also self-isolated after she met someone with the virus.

    There are more than 700 confirmed cases in the US and 26 people have died so far.

    Mr Cruz, Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar, Georgia Congressman Doug Collins and Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz are all self-quarantining for the recommended 14-days after they met the same infected person at CPAC, a conservative political conference, at the end of February.

    Republican Representative Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s newly appointed chief of staff, also met the person and is in self-quarantine. He is not exhibiting any symptoms and a precautionary test came back negative, a spokesman said.

    Mr Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence attended the same event in Maryland but neither of them interacted with the individual. Mr Trump did shake hands with the conference chairman who had had contact with the patient.

    But, on Monday, the White House announced that Mr Trump had not been tested for the virus. “He has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed Covid-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms,” a spokeswoman said.

    “President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him,” she added.

    What else did the White House say?

    The White House announcement came as it warned the number of cases in the US was likely to rise. “There will be more cases,” Mr Pence told reporters. “But we simply ask today for the American people to engage in the common sense practices.”

    The vice-president, who also confirmed he had not been tested for the virus, said the administration was consulting Congress on providing paid sick leave to workers.

    US President Donald Trump and VP Mike Pence are pictured at Monday's press briefing
    President Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence have not been tested for the virus

    Separately, in brief remarks, Mr Trump said he would take “major” steps to protect the economy against the impact of the outbreak. “We’ll be discussing a possible payroll tax cut or relief, substantial relief,” he told reporters.

    He did not provide further details on his plans, but said there would be a news conference on Tuesday.

    “This blindsided the world, and I think we’ve handled it very, very well,” he said of the virus.

    The president’s comments came as stock markets plunged. Shares around the world had their worst day since the financial crisis on Monday, and analysts described the market reaction to the coronavirus as “utter carnage”.

    What’s the latest in the US?

    Cases of the virus have been recorded in 34 states plus Washington DC.

    There have been 738 confirmed cases and 26 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    Meanwhile, passengers aboard a virus-hit cruise liner in California have begun disembarking after being kept off the coast of San Francisco for five days.

    Grand Princess cruise ship
    The Grand Princess has 21 cases of coronavirus on board

    Nineteen crew members and two passengers on the Grand Princess have tested positive for Covid-19. Most of the passengers will go into quarantine at military bases or, if they require more immediate medical attention, nearby hospitals.

    Several hundred foreign passengers, including 140 Britons, will be repatriated to their home countries.

    The ship’s crew members will remain quarantined on board, which will depart from Oakland as soon as the passengers have disembarked, officials said.

    The cruise ship came to the attention of the authorities when a previous voyager on the vessel died last week after being stricken by the coronavirus.

    The 71-year-old, who had an underlying health condition, had been on a round trip from San Francisco to Mexico.

    What about elsewhere?

    In neighbouring Canada, as of Monday morning, there were 76 confirmed or presumptive cases of people carrying the coronavirus disease. There was one confirmed death in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

    Most of the cases are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia, though some have also been discovered in Quebec and Alberta.

    Canadian public health officials are advising against all cruise ship travel. Just last week, Canadian passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship were released from quarantine.

    Italy now has the highest number of confirmed infections outside China, where the outbreak originated in December. It has confirmed 7,375 cases and overtaken South Korea, where the total number is 7,313.

    Source: BBC

  • US Supreme Court divided on precedent-making abortion rights case

    U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided on Wednesday in a major abortion rights case, with Chief Justice John Roberts representing the potential decisive vote on a challenge to a Louisiana law that could make it harder for women to obtain the procedure.

    The court, with a 5-4 conservative majority, heard arguments in an appeal by Shreveport-based abortion provider Hope Medical Group for Women seeking to invalidate the 2014 law. The measure requires that doctors who perform abortions have a sometimes difficult-to-obtain arrangement called “admitting privileges” at a hospital within 30 miles (48 km) of the clinic.

    The liberal justices, including the court’s three women, appeared skeptical toward that requirement. The conservative justices seemed more receptive.

    Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked questions that suggested they – and perhaps other conservative justices – do not believe the Louisiana law is automatically doomed by a 2016 Supreme Court precedent that struck down similar admitting privileges restrictions in Texas.

    Roberts, considered the court’s ideological center, cast the deciding vote last year when the justices on a 5-4 vote blocked Louisiana’s law from taking effect while the litigation over its legality continued.

    That vote brought him into conflict with his position in the Texas case when Roberts was among the three dissenting justices who concluded that an admitting privileges requirement did not represent an impermissible “undue burden” on abortion access.

    Roberts appeared to acknowledge in his questions that he might feel bound by the court’s 2016 finding that admitting privileges laws provide no health benefit to women. But his questions also indicated he may stray from the 2016 finding about the specific impact of the Texas law, which led to multiple clinic closures, because Louisiana’s situation could be viewed differently.

    Two of Louisiana’s three clinics that perform abortions would be forced to close if the law is allowed to take effect, according to lawyers for the clinic. Louisiana officials have said no clinics would be forced to close.

    “I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places, but as far as the benefits of the law, that’s going to be the same in each state, isn’t it?” Roberts asked.

    Roberts indicated that the 2016 ruling requires the analysis to be “a factual one that has to proceed state-by-state.”

    The questions asked by Roberts and Kavanaugh could open the possibility of them voting to uphold the Louisiana law without specifically overturning the Texas precedent. Kavanaugh asked whether “in some states, admitting privileges laws could be constitutional, if they impose no burdens.”

    Restrictve state laws

    The case, with a ruling due by the end of June, will test the court’s willingness to uphold Republican-backed abortion restrictions being pursued in numerous conservative states. President Donald Trump’s administration supported Louisiana in the case.

    Abortion remains one of the most divisive issues in American society, with Christian conservatives – an important constituency for Trump – among those most opposed to it.

    Abortion rights advocates have argued that restrictions such as admitting privileges are meant to limit access to abortion not protect women’s health as proponents say. When the Supreme Court in 1992 reaffirmed the Roe v. Wade ruling, it prohibited laws that placed an “undue burden” on a woman’s ability to obtain an abortion.

    Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor said it was a “mystery to me” why a 30-mile limit was imposed if the law’s intent was to show that doctors were properly credentialed. She asked why doctors could not get credentials from hospitals further away.

    Fellow liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also questioned the 30-mile limit, noting that in most cases women who have complications from abortions would be at home after the procedure and not at the clinic. As a result, it would not be relevant that the doctor has a relationship with a local hospital, she said.

    Trump, seeking re-election on Nov. 3, promised during the 2016 presidential race to appoint justices who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The Louisiana case marked the first major abortion dispute heard by the court since Trump appointed Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch as justices.

    Gorsuch said nothing during the argument. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who rarely speaks during arguments, was also silent.

    The most outspoken conservative was Justice Samuel Alito, who questioned whether the clinic and doctors even had legal standing to bring the challenge because their interests are different from their patients. He suggested that women seeking abortions should be plaintiffs in such cases.

    Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in 2018, joined the four liberal justices to defend abortion rights when the court struck down the Texas law.

    Baton Rouge-based U.S. District Judge John deGravelles cited the undue burden precedent when he struck down Louisiana’s law in 2016. After Louisiana appealed, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law.

    Source: reuters.com