| Trump suggests China won't be punished if coronavirus was 'a mistake' Posted: 18 Apr 2020 03:47 PM PDT  President Trump offered competing messages on Saturday about how his administration would handle China's alleged culpability in the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in the southeastern city of Wuhan.
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| As COVID-19 deaths outpace funerals, New York’s public burial ground becomes a way-stop between the morgue and cemetery Posted: 18 Apr 2020 05:12 AM PDT  Occupying 131 acres in Long Island Sound, off the Bronx shore, Hart Island is the largest public burial ground in the United States. The process used to bury the unclaimed on Hart Island is not new. … There will be no mass burials on Hart Island.
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| Europe reaches grim milestone, surpasses 100,000 coronavirus deaths Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:53 AM PDT  The continent has become the epicenter of the contagion.
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| A test of 200 people just outside Boston found that 32% had been exposed to the coronavirus, compared to an official rate of 2% Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:47 AM PDT  The study was carried out last week on passersby in Chelsea, Massachusetts. It suggests that the outbreak there is more severe than previously known.
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| ‘A mistake is a mistake’: Trump on consequences for China following virus outbreak Posted: 18 Apr 2020 03:35 PM PDT  When asked if China should face consequences following the coronavirus outbreak that originated in the country and spread around the world, President Trump said that "a mistake is a mistake."
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| Wynn Resorts CEO calls for Las Vegas Strip to conditionally reopen in mid- to late May Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:28 AM PDT |
| Italian church-turned-morgue 'finally empty' of coffins Posted: 18 Apr 2020 11:13 AM PDT  A church in Bergamo that served as an overspill morgue at the height of Italy's coronavirus epidemic "is finally empty", the mayor said Saturday. Where dozens of coffins once stood, nothing but flowers are left to be seen in a photograph tweeted by mayor Giorgio Gori that symbolises the easing of a crisis that has killed over 23,000 people in Italy. Bergamo is in the wealthy northern region of Lombardy, which accounts for over half Italy's virus victims.
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| North Korea is advancing its nuclear program, UN report says Posted: 19 Apr 2020 12:47 PM PDT  The 267-page U.N. report that provides surveillance photos and new evidence.
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| 4 family members battling coronavirus after Virginia bishop's death Posted: 18 Apr 2020 02:37 PM PDT  Bishop Gerald Glenn of New Deliverance Evangelistic Church died from the virus. Now his wife, two daughters and son-in-law are sick.
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| Israelis accuse Netanyahu of endangering democracy Posted: 19 Apr 2020 11:45 AM PDT |
| Trump ponders whether China let coronavirus get out of control 'deliberately' Posted: 19 Apr 2020 04:59 AM PDT  President Trump continued his criticism of China's handling of the initial novel COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, even going so far as to question whether Beijing let the virus get out of control "deliberately."During his daily White House briefing Saturday, Trump said if China was "knowingly responsible" for the novel COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic "there should be consequences." He suggested the Chinese government was likely "embarrassed" about the virus getting out of control, adding that the question now is whether it was a "mistake that got out of control" or deliberate in the first place. "There's a big difference between the two," he said.> "Our relationship with China was good until they did this."> > President Trump says that China may face consequences for the coronavirus "if they were knowingly responsible" pic.twitter.com/9gaWIyjF3c> > — Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) April 19, 2020The president also questioned the legitimacy of the coronavirus death toll reported by Beijing, whose officially data places China's fatalities per 100,000 people far below the figures in the United States and Europe. "Does anybody really believe these figures?" he asked. Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, agreed that the numbers were "unrealistic."While many people have raised concerns about Beijing's response to the virus and especially the legitimacy of China's case and death totals, Trump's own critics believe the White House is focusing heavily on China as a way to divert attention from its own missteps in responding to the pandemic. Read more at The Guardian and Reuters.More stories from theweek.com A parade that killed thousands? 5 brutally funny cartoons about Dr. Fauci's Trump troubles America's fake federalism
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| Get the Breezy, Bahamian Look of Lulu de Kwiatkowski's Home Posted: 18 Apr 2020 05:00 AM PDT |
| The coronavirus pandemic has created a hidden crisis for funeral directors who are rapidly running out of protective equipment and space for bodies Posted: 18 Apr 2020 01:04 AM PDT  Funeral home staff are being forced to manage bodies without sufficient safety equipment amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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| Adherence to social distancing spurs dip in projected U.S. coronavirus deaths Posted: 18 Apr 2020 12:40 AM PDT  Better-than-expected social distancing practices have led an influential research model to lower its projected U.S. coronavirus death toll by 12%, while predicting some states may be able to safely begin easing restrictions as early as May 4. The University of Washington's predictive model, regularly updated and often cited by state public health authorities and White House officials, projected on Friday that the virus will take 60,308 U.S. lives by Aug. 4, down from 68,841 deaths forecast earlier in the week. "We are seeing the numbers decline because some state and local governments, and, equally important, individuals around the country, have stepped up to protect their families, their neighbors, and friends and co-workers by reducing physical contact," said Christopher Murray, director of the university's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
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| ‘Very, Very Scary’: Officials Dumbfounded as Florida Beaches Reopen, 3 Days After Death Spike Posted: 18 Apr 2020 02:57 PM PDT  The state of Florida passed two milestones in the coronavirus pandemic this week: its deadliest day yet, and the reopening of several public beaches.Hundreds of people flocked to the newly opened beaches in northern Florida on Friday evening, just two weeks into Gov. Ron DeSantis' monthlong stay-at-home order began. The state is the first of several to start slowly reopening public spaces even as the novel coronavirus continues to spread.DeSantis announced Saturday that K-12 schools would remain closed for the rest of the school year, saying he did not want to force families who were uncomfortable with the idea to return to classrooms. Just a day earlier, however, he greenlit the reopening of some beaches, arguing that Floridians needed fresh air."I think people, they're gonna be responsible, they're gonna be safe, but they want to get back into a routine," he said Saturday.Duval and St. Johns Counties, as well as the city of Mexico Beach, opened their beaches Friday for "essential activities" like running, fishing and surfing. The beaches will run on limited hours in the morning and evening, and activities like sunbathing will still be prohibited. Police were seen manning the beaches on Friday and Saturday, asking residents to maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings. "This can be the beginning of a pathway back to normal life," Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a video statement. "But please respect and follow the limitations."He added: "The data for Duval County is encouraging. For now, we need to stay the course and continue taking precautions."Despite the mayor's warnings, hundreds of people flocked to the beaches in Duval County Friday, some engaging group sports like volleyball or spikeball. Photos of the scene drew outcry on social media, spawning the hashtag FloridaMorons, as well as disdain from officials elsewhere in the state. "When a person doesn't believe in science, they do dumb things," Lake Worth Beach City Commissioner Omari Hardy tweeted. "When a person in power doesn't believe in science, they do dumb things that hurt the public. This move is so dumb that I had to make sure it wasn't fake news. You guys, it isn't fake news."Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who contracted coronavirus himself, called the reopening in Jacksonville "very concerning," adding that Florida was "not out of the woods yet" and the consequences of reopening too soon were "very, very scary." "When they talk about the curve flattening and the curve descending, we still have not seen a major descension, what we're seeing is more of a plateau in the state of Florida," he told MSNBC on Saturday. "And I'm concerned that if we're not careful that we could see another flare up."That state's deadliest day yet occurred Tuesday, when a reported 72 people died of the virus in 24 hours. The number of confirmed cases in the state was still increasing on Saturday, bringing the totals to 25,269 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 740 deaths. Nearly 3,500 people in the state have been hospitalized due to the virus, according to the Florida Department of Health. Along with announcing school closures Saturday, DeSantis said that a task force would also begin meeting daily next week to work on reopening businesses. He added that the state was considering opening four testing labs and was working with commercial labs to produce test results in 24 hours or less.Florida was not the only state moving toward a gradual reopening. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order this week allowing state parks to reopen Monday, though visitors would still be required to wear masks and stay six feet away from anyone not in their household. Abbott also said restrictions on elective medical procedures would be loosened Wednesday and retail stores could open for curbside pickup on Friday. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also ordered state parks and beaches to reopen from next week, but some local authorities insisted the order allowed them to open immediately. Officials in Harrison County were spotted removing "beach closed" signs from the boardwalk as early as Friday afternoon.In Alabama, business owners were reportedly confused by a set of suggestions released by the Small Business Emergency Task Force this week, suggesting that everything from jewelry stores to waxing salons could reopen "immediately." The suggestions have yet to be adopted. Gov. Kay Ivery plans to announce which restrictions will be lifted by April 28. President Donald Trump has also been pushing for states to reopen, amid fears of a possible economic depression. The president initially suggested the country could be open for business by Easter, but walked that back after seeing apocalyptic scenes out of hospitals in New York City.The White House issued a three-step guide for governors to use when deciding to reopen, titled "Opening Up America Again." The plan suggests lifting lockdown orders as soon as a 14-day downward trajectory in cases of COVID-like symptoms and positive tests can be documented."America wants to be open and Americans want to be open," Trump said in a press conference Thursday. "A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution."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.
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| Federal judge blocks Kansas limits on religious gatherings Posted: 18 Apr 2020 06:49 PM PDT  "Churches and religious activities appear to have been singled out among essential functions for stricter treatment," the judge wrote in his order.
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| Israel eases coronavirus restrictions Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:30 AM PDT  Israel began easing movement restrictions on Sunday while pointedly avoiding announcing any exit from an ongoing lockdown to forestall the spread of coronavirus. A cabinet vote in the early hours of the morning approved several measures, including a reopening of high street shops, schools for children with special educational needs and a resumption of small scale prayer meetings, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said. In a televised address on Saturday, Netanyahu had outlined "a responsible and gradual" plan allowing the return of some workers to offices and industry.
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| Use One of These Grill Cleaners to Ensure a Food-Safe Cooking Space Posted: 18 Apr 2020 07:00 AM PDT |
| Trump announces U.S. funding for WHO will be withheld Posted: 19 Apr 2020 01:17 PM PDT  The president claimed the organization's failures caused many deaths.
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| Sheriff threatened to jail teen's family if she did not delete Instagram posts about coronavirus, lawsuit says Posted: 18 Apr 2020 02:22 PM PDT  The Marquette County sheriff maintained the girl did not have the right to make her Instagram posts, the lawsuit says.
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| A bizarre conspiracy theory puts Bill Gates at the center of the coronavirus crisis — and major conservative pundits are circulating it Posted: 19 Apr 2020 12:21 PM PDT  From fringe conspiracy theorists to mainstream conservative pundits, this is how Bill Gates became the scapegoat for the coronavirus pandemic.
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| Iran's Revolutionary Guards say have increased Gulf patrols Posted: 19 Apr 2020 04:49 AM PDT |
| Kim Jong Un's absence from event fuels speculation over health Posted: 18 Apr 2020 08:02 AM PDT  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's absence from an important anniversary event this week has fueled speculation over his potential health problems, analysts said on Friday.
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| Canadian authorities say at least 10 people, including officer, killed in mass shooting Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:40 PM PDT  "The impact of the incident will extend from one end of the province to the other," an officer said.
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| Experimental virus drug remdesivir effective in monkeys : study Posted: 18 Apr 2020 01:35 AM PDT  The experimental antiviral drug remdesivir has proven effective against COVID-19 in a small experiment involving monkeys, US government scientists reported Friday. One group received the drug, which was developed by Gilead Sciences, and the other group did not. One of the six treated animals showed mild breathing difficulty, while all six of the untreated monkeys had rapid and difficult breathing.
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| Asia virus latest: India curbs foreign takeovers; Japanese tulips snipped Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:52 AM PDT  India has increased restrictions on direct foreign investment to curb "opportunistic" takeovers and acquisitions of Indian companies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade ministry said. Under the new policy released Saturday, foreign investors that share land borders with India -- including China -- will only be allowed to invest in the country with government approval. The previous policy restricted the need for government approval for investments from Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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| Boko Haram suspects 'die of poison' in Chad jail Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:55 AM PDT  The 44 men were taken into custody around Lake Chad during an offensive against Islamist militants.
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| New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey have reopened marinas and boatyards as Gov. Cuomo reports coronavirus may have passed its peak Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:52 AM PDT  The three states reopened their waterfront areas with social distancing guidelines as New York Gov. Cuomo announced that COVID-19 may have peaked.
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| 'Armed bandits' kill 47 in northwest Nigeria's Katsina state: police Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:58 AM PDT |
| Column: This man masterminded my friend Daniel Pearl's abduction in 2002. He shouldn't be set free Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:09 AM PDT  Pearl's beheading opened the door to more violence against journalists. Those who abducted him should remain in prison.
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| Laboratory in Wuhan breaks silence to deny claims that the coronavirus originated there Posted: 18 Apr 2020 07:40 AM PDT  "There is no way this virus came from us,' said Yuan Zhiming, a vice director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
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| South Africa to Gradually Ease Regulations After Lockdown Posted: 18 Apr 2020 09:19 AM PDT |
| Social distancing rules should be same for Ramadan, Easter: Trump Posted: 18 Apr 2020 06:19 PM PDT  President Donald Trump said Saturday he hopes US Muslims will be held to the same social distancing standards during Ramadan as Christians at Easter, when a number of faithful chafed against coronavirus-related restrictions on large gatherings. The US president made the comments after being asked to defend a retweet of a conservative commentator who seemed to question whether Muslims would be treated with the same severity as Christians who broke social distancing rules. "I would say that there could be a difference," Trump said during his daily coronavirus press conference.
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| Questions mount over Christian group behind Central Park Covid-19 hospital Posted: 19 Apr 2020 04:00 AM PDT  Facility run by Trump ally Franklin Graham's organisation requires staff to sign statement opposing gay marriageWhen big white field hospital tents appeared in Central Park in late March, they became a potent symbol of the scale and severity of New York's coronavirus crisis.But just over two weeks since the opening of the 68-bed facility run by Franklin Graham's organisation Samaritan's Purse, questions are mounting over why the controversial religious leader viewed by many to be homophobic, Islamophobic and politically extreme was chosen to perform this vital role outside Mount Sinai hospital on Fifth Avenue, and who sanctioned it.Graham, a close ally whom Donald Trump praised in a recent briefing, has previously described Islam as "evil" and has described gay people as "the enemy". Coronavirus, he recently said, was a result of "the sin that's in the world".Samaritan's Purse – which has so far treated 130 coronavirus patients and has about 90 staff at the Central Park field hospital – requires all staff and volunteers to sign a "statement of faith".Statements in the document include "we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female" and "human life is sacred from conception to its natural end".The decision to allow the group to run such a key Covid-19 effort in the city has drawn protests from both activists and politicians."His hostility towards LGBTQ people does not comport, in my opinion, with his desire to provide assistance and relief to New Yorkers during this time of crisis," the New York state senator Brad Hoylman said. "That said, the federal government has put us in the unfortunate position of having to accept charity from bigots like Franklin Graham and at the very least I think it's government's responsibility to ensure that he follows the law."Hoylman has requested that the Mount Sinai hospital network ask Samaritan's Purse staff to sign a non-discrimination agreement acknowledging their understanding of New York's human rights law. But he still fears the organisation's presence in the city will cause "incalculable" damage."I do fear that we've given Franklin Graham a platform in one of the most famous pieces of public land in the country to spew his hatred of LGBTQ people, and unfortunately at the same time legitimise his homophobia," Hoylman said.On Easter Sunday, Graham – son of the late evangelist Billy Graham – gave an Easter message from outside the Central Park hospital, broadcast on Fox News with the charity logo on a banner in the background.Natalie James, a member of Reclaim Pride Coalition, which staged a protest outside the hospital on Tuesday, said: "Franklin Graham, their notoriously transphobic and homophobic leader of their organisation, had an Easter sermon right there in Central Park next to those tents, which I can only imagine was furthering their fundraising."Among those who spoke at the protest was Timothy Lunceford-Stevens, who said he was rejected as a volunteer by Samaritan's Purse because he did not want to sign the statement of faith. James said the protesters were not necessarily trying to shut down the hospital – acknowledging that help was needed – but that the group wanted Samaritan's Purse to drop the statement of faith, which they believe could be in violation of state and city human rights laws.A group of US lawmakers from New York – including the Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Adriano Espaillat and Jerry Nadler – wrote a public letter warning of their "concern about the policies governing Samaritan's Purse emergency field hospital in Central Park specifically, the implications for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers with Covid-19".The letter, addressed to New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo; the New York City mayor, Bill de Blasio; and the Mount Sinai Health System CEO, Kenneth Davis, called for answers to a series of questions, including details of the process that granted the charity use of public land, any non-discriminatory agreements in place and funding.New York state approved the field hospital application. De Blasio has previously said that he found the organisation "troubling" but that Mount Sinai had assured him there would be no discrimination and that his office would be monitoring.Espaillat, whose district includes Mount Sinai hospital, said he believes the situation has come about because the city is in "crisis mode". He added: "Had it been any other time, this would have been a major scandal."Despite all the outrage, Graham, 67, told the Guardian in an interview on Thursday that he believed "the vast majority of New Yorkers are glad that we are there" and that the organisation would remain in Central Park for as long as it was needed.The preacher, who lives in Boone, North Carolina, added: "It's just a small handful of people who are opposed. And I find in life there's always somebody who's opposed to whatever you do and they're just naysayers who disagree with our difficult positions and take exception to that."Defending the statement of faith, he said: "We are an evangelical Christian organisation and we want to have people of like mind."He said "a handful" of qualified people had been turned away because they could not sign the statement of faith, which he said was non-negotiable. "If they agree with it they'll sign it, if they don't agree with it then they move on. That's just who we are and we're not going to change who we are."But he insisted that all patients were treated the same "regardless of their sexual orientation, their race or their religion, it doesn't matter".He also claimed he was not homophobic or Islamophobic, but added: "I certainly disagree with homosexuality and I believe the Bible's very clear about what it has to say about homosexuality, and that's my opinion and that's what I believe, but I'm not anti-gay."The charity is also working in Cremona, Italy, where it has another coronavirus field hospital, and Alaska, where it has airlifted medical supplies. If it were no longer needed in New York and another city requested the field hospital, Graham said, it would "certainly go to that city".Graham said the collaboration with Mount Sinai came about after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) found out Samaritan's Purse had a spare field hospital in a warehouse and asked if the group would be willing to go to New York. He said Mount Sinai had got in touch with the organisation and soon after it began considering different locations.He said Mount Sinai decided the tents should be in Central Park because of its "close proximity" to the hospital. He said the field hospital – including its equipment and staff – was entirely funded by private donations, adding: "We have no state, federal or city money."Fema did not respond to a request for comment. The New York state department of health spokesman, Jonah Bruno, said it had approved the application for Mount Sinai and Samaritan's Purse to erect the field hospital in the park on a "temporary basis, until the governor's emergency declaration is lifted".He added: "The department will fully enforce any and all applicable anti-discrimination laws and regulations against any healthcare provider operating in New York state."The New York City spokeswoman, Jane Meyer, said a member of staff from the mayor's office checked in with staff of Mount Sinai and Samaritan's Purse "every day to ensure things are running smoothly and they also visit the site in person". But Samaritan's Purse said they only came "on occasion".The Mount Sinai spokesman, Jason Kaplan, said: "While our organisations may have differences of opinions, when it comes to Covid-19 we are fully united: we will care for everyone and no patients or staff will be discriminated against. Mount Sinai and Samaritan's Purse are unified in our mission to provide the same world-class care to anyone and everyone who needs it. No questions asked. Any suggestion otherwise is incorrect."
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| Treasury secretary Mnuchin predicts US economy will rebound in months and not years: 'We are going to have terrific breakthroughs' Posted: 19 Apr 2020 08:15 AM PDT  Mnuchin said advances in testing and treatments for COVID-19 will play a key role in the economy's reopening.
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| U.S. says China should stop 'bullying behaviour' in South China Sea Posted: 18 Apr 2020 06:50 AM PDT |
| Latinos disproportionately dying, losing jobs because of the coronavirus: 'Something has to change' Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:55 AM PDT  Latinos are disproportionately suffering from the coronavirus because of a combination of factors, including working in low-paying front-line jobs.
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| What Happens Next with Syrian Refugees, Europe and Coronavirus Posted: 19 Apr 2020 08:41 AM PDT  The question over Syrian refugees is building again for Europe with the threat of coronavirus and President Erdogan's political pressure.
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| 'They're killing us,' Texas residents say of Trump protections rollbacks Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:27 PM PDT  Residents of the mostly black and Latino communities closest to the oil refineries and chemical plants in Texas say it puts them on the front line of the Trump administration's rollbacks of decades of public health and environmental protections.
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| Ukraine in flames: Chernobyl wildfire highlights a dangerous tradition Posted: 18 Apr 2020 01:38 AM PDT  Villagers' embrace of traditional field-burning clashes with modern need to safely contain nuclear waste for generations to come.
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| Germany to Order 45 Fighter Jets From Boeing, Report Says Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:46 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Germany will order 45 fighter aircraft from Boeing Co. to replace the Luftwaffe's aging Tornado jets, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday.Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer emailed her U.S. counterpart Mark Esper on Thursday to inform him of the decision, the magazine said, without identifying the source of its information. Germany will order 30 F/A-18 Super Hornets and 15 EA-18G Growlers, the report added.The German ministry couldn't immediately be reached outside regular business hours. The Pentagon in Washington declined to comment."While we continue to await an official announcement, we remain committed to working in support of both the German and U.S. governments on this important procurement," a spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing wrote in an email. A combination of Hornets and Growlers "is ideally suited to meet Germany's strike fighter and electronic warfare aircraft requirements."Kramp-Karrenbauer's actions may upset the Social Democrats, the junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition, as she didn't inform them before making her decision, Der Spiegel said.Kramp-Karrenbauer's predecessor, Ursula von der Leyen, had offered a compromise to the SPD under which Germany would buy a combination of U.S. fighters and the Eurofighter Typhoon manufactured by Airbus SE, according to Der Spiegel.(Updates with Boeing comment in fourth paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Iranian president says prisoner leave to be extended Posted: 19 Apr 2020 06:21 AM PDT  Iran will extend leave for prisoners for one more month, President Hassan Rouhani announced Sunday, after the country temporarily released 100,000 detainees to combat the spread of coronavirus. "Prisoners' leave was supposed to continue until the end of Farvardin (April 19)... it will be extended until the end of Ordibehesht (May 20)," Rouhani said during a televised meeting of the government's coronavirus taskforce, referring to two Iranian months. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili did not directly confirm Rouhani's remarks but further leniency was anticipated.
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| North Korea's foreign ministry denies letter sent to Trump: KCNA Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:19 AM PDT |
| WHO warns that coronavirus antibodies can't guarantee long-term immunity Posted: 18 Apr 2020 09:08 AM PDT  The World Health Organization warned that there's no evidence antibody tests can show if a previously infected person is immune to reinfection.
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