Worldwide / 101

Research Links Air Pollution with Higher Coronavirus Death Rates

April 21, 2020

Yaron Ogen from the MLU Institute for Geosciences and Geography. In the metro area that encompasses 16 counties in three states, the Charleston-Huntington-Ashland, WV-OH-KY area, the best year-round level of fine particle pollution was recorded for the 11th consecutive year.

Death toll could rise in Nova Scotia as investigation into rampage continues

April 21, 2020

Bodies were also found at other locations and buildings set on fire. Investigators were still looking for a motive for the shooting spree that unfolded in four different communities on late Saturday and early Sunday, stretching over 100 kilometres, police said.

UK Government will provide free 4G routers for home schooling

April 21, 2020

The scheme, which has been set up by teachers and funded by the Department of Education, is set to provide video lessons for students, with each lesson arriving with a quiz and worksheet to go with it. The Government has announced plans to provide disadvantaged children in England with free laptops and tablets for online education. By providing young people with these laptops and tablets and enabling schools to access high quality support, we will enable all children to continue learning now ...

Ontario starting to flatten the curve & planning for re-opening

April 21, 2020

In eastern Ontario, the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit is reporting 276 cases of COVID-19, while the Eastern Ontario Health Unit is reporting 70 and the Renfrew County and District Health Unit is reporting 14. Officials did not offer a definite answer on when life would be getting back to normal, but Ford said the province has started working on a framework for a "gradual, measured and safe" reopening.

Worst yet ahead of us in Covid-19 pandemic: WHO chief

April 21, 2020

Some 15 staff from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been seconded to the United Nations agency since January, joining two U.S. government officials assigned long-term. They emphasized that "the global community must unite in its efforts to ensure access to scientific guidance, training, equipment, essential medical supplies, and concrete life-saving services to countries in greatest need and in regions where the full impact is yet to be felt".

Trump accuses governors of ‘political game’ over virus test criticism

April 21, 2020

Trump's claims and criticisms flew in the face of the acknowledgement by health experts of testing shortages around the country. "We don't need so much", he said. The other big maker of swabs is in Italy, which proved a challenge when the country became a Covid-19 hot spot. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been catapulted to the national spotlight as leader of the state most badly ravaged by the coronavirus , was among the most prominent voices at odds with Trump.

Joe Biden: I’d Pick Michelle Obama as Running Mate ‘in a Heartbeat’

April 21, 2020

The Obama family are friends with his family, the former vice president said . "In terms of who to pick, we're just beginning the process, we'll shortly be announcing the committee I have named to review this and to begin to look through the backgrounds of the various potential nominees".

Donald Trump orders complete suspension of immigration

April 21, 2020

US President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily suspend immigration could hurt Indian IT companies which are already under pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The unprecedented collapse of oil prices, which traded in negative territory for the first time ever, is sure to fuel calls for a quicker unshackling of the global economy.

Russian fighter buzzes USA aircraft for second time in four days

April 21, 2020

A Russian fighter aircraft approached a US Navy aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea Sunday , both governments confirmed while offering different accounts of the incident. The US Navy 6th Fleet destroyer was operating in the Baltic Sea off the Lithuanian coast last week, according to the Allied Air Command. The ministry said the Russian fighter identified the U.S.

South Korea 'Looking Into' Reports About Kim Jong Un's Health

April 21, 2020

In the post, which went viral on social media, Tur claimed, " North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is brain dead, according to two United States officials". North Korea insists it has had no infections, but observers widely dismiss the claim. However since these reports began to circulate, numerous sources have now suggested the North Korean leader is recovering after his surgery and is not ill.

North Korea flouts sanctions through China shipping, says UN report

April 21, 2020

In a statement on Sunday , North Korea's Foreign Ministry refuted reports by U.S. media outlets that regime leader Kim Jong-un recently sent a personal letter to U.S. But North Korea's rhetoric continues to intensify. Kim was last publicly seen presiding over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's politburo last Saturday.

Zuckerberg says stay-at-home protests organized through Facebook qualify as 'harmful misinformation'

April 21, 2020

Stone said Facebook is working to get answers from state governments in Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and NY as to whether anti-stay-at-home protests are also prohibited under their social distancing guidelines. According to CNN , posts specifically made using Facebook Events are being removed, though other posts, such as through Facebook groups, may potentially not be removed.

Prince William, Kate Middleton lead Queen Elizabeth's 94th birthday tributes

April 21, 2020

The BBC reports that any phone or video calls the Queen has with family on her birthday will be kept private. Queen Elizabeth II turned 94 today and is spending her birthday with no pomp and show. The bells of Westminster Abbey will stay silent on her birthday for the first time in more than a decade, because the central London church is closed during the lockdown.

Restrictions leave churches empty for Orthodox Easter services

April 21, 2020

This year's services had to reckon with self-isolation containment measures in place to curb the spread of coronavirus , which led many churches across Russian Federation to close their doors to the public and broadcast their ceremonies online.

More positive COVID-19 modelling suggests 'public health measures are working'

April 21, 2020

Despite this positive news, Dr. Barbara Yaffe noted that there is "no clear answer on when we can go back to normal life". Maritimers are most likely to say the economy should wait until a vaccine is developed. Ford said it was an unimaginable tragedy in the midst of a pandemic, but he says the strength and resolve of the people of Nova Scotia means they will grieve but also band together.

Boris Johnson receiving daily updates on coronavirus response but not working

April 21, 2020

Senior minister Michael Gove earlier sought to defend Johnson after the prime minister was accused of being 'missing in action in the early stages of the outbreak. The insider also alleged that Whitehall had been fixated on Brexit, and long-term crisis preparations fell by the wayside as key staff were diverted from pandemic contingencies to thrash out no-deal planning.

US state obtains ‘game-changing’ virus tests from South Korea

April 21, 2020

The US state of Maryland has received 500,000 coronavirus tests ordered from South Korea, a shipment Governor Larry Hogan said would be "game-changing" to efforts to implement widespread testing. He didn't understand too much about what was going on, so now I think he will be able to do that. Mr. Hogan, Ms. Hogan and a group of state officials greeted the flight to receive the kits on Saturday.

Italy reports 454 new deaths, current virus infections fall

April 21, 2020

More than 1 lakh 70 thousand people have been died due to Corona and its growing epidemic.The outbreak of this virus seems to be decreasing in Italy. There are now 108,237 people infected with COVID-19 in Italy, compared to 108,257 Sunday, a drop of 20.

Federal parties butting heads over how often to reconvene Parliament

April 21, 2020

But MPs were to spend the bulk of Monday debating adjustments to that routine, with the Liberals turning the deal they'd reached with the Bloc Quebecois and NDP into a government motion. The question then will be how many MPs show up and what they will discuss. "It's important to hear voices from parliamentarians across this country", Singh said.

G-20 health ministers acknowledge health systems' vulnerability to pandemics

April 21, 2020

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , has spread to at least 185 countries and regions worldwide, with Europe and the US the worst-hit regions. He said countries must ensure they are able to detect, test, isolate and take care of every coronavirus patient, and trace every contact. The WHO director-general also touched on the fact that the organization has employees from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ...

Bolsonaro wants end to Brazil quarantine 'this week'

April 21, 2020

Standing on the back of a truck Bolsonaro said to protestors "I'm here because I believe in you". You are here because you believe in Brazil. The protest was particularly aimed at Brazil's Supreme Court and Congress - institutions regarded with deep hostility by Bolsonaro supporters, who consider them as obstacles to enacting the president's agenda.

Number of South Koreans testing positive again for coronavirus rises to 163

April 21, 2020

In January, South Korea has reacted immediately on the coronavirus challenge, the country has tested more than 563,000 people, among whom 540,380 tested negative for the virus and 11,981 were being checked. The masks also seem to have a size problem. The CDC said that a Taiwanese student returning from the United States had also tested positive. - MCDONALD'S CLOSES SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS: Fast food giant McDonald's says it will suspend all operations in Singapore from Sunday for two ...

Kim Jong Un's Health: North Korean Leader Hospitalized

April 21, 2020

Daily NK, a South Korean website mostly operated by defectors from the North, reported that Mr. Kim had a cardiovascular procedure April 12. The outlet's backers include the U.S.'s National Endowment for Democracy, which awarded it $400,000 previous year to "raise awareness and understanding of the conditions in North Korea by disseminating accurate, timely and relevant news and information about the country".

China rejects Australia's questions on its handling of coronavirus

April 21, 2020

The coronavirus is thought to have emerged at a marketplace selling wildlife at the central Chinese city of Wuhan late a year ago. Payne, according to Fox News , pronounced that Australia "will absolutely insist" on worldwide research. Hunt said Australia was winning its effort against the coronavirus but hadn't yet won. When asked if this review should involve the World Health Organization, Payne had said that Australia did share specific concerns about the WHO that the U.S.

Coronavirus outbreak: NY to send 400 ventilators to MA

April 21, 2020

The mayor of the state spoke to a press conference to announce the positive signs for New York's fight against the virus. "If the data hold and if this trend holds, we are past the high point and all indications at this point are that we are on the descent".

Mnuchin: Agreement On $300 Billion For Small Business Loan Program

April 21, 2020

Both of those measure have wide bipartisan support. Several issues remain outstanding, according to three Democratic officials. Democrats joined the optimism about the pace of negotiations. That had been one of the original demands of Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. President Trump announced the relief in his daily White House press briefing on Sunday.

Did coronavirus escape from China's Wuhan lab? Trump gave a surprising answer

April 21, 2020

On Friday, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed the Chinese economy shrank 6.8% in the first three months of 2020 , the first such contraction since 1976 when the country was convulsed by the Cultural Revolution. China has repeatedly defended itself against criticism from the United States and other nations that say Beijing may be underreporting the total number of infection cases and deaths it has seen in the pandemic.

Pray at home during Ramadan, Saudi Arabia tells Muslims

April 21, 2020

The statement by the religious body comes amid calls on social media to hold mass Ramadan evening prayers on roofs in response to the lockdown on mosques. Jewish Americans were similarly made to turn conventional Passover seders to virtual occasions if the eight-day holiday started at sundown on April 8.

First Alert Forecast: Strong Storms This Morning, Clearing By Afternoon

April 20, 2020

This will provide another round of strong and severe storms . Areas south of Tuscaloosa/Clanton/Lafayette line will have very unstable atmospheric conditions with a potential for strong tornadoes and straight-line wind gusts of 70 miles per hour.

New Zealand to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions from next week

April 20, 2020

Auckland Council has announced that all its public services such as libraries, swimming pools, recreation centres and venues for hire will remain shut. Three-quarters have been processed so far, with none testing positive. "Going hard and early to stamp out the virus, backed by an effort of 5 million New Zealanders to break the chain of transmission, means together we have helped stop the uncontrolled explosion of COVID-19 in New Zealand", Jacinda says.

Why have democracy leaders in Hong Kong been arrested?

April 20, 2020

While the protests began peacefully, they increasingly descended into violence after demonstrators became frustrated with the government's response. The protests broadened into demands for full democracy and a public investigation into the use of force by police.

Coronavirus deaths down in NY, but officials urge vigilance

April 20, 2020

The mayor had harsh words for Queens-born U.S. president Donald Trump, claiming both he and vice-president Mike Pence have ignored his overtures on the stimulus funds. "The folks that still don't get it are going to have to pay a price", de Blasio said. But De Blasio's invocation of an era when crime soared, rodents infested the streets, and entire neighborhoods were considered no-go was also pointed: Trump, raised in the suburbs, became a classic bridge-and-tunnel entrepreneur, venturing to ...

United States coronavirus deaths top 40,000 ―Johns Hopkins

April 20, 2020

With the highest number of cases and deaths of any country in the world, the U.S. had recorded 700,282 cases of COVID-19 and 36,773 deaths as of 0030 GMT Friday, according to the Baltimore-based university. She referred to as for extra federal authorities assist. "Now he has chosen to focus on protests", Northam told CNN's "State of the Union". Cuomo introduced this week that New York State's shutdown - which orders residents to remain at residence besides to train or carry out important ...

Virgin Australia preparing to enter voluntary administration: SMH

April 20, 2020

Media reports from Australia says Virgin Australia is preparing to enter voluntary administration with the cash-strapped carrier unable to weather the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis due to its debt load. Virgin Australia had asked the government for a A$1.4 billion loan, convertible into equity, to see it through the crisis. It needs a UK-backed commercial loan to ride out the crisis, while Virgin Australia is "fighting to survive", he said.

Cuomo: Antibody testing will begin in NY this week

April 20, 2020

The state has been the epicentre of the United States pandemic, seeing 247,215 cases and 18,298 deaths. Workplace temperature checks will be a key component of reopening the city from its coronavirus shutdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.

Thousands of Israelis gather in socially distanced protest against Benjamin Netanyahu

April 20, 2020

Restrictions have confined most Israelis to their homes, forcing businesses to close and sending unemployment to more than 25 percent. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition leader, Benny Gantz, have agreed to form a national unity government, their parties said in a statement, in a deal meant to end a year-long political crisis.

TikTok user may have registered an intruder at home while dancing

April 20, 2020

TikTok person Reubix_Cube (aka Reuben) posted the video of himself shaking a leg to Doja Cat's Say So two days in the past. The video has received over a million views, but not for his slick dance moves. Another commented: "The AMOUNT OF ANXIETY I have from his video". "As one user wrote , "Obviously this is expected, the caption says", I was home alone "(he) wanted us to know".

Chamber President Repudiates Bolsonaro and Says Brazil Will Defeat Authoritarianism

April 20, 2020

In an address to his supporters from atop a pickup truck on Sunday, Bolsonaro once again spoke about the fight against "old politics" and the "patriotic" spirit of the Brazilians, reports Efe news. But his attendance at Sunday's rally "crossed the rubicon", Brazil's Bar Association president Felipe Santa Cruz declared. "It is frightening to see demonstrations for the return of the military regime, after 30 years of democracy", he wrote on Twitter.

Over 90000 deaths in Europe

April 20, 2020

Mounting evidence suggests that social distancing slowed the pandemic after more than half of humanity - 4.5 billion people - were confined to their homes. But numerous world's 260 million Orthodox Christians were forced to mark Easter at home Sunday, with church leaders telling worshippers to stay indoors and conducting services online or on television.

The Chinese economy shrinks

April 20, 2020

The plan to reform the LPR mechanism past year sought "to better reflect market changes in its latest move to guide borrowing costs lower to support the real economy", according to Xinhua news agency. It is China's first such decline since at least 1992 when quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) records began, as the COIVD-19 pandemic forced a shut down of most of the country's operations for weeks.

Governors plot reopening the economy but say they still lack tests

April 20, 2020

The vice president's comments come as governors have expressed that their respective states do not have the availability of testing kits for coronavirus necessary for the demand of people who need them. In Washington state, an early USA virus hotspot, more than 2,000 people - many of them ignoring social distancing guidelines - congregated at the capitol to demand the governor re-open the state's shuttered economy.

Covid-19: Maharashtra orders landlords to delay rent recovery by three months

April 20, 2020

The advisory issued by the state Housing Department stated that no tenants should be evicted from their properties as the nation combats the spread of the coronavirus. The states across India are looking at an economic crisis. Maharashtra is the worst hit state due to coronavirus in the country with over 3,200 cases so far.

Five flights to repatriate hundreds of Britons stranded in New Zealand

April 20, 2020

The flights would also be operating from Delhi to London on April 21, 23, 25 and 27. Tickets back from New Zealand will cost £800 per person. "Our staff will continue to support those Britons who remain in Bangladesh throughout this crisis, and beyond".

Virus tracing app ready for Germany rollout in 3-4 weeks: Minister

April 20, 2020

Germany has declared its coronavirus outbreak under control as it prepares to take its first tentative steps out of lockdown next week, according to a Guardian report . Some companies, such as vehicle giant Volkswagen, have already announced their own step-by-step plans for reactivating production in Germany in the coming weeks.

Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows frequently cries at work

April 20, 2020

President Trump interjected to question the COVID-19 statistics released by Iran and China . Trump also said that the United States government is seeking to determine whether the virus emanated from a laboratory in China, "a lot of odd things are happening, but there is a lot to investigate and we are going to find out".

Gove admits PM missed five Cobra meetings in the pandemic run-up

April 20, 2020

You can take a single fact, wrench it out of context, whip it up in order to create a j'accuse narrative. The government has published a lengthy rebuttal to a damning newspaper article that claimed the United Kingdom "lost a crucial five weeks" to tackle the threat posed by the coronavirus.

Coronavirus Situation In France Improving "Slowly But Surely": PM

April 20, 2020

Social distancing measures brought in by France to curb the virus's spread include orders to stand at least a metre away from others and to stay at home. That number was however at its lowest since April 1 and is down by nearly 1,000 from its April 8 peak of 7,148. Neighbouring Germany, which declared on Friday it has the virus under control, has registered far fewer COVID-19 deaths than France.

San Marcos Police Identify Officers Killed, Injured While Responding To Domestic Disturbance

April 20, 2020

Both underwent surgery at Ascension Seton in Kyle and were, Klett said, in "critical but stable condition". Police said he had on body armor and started shooting at officers immediately. "We lost a fine young man, faithful officer and friend last night", Klett said. None of the other family members were seriously hurt. The slain officer has been identified as 31-year-old Justin Putnam, CBS San Antonio affiliate KENS-TV reports .

Australia to force Google, Facebook to pay for news content

April 20, 2020

Fryenberg told reporters in Canberra it was "hard to be specific" about how much the code could raise, but given Australian content is "lucrative for the tech titans" the government expended revenue to be in the millions. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher have said in a statement the timeframe needs to be accelerated. The ACCC had attempted to negotiate a voluntary code by which the global giants would agree to pay traditional media for their content.

PM to announce decision on lockdown status

April 20, 2020

Bloomfield has said, while health officials have worked to bolster contact tracing capacity, New Zealand was days away from having "gold standard" - the ability to trace 80 per cent of a cases' contacts within three days. New Zealand had a transmission rate of 0.48% - one of the lowest in the world, she said. Only 8 cases can't be traced to their source. "From there we will move if we can and if we are ready, and only if we are ready and only when we are ready", she said.

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