| Why does the coronavirus affect people differently? Yahoo News Explains Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:10 PM PDT  Coronavirus patients are showing a wide range of symptoms and the exact reason why is still a mystery — but we do have some clues as to what factors can influence the severity of the disease.
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| Does Iran's coronavirus crisis raise the risk of war? Posted: 04 Apr 2020 06:14 AM PDT  Iran is experiencing on of the worst outbreaks of coronavirus in the world. Will the instability cause the country's leaders to lash out against America?
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| Face masks: How the Trump administration went from 'no need' to 'put one on' to fight coronavirus Posted: 04 Apr 2020 11:58 AM PDT  Just a little over a month after saying there was no need for the community at large to wear masks in public, the CDC has changed its mind, recommending that all Americans should wear some sort of face covering when venturing outside.
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| Italy, Spain, and France reported declines in daily coronavirus death tolls. Their governments don't plan to lift national lockdowns and social distancing rules anytime soon. Posted: 05 Apr 2020 01:43 PM PDT  "We are suffering very much. It's a devastating pain," Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday.
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| Trump: U.S. approaching period ‘that is going to be very horrendous’ Posted: 04 Apr 2020 07:38 PM PDT  President Trump on Saturday said that the United States is approaching a time that will be "very horrendous" for the nation amid the growing coronavirus outbreak across the country.
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| 'We'll meet again': Queen Elizabeth invokes WW2 spirit to defeat coronavirus Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:02 PM PDT  Queen Elizabeth told the British people on Sunday that they would overcome the coronavirus outbreak if they stayed resolute in the face of lockdown and self-isolation, invoking the spirit of World War Two in an extremely rare broadcast to the nation. In what was only the fifth televised address of her 68-year reign, Elizabeth called upon Britons to show the resolve of their forbears and demonstrate they were as strong as generations of the past. "We will meet again", she pointedly said in a direct reference to the most famous British song from the war years of the 1940s, when she was a teenager.
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| Two children hospitalized after eating THC candy from a food bank Posted: 04 Apr 2020 04:32 PM PDT  At least five children ate candy containing high THC doses after the Utah Food Bank distributed it as part of their food donations, police said.
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| Televangelist Kenneth Copeland 'blows wind of God' at coronavirus and claims pandemic is 'destroyed' in sermon Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:46 PM PDT  American televangelist Kenneth Copeland, who recently claimed that the coronavirus pandemic will be "over much sooner you think" because "Christian people all over this country praying have overwhelmed it," has summoned the "wind of God" to destroy the novel coronavirus during a recent sermon.Before blowing at the camera, he said: "I blow the wind of God on you. You are destroyed forever, and you'll never be back. Thank you, God. Let it happen. Cause it to happen."
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| Iran to restart 'low-risk' economic activities soon Posted: 05 Apr 2020 09:24 AM PDT  Iran said Sunday it will allow "low-risk" economic activities to resume from April 11 as its daily coronavirus infection rates slowed for a fifth straight day. "Restarting these activities does not mean we have abandoned the principle of staying at home," President Hassan Rouhani said at a meeting of Iran's anti-coronavirus task force. The president, whose country has been battered by US economic sanctions, did not specify what qualified as "low risk" activities, but said bans would remain on schools and large gatherings.
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| Trump and Pence Say There Are Signs U.S. Outbreak ‘Stabilizing’ Posted: 05 Apr 2020 05:04 PM PDT |
| 'I'm worried that I have infected 1000 people in the last three days': Amazon workers reveal all the reasons why they're afraid to go to work Posted: 05 Apr 2020 10:06 AM PDT  Amazon workers claim the company is not doing enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout their facilities and the communities they serve.
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| 'Complete collapse of economies' ahead as Africa faces virus Posted: 05 Apr 2020 01:55 AM PDT  Some of Uganda's poorest people used to work here, on the streets of Kampala, as fruit sellers sitting on the pavement or as peddlers of everything from handkerchiefs to roasted peanuts. Now they're gone and no one knows when they will return, victims of a global economic crisis linked to the coronavirus that could wipe out jobs for millions across the African continent, many who live hand-to-mouth with zero savings.
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| Coronavirus 'could wipe out Brazil's indigenous people' Posted: 05 Apr 2020 04:10 PM PDT  Respiratory illnesses are already the main cause of death for the country's native communities.
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| Oil prices decline $3 a barrel as market remains uncertain on supply outlook Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:44 PM PDT  Global benchmark oil prices traded as much as $3 a barrel lower as the market opened for Monday's trading session, reflecting fears of oversupply after Saudi Arabia and Russia postponed to Thursday a meeting about a potential pact to cut production. Late last week, prices had surged, with both U.S. and Brent contracts posting their largest weekly percentage gains on record due to hopes that OPEC and its allies would strike a global deal to cut crude supply worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has cut demand and a month-long price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia has left the market awash in crude.
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| US Troops Will Be Directed to Wear Face Masks, SecDef Says Posted: 05 Apr 2020 08:10 AM PDT  The Defense Department is recommending the use of face masks for all personnel.
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| Biden says removal of Navy captain who sounded alarm on coronavirus 'close to criminal' Posted: 05 Apr 2020 08:18 AM PDT  "I think the guy should ... have a commendation rather than be fired," Biden said.
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| Coronavirus: Boris Johnson admitted to hospital for tests, as Queen calls on Britons to show patience and resolve during crisis Posted: 05 Apr 2020 02:59 PM PDT  Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital with continuing coronavirus symptoms as the Queen told the UK that 'better days will return' despite the grief and suffering caused by the pandemic.Downing Street confirmed the prime minister was undergoing tests 'as a precautionary step' on the advice of his doctor.
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| New York governor sees 'return to normalcy' with rapid coronavirus testing Posted: 05 Apr 2020 09:54 AM PDT  Cuomo, whose state is the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, said New York was part of an effort to develop a program that would identify people who are both negative and not in a vulnerable category, allowing them to go back to work. "That is going to be the answer, I believe."
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| Here's why the depleted cruise line industry will be one of the biggest losers of the new $500 billion corporate bailout program Posted: 04 Apr 2020 11:15 AM PDT  The largest cruise lines are incorporated outside the US. That means they won't be able to get a cut of the bailout money under Trump's stimulus law.
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| Virus raises specter of gravest attacks in modern US times Posted: 05 Apr 2020 07:29 AM PDT  America's surgeon general raised the specter of the gravest attacks against the nation in modern times to steel an anxious country Sunday for the impending and immeasurable sorrow he said would touch untold numbers of families in the age of the coronavirus. The blunt assessments show just how much has changed in the weeks since President Donald Trump's predictions that the virus would soon pass, and his suggestions that much of the economy could be up and running by Easter, April 12. The nation's top doctor, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, said Americans should brace for levels of tragedy reminiscent of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
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| Hungary Burdens Banks, Political Parties With Virus Costs Posted: 04 Apr 2020 05:40 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Hungary's government pledged to slash funding for political parties and hike taxes on banks in its first major budget overhaul since Prime Minister Viktor Orban secured powers to rule by decree this week.Political parties will lose half of their state funding this year while other steps will increase the burden on lenders and reintroduce a tax on larger retailers, Gergely Gulyas, the minister in charge of the Prime Minister's office, said in a video briefing Saturday.The steps will increase funds available to fight the coronavirus pandemic and rebuild the economy to 1.35 trillion forint ($3.96 billion). The government is also preparing further budget initiatives that may amount to as much as 22% of gross domestic product and will be accompanied by central bank policy changes, Gulyas said.Orban has faced accusations of staging a power grab made under the cover of the Covid-19 crisis and drawn criticism from European Union member states. The measures announced on Saturday echo contentious steps initiated by Hungary a decade ago to contain a widening budget deficit.About 30,000 have lost their jobs in Hungary as a result of the pandemic, with 4,000 new unemployed appearing each day, according to Gulyas. The government has widened a target for this year's fiscal shortfall to 2.9% of economic output from 1%.Burden SharingGulyas didn't elaborate on how the government will collect a planned 55 billion forint in additional revenue from banks. Lenders have called for a reduction in the bank tax to help mitigate the impact of a moratorium on all loan payments this year. The freeze may cut bank revenue by 450 billion forint this year, according to Banking Association estimates."The government is initiating a significant reorganization of the budget, and will force others to contribute with burden sharing," Gulyas said. "This includes political parties, international firms, banks and municipalities."Orban is copying a blueprint used in the early years of his return to power in 2010 by taxing lenders and large firms to fund a budget deficit. Those measures contributed to muted lending and sluggish growth, and caused Hungarian assets to underperform peers in eastern Europe.The government risks a repeat of that experience, with the forint weakening to a record low 369.5 against the euro this week. Hungary's central bank lifted interbank borrowing costs by almost 50 basis points in a bid to contain the drop, the only country in the region to tighten policy during the crisis."There's a strong speculative attack against the forint," Gulyas said. The currency will recover as Hungary's economy doesn't stand out from others impacted by the virus, he said.(Adds comments on forint, background from seventh 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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| Is the coronavirus an act of God? Faith leaders debate tough questions amid pandemic Posted: 05 Apr 2020 09:05 AM PDT  Faith leaders are fielding questions about whether coronavirus is an act of God and if it's some sort of punishment for sin.
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| Do social distancing better, White House doctor tells Americans Posted: 04 Apr 2020 01:55 PM PDT  Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House task force on the coronavirus, had a message for Americans that she shared on Thursday: Do better at social distancing. President Trump disagreed.
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| An at-home fingerprick blood test may help detect your exposure to coronavirus Posted: 04 Apr 2020 04:42 AM PDT  If approved, the blood test could show if your immune system has developed coronavirus antibodies. But a positive result isn't a license to return to work.
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| The search for 2 Kennedy family members has been called off, turning 'from rescue to recovery' a day after they went missing in a canoe Posted: 04 Apr 2020 07:16 AM PDT  Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, 40, and her 8-year-old son Gideon disappeared from a family gathering in the Chesapeake Bay.
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| Italy's virus deaths plunge to lowest since March 19 Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:29 PM PDT  Italian officials said Sunday they may soon have to consider easing restrictions after seeing the daily coronavirus death toll plunge to its lowest in over two weeks. The 525 official COVID-19 fatalities reported by the civil protection service were the Mediterranean country's lowest since 427 deaths were registered on March 19. "The curve has started its descent and the number of deaths has started to drop," Italy's ISS national health institute director Silvio Brusaferro told reporters.
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| IMF sees coronavirus-induced global downturn 'way worse' than financial crisis Posted: 03 Apr 2020 08:56 PM PDT  The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy to a standstill and plunged the world into a recession that will be "way worse" than the global financial crisis a decade ago, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Friday, calling it "humanity's darkest hour." The IMF's managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, speaking at a rare joint news conference with the leader of the World Health Organization (WHO), called on advanced economies to step up their efforts to help emerging markets and developing countries survive the economic and health impact of the pandemic.
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| Trump warns 'there will be a lot of death' in coming weeks Posted: 05 Apr 2020 05:08 AM PDT  Fatalities from complications of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus continue to climb in the United States as several major cities are bracing for their caseload apex in the next week.The U.S. reported 1,344 deaths from the new coronavirus Saturday, the country's highest number of fatalities in one day since the outbreak began. There are now more than 300,000 confirmed infections nationwide. In his daily White House briefing Saturday, President Trump warned the next couple of weeks would only get more difficult. "There will be a lot of death unfortunately," he said.Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the coming weeks were crucial in the fight against the pandemic, urging Americans to adhere to social distancing guidelines. "This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe, and that means everybody doing the six feet distancing, washing your hands," she said.Birx added that modeling shows metro areas like New York, Detroit, and New Orleans will likely reach the peak of their outbreaks in the next six or seven days. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also said it looks like his state his about a week away from when its health care system will be stretched thinnest. Read more at CNN and The Wall Street Journal.More stories from theweek.com 5 funny cartoons about social distancing 5 brutally funny cartoons about Trump's TV ratings boast The race for a coronavirus vaccine
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| Photos show China coming to a standstill to mourn everyone who died of coronavirus, including whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang Posted: 04 Apr 2020 06:31 AM PDT  All of China observed a three-minute silence on Saturday, which coincided with Qingming Festival, when people traditionally visit ancestors' graves.
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| Brazil House Readies Virus Budget as Bolsonaro Response Lags Posted: 03 Apr 2020 07:27 PM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Brazil's Congress is fast tracking its response to the coronavirus pandemic that has so far drawn a slow and often erratic reaction from President Jair Bolsonaro.The lower house Friday night approved a proposal known as the "war budget" that bypasses fiscal responsibility laws to finance anti-virus measures. The constitutional amendment had, which had overwhelming cross-party support in two separate votes. Lawmakers cast their votes remotely rather than attending the session in-person due to coronavirus concerns.The bill still needs to win approval in two rounds of balloting in the Senate before it becomes law."The bill shows Congress' sense of responsibility," lower house Speaker Rodrigo Maia said in an interview ahead of the vote.The proposal, which was drafted by lawmakers and negotiated with Bolsonaro's economic team, reflects a growing sense of urgency over the outbreak that has killed more people in Brazil than anywhere else in Latin America. Bolsonaro has been criticized for describing it as a "little flu" and downplaying social distancing recommendations from his own health minister. At the same time, his government has been slow to come up with a comprehensive plan to support workers and companies affected by the crisis.Read More: 'Little Flu' Can't Hurt Him: Why Bolsonaro Still Shuns LockdownsThe constitutional amendment seeks to establish a crisis committee comprising the president and members of his cabinet, as well as legislators and representatives from states. While the group is to be headed by Bolsonaro, it empowers lawmakers who would be able to review all the decisions it makes."The lower house saw an opportunity to act as the federal government struggled to orchestrate a broad response," said Creomar de Souza, chief executive of Dharma Political Risk and Strategy in Brazil. "The lower house is in charge; In this case, the executive branch is merely reacting."The proposal would also grant the central bank new powers including the ability to purchase corporate debt. That would align Brazil's monetary authority with peers including Colombia's central bank and the U.S. Federal Reserve.Golden RuleMore broadly, the "war budget" will shift the government away from its pledges to rein in public debt and bolster fiscal accounts. It would temporarily suspend the so-called golden rule, a constitutional clause that prevents the government from taking on debt to pay for current spending.Read More: Stronger Budget Result in 2019 Masks Brazil's Harsh Debt RealityPolicy makers had already abandoned their 2020 fiscal target last month when Bolsonaro declared a public calamity, which allows him to spend outside the federal budget. The Economy Ministry said this week that the primary deficit, which excludes the cost of servicing debt, will balloon to 419 billion reais ($79 billion) this year, from a previous target of a 124 billion reais gap. Measures announced by the government so far include a three-month stipend for informal workers and assistance for companies struggling to retain employees.(Updates with approval by the lower house)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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| Coronavirus: Australia launches criminal investigation into Ruby Princess Posted: 05 Apr 2020 03:26 AM PDT  Passengers from the Ruby Princess disembarked in Sydney without knowing the coronavirus was on board.
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| Delta extending SkyMiles benefits as coronavirus forces drastic reduction in flights Posted: 05 Apr 2020 02:01 PM PDT  As part of its customer service changes related to the coronavirus pandemic, Delta Air Lines is automatically extending some of its SkyMiles benefits.
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| 1st federal inmate to die of coronavirus wrote heartbreaking letter to judge Posted: 05 Apr 2020 05:35 AM PDT  Patrick Jones "spent the last 12 years contesting a sentence that ultimately killed him," one of his former lawyers said.
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| Everything You Need to Know About Wearing a Mask Posted: 03 Apr 2020 06:15 PM PDT  President Trump announced Friday—somewhat reluctantly—that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now recommending that Americans voluntarily wear cloth face coverings in public. The suggestion comes after weeks of federal guidance that ordinary citizens should not wear masks, and its lukewarm tone doesn't do much to answer the question on many minds: Do I need to wear a mask?As U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said at Friday's briefing: "It has been confusing to the American people."To clear up some of that confusion, it's important to note that not all masks are created equal. They generally fall into three categories: * Respirators: These are the convex N95 masks, approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, that filter out 95 percent of large and small particles in the air. They are often constructed from layers of polypropylene, made to fit snugly, and have an expiration date. * Surgical masks: These are loose-fitting, pleated, disposable masks, often in blue or white, that you might recognize from TV medical dramas. Approved by the FDA, they are splash-resistant and act as a two-way barrier to large particles. * Cloth masks: These are unregulated masks that can even be homemade and serve simply as an extra barrier with no guarantees.From the start of the coronavirus crisis, until Friday's briefing, the federal government had been saying that the average person did not need to wear a mask. There were two main reasons for this: * Supply issues: Because people began hoarding masks even before COVID-19 arrived in the U.S., there was a massive shortage and medical facilities were having trouble restocking. Authorities wanted to preserve N95 masks for health-care workers who were most likely to be in contact with infected patients, and surgical masks for others in the hospital setting, including sick patients. * Transmission risk: In the very early days of the pandemic, there was a widespread belief that there was little risk of someone without symptoms transmitting the new coronavirus. Therefore, health officials didn't think someone who didn't feel ill needed to wear a mask. But a growing body of research has shown that asymptomatic people are indeed contagious, sparking the push for more widespread mask usage.Even though the understanding of how COVID-19 is spread has evolved, the CDC does not want you to go out and get a surgical mask or N95 mask if you are healthy; those still must be reserved for medical personnel. Instead, the agency is advising use of what it calls "simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others." So it's clear the CDC is not saying a cloth mask will protect you from getting coronavirus from someone sneezing near you in the grocery store; they are saying that a mask could stop the spread of the infection from someone who is unknowingly carrying the virus. Experts outside the government are divided on the wisdom of this: * Con: Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an adjunct professor of epidemiology at the University of California Los Angeles who previously worked for the CDC, said there is "no new evidence" of the benefit. "The response to the epidemic is driven by panic and politics," he said. "The same way we saw recent FDA approval for some medications that have not had demonstrated scientific benefits. There's been active discussion and pushback from public health experts and politics. Politicians are saying 'what's the harm,' but public health experts are saying 'what's the benefit.' None, based on scientific evidence." * Pro: But Dr. David Larsen, an associate professor in the Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, said we might as well try it. "We are rightfully closing our schools, shuttering our businesses, and disrupting our social lives," said Larsen. "We need to bring anything that can work to the fight, and face masks may help."The next question on your mind is probably: Can a simple piece of cloth do the job? And the answer is: It might be better than nothing. Just as we tell people to cough into their elbows or cover their mouth when they sneeze, a cloth covering can stop some virus-filled droplets from being spewed into the air and onto uninfected people. How much depends on the material: One study found a single-layer handkerchief had a filter efficiency rate of just 2 percent, and a small 2013 test of homemade masks found that a surgical mask was at least three times more effective. The researchers wrote: "A homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection."Is there any downside to wearing a mask? Well, Trump thinks it would make him look silly while meeting with "dictators"—but assuming you don't have any such engagements on your calendar, there are a couple of other things to consider: * False sense of security: Dr. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House's coronavirus effort, said there was a concern that people wearing a mask might think they don't need to social distance. "We don't want people to feel like, 'Oh I'm wearing a mask, I'm protected and I'm protecting others.'" Experts agree that social distancing is still key to flattening the curve and pales in comparison to masking. * Touching your face: Health officials have tried to drive home the warning that as long as coronavirus is around, you must avoid touching your face. That's hard to do if you are constantly adjusting or taking off and putting on a cloth mask. Make sure you wash your hands before and after you handle the mask to minimize risk of getting or transmitting COVID-19.If you decide to take the CDC up on its recommendation, do everyone a favor and don't go to a dozen stores looking to buy a box of masks. Remember: medical workers and first responders really need those N95s and surgical masks. As the CDC notes, you can sew a simple mask; the internet is full of how-tos. You can buy them on eBay, you can fashion one out of an old bra, or you can do what this brave lady did. Or you can do what the experts agree will help end the pandemic: stay the hell at home.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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| Jordan becomes latest Mideast country to deploy drones in virus response Posted: 05 Apr 2020 08:57 AM PDT  Jordan on Sunday started to deploy drones to fight the coronavirus pandemic, joining a host of Middle East countries using the technology to enforce curfews, deliver public health announcements and even monitor people's temperatures. Jordan has declared five deaths and 323 cases of COVID-19 and says it has arrested at least 1,600 people for violating a nationwide curfew in force since last month. "The armed forces and security services will ensure the curfew is being respected by using modern technology such as drones and surveillance cameras," Minister of State for Information, Amjad al-Adayleh, told a press briefing late Saturday.
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| 40 percent increase in deaths overnight in NYC Posted: 04 Apr 2020 02:43 PM PDT  New York City's death toll saw a staggering jump from the last report, with 2,624 fatalities, Cuomo staffer Melissa DeRosa said.
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| Scots' medical chief resigns after flouting own coronavirus rules Posted: 05 Apr 2020 09:40 AM PDT  Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood resigned on Sunday after she broke her own advice to stay at home to help slow the spread of the coronavirus by visiting her second home this weekend and last. Calderwood said that during discussions with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Sunday evening they agreed her actions risked distracting from the "hugely important job that government and the medical profession has to do in getting the country through this coronavirus pandemic". Police had earlier issued a warning to Calderwood about her behaviour and Sturgeon had removed her as the public face of the campaign to tackle the coronavirus.
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| Coronavirus: Trump says teenage son Barron ‘isn’t as happy as he could be’ as quarantine frustrations hit White House Posted: 05 Apr 2020 12:44 AM PDT  Donald Trump offered a rare personal insight into the life of his 14-year-old son Barron Trump and how he is faring in quarantine during his latest White House briefing on the coronavirus outbreak.The president had tweeted a message of encouragement to the nation's frustrated Little League baseball players earlier in the day, telling them to "Hang in there!"
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| Blame the Chinese Communist Party for the coronavirus crisis Posted: 05 Apr 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Coronavirus crisis proves communism is still a grave threat to the entire world. If Beijing had just been honest, the pandemic could be preventable.
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| Woman needed stitches after anti-Asian hate crime attack on city bus, NYPD says Posted: 05 Apr 2020 08:57 AM PDT  An unidentified woman and three teens allegedly attacked a 51-year-old Asian woman, hitting her on the head with an umbrella after making anti-Asian remarks..
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| Biden informs Sanders he'll begin vetting VP candidates, asks Obama for Cabinet selection advice Posted: 04 Apr 2020 07:52 AM PDT  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is still in the running for the Democratic presidential nomination, but his competitor, former Vice President Joe Biden, has his sights set on the next step of his campaign.Biden said Friday he informed Sanders he will begin the process of vetting potential Cabinet and vice presidential candidates, telling donors at a virtual fundraising event that he plans on launching a committee to select a running mate sometime in mid-April. Former primary challengers like Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are often mentioned as possibilities.Biden has emerged as the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic nomination after a slate of decisive primary victories, but he gave Sanders — whom he considers a friend — a heads up about the decision because he didn't "want him to think I'm being presumptuous." But Biden said the process takes time, so he wants to get a head start.The former vice president also said he's asked his old boss, former President Barack Obama, for advice on Cabinet selections, though he said the conversation was more focused on how to begin the process rather than any individual candidates. Read more at NBC News and Politico.More stories from theweek.com 5 funny cartoons about social distancing 5 brutally funny cartoons about Trump's TV ratings boast The race for a coronavirus vaccine
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| Lebanon repatriates nationals in rare flights despite virus Posted: 05 Apr 2020 07:29 AM PDT  Lebanon on Sunday started repatriating nationals who were stranded abroad in its first flights in weeks since it closed its international airport to stem the novel coronavirus. The first of four planes touched down at the Beirut international airport late in the morning bringing in 78 passengers from Riyadh, local television reported. A second carrying 79 passengers from Abu Dhabi followed in the afternoon, the National News Agency said.
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| Revealed: food bank shortages expected to hit Washington state by mid-April Posted: 04 Apr 2020 03:00 AM PDT  Report obtained by Guardian projects acute demand and supply problem, meaning agencies will struggle to provide for the hungry * Coronavirus – live US updates * Live global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageAgencies and organisations tasked with feeding children, the poor and the elderly in Washington state during the coronavirus crisis will experience shortages of food and supplies as early as mid-April, according to state government emergency planning documents obtained by the Guardian.A 27 March situation report (SitRep) document produced by the Unified Command of Washington's State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) projects that a combination of acute demand at food banks and schools, supply problems for food and cleaning supplies, plus staffing shortages, will mean government and NGOs will struggle to provide for hungry people whose incomes have disappeared as the state's economy stutters.This raises the prospect of food bank shortages in Washington but also nationwide, as food banks across the US are being increasingly utilized by unprecedented numbers of people in an economy that has been abruptly slowed to fight the spreading pandemic.Washington state has experienced one of the earliest and most serious outbreaks of Covid-19 in the US. Governor Jay Inslee has received praise in recent days for his decisive response, which is thought to have prevented an even worse crisis.But the document suggests that at the predicted peak of the epidemic, which has already infected at least 4,896 Washingtonians and killed at least 195, the state will need to head off a parallel humanitarian crisis.The SitRep document, produced by the emergency agency coordinated by Washington state's military department and distributed to state and local agencies involved in the emergency response, details emerging problems and frantic efforts to solve them across a range of numbered emergency support functions (ESF), including communications, firefighting, and energy.Under the heading "ESF11 Agriculture and Natural Resources", the SitRep details the growing problems in food security. Many of the problems involve food banks – non-governmental organizations that deliver food to needy people.The document says there is already a "shortage of food at food banks", which is projected to become worse. It says: "NGOs have food on hand. However, burn rate is increasing fast. Demand is growing dramatically so supply is quickly being used up."It goes on to warn: "Food banks expect a significant gap in the food supply across the whole system by mid-April (April 10-20)."It then offers insight into spiking demand at specific NGOs delivering food in Washington: "Northwest Harvest (a statewide food bank service) reported they are distributing 450,000lbs of food this week."It continues: "The burn rate and demand are rising sharply. These NGOs are seeing 30 percent to 100% increases in the number of people served."In a telephone conversation, Northwest Harvest chief executive Thomas Reynolds said of his food banks: "We don't predict peak demand for another three weeks and then we anticipate peak demand for 12 to 20 weeks."He added: "I worked for 15 years for Care International. So what it reminds me of is earthquakes in Nepal, the tsunami in Japan, food crises in Yemen. And the difference is there's a lot more experience in a place like Nepal or Yemen to respond to emergencies."The document says rural counties are already moving to rationalize food delivery in the face of demand."Chelan county is moving away from using small distribution centers. Instead they are going to start using a single, mass-distribution site for emergency food," it says.It continues with a prediction: "It's a model we will likely see more of in the days and weeks to come."On Wednesday, Inslee, announced he had mobilized 130 National Guard members to provide support for food banks in Chelan and four other counties, with potentially more to follow.The problems are being compounded by supply problems in other goods necessary for food service, such as supplies used to clean kitchens.As in other states, Washington has closed schools, but many districts have maintained school lunch delivery as a way of feeding needy children.These programs, too, are under strain, according to the SitRep.One issue is in the workforce, which "is a growing issue because schools rely on older people to work in food service and as bus drivers. These are two job categories important to food assistance."The document says "older workers are opting not to work because of Covid concerns" and that schools are also experiencing supply problems.The document does offer some hope that solutions to shortages are emerging, but leaves open the question of whether they will arrive in time.Chris McGann, a spokesman for the Washington state department of agriculture, said in an email: "The current situation with its rapidly increasing demand and limited resources is putting incredible strain on the social safety net. Hunger relief is no different."He added: "We have called on the federal government and private industry to identify and commit additional resources to help us make sure families have the nutritional support they need to make it through this crisis."He also said that the problem was so far confined to food banks. "The food supply chain is otherwise operational and functional. People will still be able to get food at the grocery store."Reynolds stressed that Northwest Harvest was working well with the state and has "good relationship with our local elected officials". But he said he hoped food security will become more central to political debate."I think we should be asking people who are running for office. What is your food policy?"
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| India curbs diagnostic testing kit exports as virus spreads Posted: 05 Apr 2020 02:36 AM PDT  India is restricting the export of most diagnostic testing kits, as coronavirus cases in the South Asian nation topped 3,350 on Sunday despite a three-week nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the respiratory disease. India, which in recent weeks already banned the export of certain drugs, along with ventilators, masks and other protective gear needed by both patients and medical staff, issued the latest directive on Saturday. The move comes even as U.S. President Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a phone call on Saturday, to release supplies of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which is being tested as a possible treatment for patients with COVID-19 - the disease caused by the coronavirus.
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| Cheap gas and weaker US rules for fuel economy aren't going to help Tesla sell more electric cars Posted: 05 Apr 2020 06:24 AM PDT  The company could manage one of those developments, but having two occur at the same time could be challenging.
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