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Philippines backs Vietnam after China sinks fishing boat
Philippines backs Vietnam after China sinks fishing boat

The Philippines on Wednesday expressed solidarity with Vietnam after Hanoi protested what it said was the ramming and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat by a Chinese coast guard ship in the disputed South China Sea. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila expressed deep concern over the reported April 3 sinking of the boat carrying eight fishermen off the Paracel Islands. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and has built several islands equipped with military installations in the area, one of world's busiest shipping lanes.

Donations pour in but India
Donations pour in but India's 'PM CARES' coronavirus fund faces criticism

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing criticism for creating a new coronavirus relief fund when about $500 million was lying unspent in an older fund, even as top businesses and celebrities pledge millions of dollars in new donations. Modi launched the "PM CARES" fund to provide relief to those affected by the coronavirus that has infected more than 5,000 people in India, and killed 149. The fund is expected to help millions of day labourers, many of whose lives were devastated by a nationwide lockdown ordered by Modi to stem the epidemic.

Korean Air puts 70 percent of staff on leave
Korean Air puts 70 percent of staff on leave

Korean Air is the flagship of the Hanjin group, one of the multifaceted, family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebols that dominate business in South Korea and played a key part in its rise to become the world's 12th-largest economy. Most of its staff will go on leave from April 16 for six months in response to "deteriorating business circumstances", Korean Air said in a statement. Korean Air's labour union agreed to participate as part of a "burden-sharing" initiative, the company said -- executives have also agreed to take pay cuts.

Illinois mayor
Illinois mayor's wife found at bar violating stay-at-home order

"My wife is an adult capable of making her own decisions, and in this instance she exhibited a stunning lack of judgement," Mayor Brant Walker of Alton, Illinois, wrote on Facebook.

A look at coronavirus masks around the world
A look at coronavirus masks around the world

There's a global shortage of COVID-19 face masks - so people around the world are getting creative in making their own.

'A reality check on the math': What's ahead for California and Covid-19

California has fared better than New York, but residents should expect to stay indoors at least until June, a public health expert tells the Guardian * Coronavirus - latest US updates * Coronavirus - latest global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageCalifornia officials this week described a "slow and steady increase" in confirmed coronavirus infections, predicting that the peak of the state's outbreak will occur in mid to late May.California has recorded more than 370 deaths due to Covid-19 and 15,800 confirmed cases, nowhere near as bad as the surge ravaging New York.Andrew Noymer, an associate professor of public health at the University of California, Irvine, explained what...

Wisconsin Voters Defy Stay-at-Home Orders With Polls Open
Wisconsin Voters Defy Stay-at-Home Orders With Polls Open

(Bloomberg) -- Wisconsin voters defied stay-at-home orders and waited for hours to cast ballots in the first state to hold an in-person election since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most public spaces.Although at least a dozen states have delayed primaries or switched to vote-by-mail since the outbreak, similar attempts by Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Tony Evers, were stymied by Republican opposition and rulings from the conservative majorities on the state and U.S. Supreme Courts.Democratic front-runner Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders were at the top of the ticket with 87 delegates at stake in the presidential primary fight. Biden, who has a near-insurmountable lead over...

86-year-old and three sons die after contracting COVID-19
86-year-old and three sons die after contracting COVID-19

The mother and three sons all died within days of each other, the New Orleans Coroner's Office confirmed.

George Pell: Cardinal says he holds
George Pell: Cardinal says he holds 'no ill will' over abuse claim

The cardinal was acquitted by Australia's highest court after being jailed for child sex abuse.

'This is ridiculous': Wisconsin voters had some strong words for their leaders while waiting to vote

Many voters called out state leaders over the decision to go forward with in-person voting. Wisconsin has more than 2,500 cases of coronavirus.

'Wuhan virus' no more: US and China in truce

The United States and China have reached a truce in a vitriolic feud over the coronavirus pandemic, with the two powers each seeing at least a tactical interest in cooling down. President Donald Trump, hardly known for the delicacy of his word choices, has dropped his provocative term "Chinese virus" and held back from criticizing Beijing's response since a telephone call, on March 26 US time, with his counterpart Xi Jinping. "We know that this is a global pandemic, and this is the time for every country to work together to resolve that," Pompeo told reporters Tuesday when asked about China.

North Korea testing, quarantining for COVID-19, still says no cases: WHO representative
North Korea testing, quarantining for COVID-19, still says no cases: WHO representative

North Korea, one of only a handful of countries not to have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, has said that it continues testing and has more than 500 people in quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters on Tuesday. "Since 31 December, 24,842 people have been released from quarantine, which includes 380 foreigners," he said. The WHO has been informed that North Korea received primers and probes for use with PCR diagnostic tests from its ally China in January, he added.

Acting Navy secretary resigns amid uproar over leaked speech
Acting Navy secretary resigns amid uproar over leaked speech

Modly harshly criticized the former commanding officer of an aircraft carrier dealing with a coronavirus outbreak.

San Francisco is setting up 15 public toilets and handwashing stations to protect the city
San Francisco is setting up 15 public toilets and handwashing stations to protect the city's homeless population amid the coronavirus outbreak

It's one of the most recent measures taken to protect the city's sizable homeless population as the coronavirus disease continues to spread.

Fact check: No, Joe Biden did not put a gun in a woman
Fact check: No, Joe Biden did not put a gun in a woman's mouth in Wisconsin

A viral picture and post claims Joe Biden put a gun in a woman's mouth in Wisconsin. But the gun was digitally added to a 2008 photo from Florida.

Surgeon general: Coronavirus death toll can come in under projections if we
Surgeon general: Coronavirus death toll can come in under projections if we 'continue to do our part'

Surgeon General Jerome Adams and the director of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention are both voicing optimism that the United States' coronavirus death toll can end up lower than the projection previously shared by the White House.CDC director Robert Redfield in a Monday interview with KVOI Radio said the "large majority of the American public" is following social distancing guidelines, and he therefore anticipates "the numbers are going to be much, much, much, much lower than would have been predicted by the models," per Politico. The White House recently shared a forecast suggesting the U.S. coronavirus death toll could be between 100,000 and 240,000.In a...

Chicago Mayor Signs Executive Order to Ensure Illegal Immigrants Can Access Coronavirus Relief Funds
Chicago Mayor Signs Executive Order to Ensure Illegal Immigrants Can Access Coronavirus Relief Funds

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an executive order Tuesday to ensure that illegal immigrants and refugees in the city are able to access the city's coronavirus relief benefits."This order is more than just an official decree, it is a statement of our values as a city and as Americans," Lightfoot said in a statement. "Since COVID-19 first reached our city's doorstep, we have been working around the clock to ensure all our residents are secure and supported, including our immigrant and refugee communities, who are among the most vulnerable to the impact of this pandemic.""Here in Chicago, saying 'we are all in this together' means that during this crisis, no one...

More than 700 health workers tested positive for COVID-19 at one Michigan hospital. At another, 1,500 are out with coronavirus symptoms.
More than 700 health workers tested positive for COVID-19 at one Michigan hospital. At another, 1,500 are out with coronavirus symptoms.

The Henry Ford Health System only tested about 2,500 employees - that means approximately 29% of the staff tested had come up positive for COVID-19.

Your Home (and Mind) Needs One of These High-Design Mobiles
Your Home (and Mind) Needs One of These High-Design Mobiles

'I can't take it back': Trump's Navy secretary resigns and apologizes after he described a fired carrier captain as 'too naïve or too stupid'

The Navy official, who once served as a helicopter pilot, described Capt. Brett Crozier's warning about a coronavirus outbreak as "a betrayal."

Coronavirus may stop hundreds of thousands of would-be citizens from voting in November
Coronavirus may stop hundreds of thousands of would-be citizens from voting in November

"The problem is USCIS hasn't come up with a next step and come up with remote pathways for people to take the oath and do interviews."

U.S. denies hijacking Chinese medical supplies meant for Brazil
U.S. denies hijacking Chinese medical supplies meant for Brazil

The U.S. ambassador to Brazil on Tuesday denied reports that the U.S. government took over Chinese supplies of medical equipment that were ordered by Brazil to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said last week China had ditched some Brazilian equipment orders when the U.S. government sent more than 20 cargo planes to the country to buy the same products. Local media also reported that a shipment of supplies destined for the Brazilian state of Bahia was diverted for use in the United States during a stopover in Miami after suppliers were offered higher prices.

Exodus begins as virus-hit Wuhan lifts ban on outbound travel
Exodus begins as virus-hit Wuhan lifts ban on outbound travel

Thousands of Chinese travellers rushed to leave coronavirus-ravaged Wuhan early Wednesday as authorities lifted a more than two-month prohibition on outbound travel from the city where the global pandemic first emerged. As the ban expired on schedule at midnight (1600 GMT Tuesday), passengers -- many in hazmat suits -- expressed joy and relief as they filed into Wuhan's Wuchang station to catch the first overnight trains out of town. "Wuhan has lost a lot in this epidemic, and Wuhan people have paid a big price," said a 21-year-old man surnamed Yao, who was heading back to his restaurant job in Shanghai.

Russian-made Superjet wins U.N. contract for air travel services

Russia's main home-grown passenger plane, the Sukhoi Superjet 100, will be used by the United Nations for its peacekeeping missions after a contract was signed last month, according to Rosaviatsiya, Russia's federal air transport agency. The aircraft, which entered service in 2011 and was the

Surgeon General says he
Surgeon General says he's 'optimistic' the coronavirus impact can be slowed if US keeps up social distancing for 30 days

The US is not in the clear: More than 378,200 coronavirus cases and 11,800 deaths have been reported as of Tuesday.

Coronavirus outbreak delayed his liver transplant. Then doctors found a solution.
Coronavirus outbreak delayed his liver transplant. Then doctors found a solution.

Rapid coronavirus testing allowed doctors to give Zach Branson the liver he needed. The pandemic has led many hospitals to postpone transplant operations.

Germany caught up in mask fraud scheme
Germany caught up in mask fraud scheme

Authorities in Germany have fallen victim to a multi-million-euro fraud involving masks much needed in the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors said Tuesday. The German managing director of two distribution companies based in Zurich and Hamburg raised the alarm after realising he had been tricked. According to the man's police report, he received an offer from companies allegedly based in Asia in mid-March to supply the masks and subsequently attracted the large order from North Rhine-Westphalia.

New coronavirus cases in Italy fall to 25-day low, deaths rise by 604
New coronavirus cases in Italy fall to 25-day low, deaths rise by 604

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 604 on Tuesday, a lower daily tally than the 636 seen the day before, while the number of new cases posted the smallest increase since March 13. The total death toll in the world's hardest-hit country since its outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 rose to 17,127, the Civil Protection Agency said. The total of confirmed cases increased by 3,039 on Tuesday to 135,586, the second successive daily decline, underscoring growing confidence that the illness is on the retreat thanks to a nationwide lockdown introduced on March 9.

Trump removes watchdog tapped for $2T virus rescue oversight
Trump removes watchdog tapped for $2T virus rescue oversight

President Donald Trump has removed the inspector general tapped to chair a special oversight board for the $2.2 trillion economic relief package on the coronavirus, the latest in a series of steps Trump has taken to confront government watchdogs tasked with oversight of the executive branch. In the past four days, Trump has fired one inspector general tied to his impeachment, castigated another he felt was overly critical of the coronavirus response and sidelined a third meant to safeguard against wasteful spending of funds for businesses in economic distress. On Friday, Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community, and on Monday assailed a health...

The CDC recommends humidifiers to ease coronavirus symptoms-these are the best ones
The CDC recommends humidifiers to ease coronavirus symptoms-these are the best ones

According to the CDC, humidifiers help relieve coronavirus symptoms. Here are the best humidifiers including ultrasonic and cool mist humidifiers.

Marianne Williamson clapped back at Andrew Yang
Marianne Williamson clapped back at Andrew Yang's proposal that we infect a portion of the military with COVID-19

Marianne Williamson had a quick reply to Andrew Yang's tweet suggesting an idea to intentionally infect members of the military with COVID-19.

Defense secretary reportedly told Navy chief to apologize for bashing fired captain to crew of aircraft carrier
Defense secretary reportedly told Navy chief to apologize for bashing fired captain to crew of aircraft carrier

The acting secretary did an about-face Monday night, apologizing for his remarks after saying hours earlier that he stood by "every word" he said.

The Bureau of Prisons just bought $60,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine, the unproved coronavirus treatment touted by Trump
The Bureau of Prisons just bought $60,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine, the unproved coronavirus treatment touted by Trump

The novel coronavirus has been spreading rapidly throughout federal prisons, and the BOP reported Monday that eight inmates have died so far.

'Stunning lack of judgment': An Illinois mayor apologized after his wife was found partying at an illegally open bar and violating the state's stay-at-home order

Mayor Brant Walker said his wife would be treated like any other citizen violating the stay-at-home order and faces a complaint of reckless conduct.

Nurse says she was suspended after refusing to treat coronavirus patients without a mask
Nurse says she was suspended after refusing to treat coronavirus patients without a mask

A Kentucky nurse says she was suspended for refusing to treat COVID-19 patients after the hospital would not supply her with a protective respirator.

After Cardinal Pell acquitted, pope decries "unjust sentences"
After Cardinal Pell acquitted, pope decries "unjust sentences"

Pope Francis, speaking just a few hours after Australia's highest court acquitted Cardinal George Pell of sexual abuse, on Tuesday (April 7) offered his morning Mass for those who suffer today from what he calls, quote, "unjust sentences." The court quashed convictions that Pell sexually assaulted two choir boys in the 1990s and allowed the former Vatican economy minister to walk free from jail. Pell had been the highest-ranking member of the Catholic Church to be charged with abuse and now cannot face the same charges again. The timely subject chosen by Francis for his daily morning Mass did not mention Pell by name, but broke from...

Mexican government warns of lack of doctors amid coronavirus fight
Mexican government warns of lack of doctors amid coronavirus fight

Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday warned that the country was facing an acute shortage of doctors as the country seeks to ramp up hospital care to fight the fast-spreading novel coronavirus outbreak. Mexico on Monday registered 296 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country's total to 2,439 cases and 125 deaths, with health officials expecting the death toll to rise sharply. Mexico has among the lowest number of medical personnel relative to population among countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mexican health officials say.

Maeve Kennedy McKean
Maeve Kennedy McKean's body is recovered after canoe search

Maeve Kennedy McKean and her son were last seen in a canoe off Chesapeake Bay in Maryland last week.

Zoom banned by Taiwan
Zoom banned by Taiwan's government over China security fears

Order follows revelations that some Zoom traffic was "mistakenly" routed through China.

Special Report: Johnson listened to his scientists about coronavirus - but they were slow to sound the alarm
Special Report: Johnson listened to his scientists about coronavirus - but they were slow to sound the alarm

It was early spring when British scientists laid out the bald truth to their government. It was "highly likely," they said, that there was now "sustained transmission" of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. If unconstrained and if the virus behaved as in China, up to four-fifths of Britons could be infected and one in a hundred might die, wrote the scientists, members of an official committee set up to model the spread of pandemic flu, on March 2.

US says airstrike in Somalia kills an al-Shabab leader

The U.S. military said Tuesday it has killed a high-ranking leader of the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group with an airstrike in Somalia. A statement by the U.S. Africa Command said Yusuf Jiis was one of three extremists killed in Thursday's airstrike near Bush Madina in the Bay region. The

Sweden, which refused to implement a coronavirus lockdown, has so far avoided a mass outbreak. Now it
Sweden, which refused to implement a coronavirus lockdown, has so far avoided a mass outbreak. Now it's bracing for a potential surge in deaths.

Sweden urged people to practice social distancing but left shops and restaurants open, contrasting with many countries across Europe and the world.

The Vatican Welcomes Back Cardinal Pell After Stunning Sex Abuse Reversal in Australia
The Vatican Welcomes Back Cardinal Pell After Stunning Sex Abuse Reversal in Australia

ROME-About an hour after Cardinal George Pell was discharged from Melbourne's Barwon Prison on Tuesday, a courier left a case of wine at the monastery where he would spend his first night as a free man. The wine was not the kind used in Catholic mass. It was the kind for toasting victories: Pells' clerical sex abuse conviction had just been overturned by Australia's highest court. It's not clear who ordered the wine, but for sure not everyone is celebrating the decision. The reversal of the conviction-which had been upheld by an appellate court in Melbourne last year-has deeply divided the Catholic Church around the world. Many Vatican insiders who felt Pell was a scapegoat convicted for...

Social distancing during the coronavirus? Not when a family of six shares one room
Social distancing during the coronavirus? Not when a family of six shares one room

One Indian family struggles to protect itself from the coronavirus in one of Asia's largest slums, the latest calamity to threaten Mumbai's underclass.

Bangladesh arrests fugitive killer of independence leader
Bangladesh arrests fugitive killer of independence leader

Police in Bangladesh arrested a fugitive killer of the country's independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Tuesday, nearly 45 years after the brutal assassination, the country's home minister said. Abdul Majed, a former military captain, was arrested in the capital, Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, adding that the arrest was "the biggest gift" for Bangladesh this year. Majed had publicly announced his involvement in the assassination after the killing and had reportedly been hiding in India for many years.

New Zealand demoted its health minister after he took his family to the beach on the first weekend of the country
New Zealand demoted its health minister after he took his family to the beach on the first weekend of the country's coronavirus lockdown

Dr. David Clark said he was an "idiot" for driving 12 miles to the beach with his family, disregarding the government's stay-at-home advice.

Qatar Cites Covid-19 in Bid to Regain Access to Neighbors
Qatar Cites Covid-19 in Bid to Regain Access to Neighbors' Skies

(Bloomberg) -- Qatar is renewing its push to regain access to the airspace of Gulf neighbors by invoking the coronavirus.Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater said the government refiled on March 29 a complaint with the United Nations civil aviation agency over a ban on Qatar-registered aircraft in airspace controlled by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.Reopening the airspace would "avoid further derailing of these humanitarian efforts and medical assistance," Al Khater said in a statement. She said Qatar had flown aid shipments to China, Iran, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as flights shuttling Europeans and Americans back home.Airspace access has...

Coronavirus: Why China
Coronavirus: Why China's claims of success raise eyebrows

China has claimed its first day without a virus death, but faces lingering scepticism over its data.

U.S. reports 1,200 coronavirus deaths in one day as China lifts lockdown
U.S. reports 1,200 coronavirus deaths in one day as China lifts lockdown

Nation's top infectious diseases expert said he is "cautiously optimistic" that worst projections may be avoided "if we keep our foot on the accelerator."

U.S. reports 1,200 coronavirus deaths in one day as China lifts lockdown
U.S. reports 1,200 coronavirus deaths in one day as China lifts lockdown

Nation's top infectious diseases expert said he is "cautiously optimistic" that worst projections may be avoided "if we keep our foot on the accelerator."

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