Tens of thousands of people in Wuhan, the origin point and epicentre for the coronavirus pandemic, began travelling out of the sprawling city on Wednesday as China lifted its 73-day lockdown, even as the number of fresh COVID-19 cases crossed 1,000 in the country and two new deaths heightened concerns of a rebound in infections.
The Chinese health authority said on Wednesday that 62 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Tuesday, including 59 cases of people returning from abroad, taking the total tally to 1,042.
Three new domestic cases were reported, including two in Shandong Province and one in Guangdong Province, the National Health Commission (NHC) said.
Also on Tuesday, 137 new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases were reported and 1,095 asymptomatic cases were still under medical observation, the NHC said.
Asymptomatic coronavirus cases are those who test positive for the virus but do not show any symptoms and have the potential to cause sporadic clusters .

China lifts 73-day lockdown of Wuhan amid sharp increase in COVID-19 cases

PTI Automatic

Despite federal health recommendations, thousands of Wisconsin voters waited hours in long lines outside overcrowded polling stations on Tuesday so they could participate in a presidential primary election that tested the limits of electoral politics in the midst of a pandemic.
Thousands more stayed home, unwilling to risk their health even as Republican officials pushed forward with the election amid a stay-at-home order. But many of the potential voters who remained in their homes complained that the absentee ballots they had requested never showed up.
Pregnant and infected with the coronavirus, 34-year-old Hannah Gleeson was still waiting Tuesday for the absentee ballot that she requested last week.
It seems really unfair and undemocratic and unconstitutional, said Gleeson, who works at an assisted-living center in Milwaukee.
I think it's voter suppression at its finest. Polls closed Tuesday night, but a court ruling appeared to prevent results from being made public earlier than ..

Wisconsin voters wait for hours, others stay home amid virus

China and other nations could be burdened with costly and environmentally damaging coal power for decades if they forge ahead with new capacity to boost their economics after the COVID-19 pandemic, research showed Wednesday.
While extreme social distancing measures in the world's largest economies aimed at stopping the virus are likely to result in a short-term cut in global emissions, government subsidies are still driving plans to build nearly 500 GW of new coal-fired power plants.
The bill for this is set to top $630 billion.
A study by the Carbon Tracker financial think tank found that 46 percent of coal plants throughout the world would run at a loss in 2020, rising to 52 percent by 2030.
With renewables and natural gas already cheaper than coal in many places, it said that 90 percent of global capacity was already only viable due to non-market financial support.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that electricity from coal must fall by 80 percent by 2030 in order 

Post-COVID-19 stimulus risks global coal 'lock-in'

South Korea plans to take further steps to tighten border controls to slow coronavirus infections imported from abroad as outbreaks worsen in Europe and the United States.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun during an anti-virus meeting on Wednesday said Seoul will suspend visa-free entries and visa waivers with countries imposing entry bans on South Korean nationals and employ further restrictions to repel foreigners traveling on unnecessary and non-urgent purposes. Officials were expected to formally announce the measures later Wednesday.
South Korea has been enforcing two-week quarantines on all passengers arriving from abroad since April 1.
South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday reported 53 new cases of the coronavirus and 8 more deaths, bringing national totals to 10,384 infections and 200 fatalities.
At least 832 infections have been linked to passengers arriving from abroad, with most of the cases detected in the past three weeks in the ...

South Korea to tighten border to slow virus

Like many expectant mothers, Gina Conley is nervous. But there is a lot more to worry about these days, with a virulent outbreak overwhelming hospitals and convincing pregnant women to opt for the relative safety of a home birth.
"I won't have to go to a hospital where there are potentially a lot of sick people and staff that have been exposed to the coronavirus," says the 32-year-old from North Carolina.
The pandemic has torn through one country after another, laying waste to economies, roiling public institutions and notching around 400,000 infections in the United States -- more than 12,000 of them fatal.
As hospital wards become battlefields in the war against this looming threat, choosing where to give birth is a quandary many expectant mothers did not expect to have to face.
Fear of infection, staff and drug shortages, and increasingly strict rules on visitors are leading more and more women to consider shunning hospitals.
But soon-to-be moms must weigh fears for their newborns .

Pandemic drives expectant moms in US to embrace home births

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was spending a second night in intensive care battling the coronavirus which has infected more than 55,000 across the country and killed nearly 6,200.
"He stayed at work for you... now pray at home for him," The Sun tabloid splashed across its front page Wednesday while the Daily Express said: "Boris 'will pull through'."
Deputising for Johnson, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he was "confident he'll pull through, because if there's one thing I know about this prime minister, he's a fighter and he'll be back, leading us through this crisis in short order".
In an update Tuesday evening, the prime minister's spokesman said his "condition is stable and he remains in intensive care for close monitoring." He earlier said the 55-year-old Conservative leader was receiving "standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance" and had not required a ventilator.
Johnson is the most high-profile government leader to become infected with ..

Britain's Johnson spends second night in intensive care

An Indian American-owned pharma firm has pledged to donate 3.4 million Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate tablets to some of the key COVID-19 battleground states, including New York and Louisiana, joining the war against the dreaded coronavirus which by Tuesday had taken lives of more than 12,800 people in the US alone.
Owned by philanthropic billionaire Chirag and Chintu Patel, New Jersey-based Amneal Pharmaceuticals, which is one of the largest US-based manufacturers, has also announced ramping up production of Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate at several of its manufacturing sites and expects to produce approximately 20 million tablets between now and mid-April.
Those tablets will be made available nationwide through Amneal's existing retail and wholesale customers, as well as through direct sales to larger institutions in need, the company said.
Amneal has donated two million tablets of 200mg Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate to New York, and one million to Texas to be used in the treatment of ...

Indian American's US pharma firm donates 3.4 M Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate tablets

A Democratic party's state legislature from Michigan has credited hydroxychloroquine for saving her life from coronavirus, US President Donald Trump said Tuesday, adding the politician has thanked him for promoting the malaria drug.
Amidst an intense debate on side effects of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19, Trump has been actively promoting the drug as an option when there is no viable treatment for the dreaded virus which has so far taken more than 12,800 Americans' lives, including a record over 2,000 in just one single day on Tuesday.
Michigan State Representative Karen Whitsett has said she and her husband could save their lives from coronavirus only after they started taking hydroxychloroquine.
She asked her doctor to prescribe this after she saw President Trump touting for this drug on a news channel.
This is a woman I thought she was going to die. I mean, she is a Democrat representative, highly respected woman, African-American woman. ...the way she told the ..

Hydroxychloroquine saved life of Michigan state lawmaker, says Trump

The African American community are more susceptible to coronavirus, the latest COVID-19 testing data from the ground reflects, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday.
We are actively engaging on the problem of increased impacts there's a real problem, and it is showing up very strongly in our data on the African-American community, Trump told reporters during the daily press conference of the White House Task Force on coronavirus.
The US, so far, has conducted 1.87 million tests, he said.
We are just seeing tremendous evidence that African Americans are affected at a far greater percentage number than other citizens of our country," he said in response to a question.
We are doing everything in our power to address this challenge. It is a tremendous challenge, is terrible and provide support to African-American citizens of this country who are going through a lot, but it has been disproportional. They're getting hit very, very hard, in fact, Trump said.
Dr Anthony Fauci, Director ...

African Americans at more risk for coronavirus, says Trump

The number of deaths in the US due to coronavirus on Tuesday crossed 12,700, with a record 1,900 fatalities in a single day, as President Donald Trump sought to assure a grieving nation that new data projections reveal fewer deaths than originally thought.
We're looking to have far fewer deaths than originally thought. I think we're heading in that direction, but it's too early to talk about it, Trump told reporters at his daily White House news briefing.
While the death toll in the US continues to soar and those being infected by the deadly virus now approaching four lakhs, the highest for any country in the world.
New York, the epicentre of COVID-19 in the US, alone accounts for 5,400 deaths and 1,38,000 cases, followed by adjoining New Jersey with 1,200 deaths and 44,416 cases.
The national number of both fatalities and cases of infections are expected to jump during the next week, officials believe, but they exuded confidence that strict enforcement of social mitigation measures, .

Looking to have fewer death than originally thought, says Trump as COVID19 toll cross 12K

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would put a hold on America's funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of becoming China-centric during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
We're going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We're going to put a very powerful hold on it and we're going to see. It's a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that's no good, Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference.
Geneva-headquartered World Health Organization, receives vast amounts of money from the United States.
We pay for a majority or the biggest portion of their money. They actually criticized and disagreed with my travel ban at the time I did it. They were wrong. They've been wrong about a lot of things. They had a lot of information early and they didn't want to -- they're very -- they seem to be very China centric, Trump charged during his news conference.
Trump said his administration is going to look into the US funding to ...

Trump announces to put a hold on WHO funding

A Paraguayan judge on Tuesday ordered the release of Brazilian football great Ronaldinho and his brother into house arrest at a hotel in downtown Asuncion.
Judge Gustavo Amarilla told reporters that he had ordered the "continuation of house arrest in a hotel for Ronaldinho and his brother." They were jailed exactly a month ago on Monday to await trial on charges of using false passports to enter Paraguay. Lawyers for the men posted bail of $1.6 million.
The ruling means the brothers can swap their grim police cell block -- which also housed Paraguay's former soccer federation chief and the ex-speaker of the lower house of parliament -- for a plush Colonial-style hotel in central Asuncion.
The brochure of the refurbished 107-room Palmaroga hotel, located in the capital's historic center, describes it as offering "a seamless blend of early 1900s Renaissance grace and modern comfort as well as luxury."
"I have the assurance of the hotel managers that they, at their own expense, can ...

Paraguay court releases Ronaldinho into house arrest in Asuncion hotel

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to cut US funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of bias toward China during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump told reporters he was "going to put a very powerful hold on" funding to WHO, the UN body whose biggest funding source is the United States.
"We're going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO," said Trump, who pursues an "America First" agenda and has previously criticized other UN and multilateral agencies.
He gave no details about how much money would be withheld and minutes later during the same press conference he said: "I'm not saying I'm going to do it."
"We will look at ending funding," he added.
According to Trump, the WHO "seems to be very biased toward China. That's not right."
His comments built on an earlier statement on Twitter in which he accused the WHO of being "very China centric."
Trump asked why the WHO had given "such a faulty recommendation," apparently referring to the UN body's advice against ...

Trump threatens withholding funds from UN world health body

A deadly Pacific cyclone bore down on Fiji Wednesday after leaving a trail of destruction in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Tropical Cyclone Harold weakened slightly overnight from a scale-topping category five to a four, but was still lashing Fiji with winds of up to 240 kilometres per hour (150 miles per hour), forecasters said.
The official NaDraki weather service said the cyclone was offshore south of Fiji's main island Viti Levu, but passing closer to land than initially expected.  Despite the downgrade, it said Harold remained "extremely dangerous" and advised residents in the island's south to shelter in churches, schools or other substantial buildings.
"Its intensity makes it capable of causing destruction to property and infrastructure, and more significantly, serious injury and loss of life," the service warned.
Residents in Suva said the capital was already experiencing strong winds and heavy rains, with the storm's impact expected to peak later Wednesday.
Harold already .

Pacific's monster storm Harold moves on to Fiji

Suddenly, it's no longer the "Wuhan virus." 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.
And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- who so insisted on saying "Wuhan virus" that the Group of Seven foreign ministers could not issue a joint statement -- has been talking of cooperation.
"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.
Beijing infuriated the United States last month when a foreign ministry spokesman spread a conspiracy theory that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan.
Cui Tiankai, ..

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

The new coronavirus isn't biased about who it infects -- so why does data emerging from some states suggest that African Americans are bearing the brunt of the pandemic in the US?
Experts say blacks are disproportionately impacted by underlying health conditions linked to poverty, face discrimination in medical care, and are more likely to work jobs that require them to leave their home.
"We know that blacks are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, lung disease," the nation's top doctor, Surgeon General Jerome Adams told CBS News on Tuesday.
These chronic illnesses, which are in turn linked to poverty and structural racism, can lead to more serious forms of the COVID-19 disease.
Adams, who is himself black and has high blood pressure and asthma, added: "I represent that legacy of growing up poor and black in America.
"And I, and many black Americans, are at higher risk for COVID."
There is no nationwide data available on COVID-19 cases by race, but a pattern of ...

Why African Americans are dying at higher rates from COVID-19

US Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday over his mishandling of an outbreak of the coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced.
Modly stepped down five days after removing the Roosevelt's captain, Brett Crozier, for writing a letter -- that was leaked to the media -- describing the virus-struck vessel's dire situation and alleging the Pentagon was not paying adequate attention to it.
The removal of Crozier, respected in the military and popular with his crew, was seen as heavy-handed and decided too quickly, before an investigation was carried out.
Modly sparked outrage Monday after he flew from Washington to Guam, where the warship is docked, to defend his actions to the crew.
In a forceful, profanity-laced speech, he accused Crozier of "betrayal," called him "too naive or too stupid" and suggested the sailors' love for him was misplaced.
Hours later, back in Washington, Modly issued an apology, but President ...

US navy chief out over handling of ship virus outbreak

President Donald Trump is moving aggressively to challenge the authority and independence of agency watchdogs overseeing his administration, including removing the inspector general tasked with overseeing the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package that passed Congress with bipartisan support.
In 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 the coronavirus funds.
The actions have sent shock waves across the close-knit network of watchdog officials in government, creating open conflict between a president reflexively resistant to outside criticism and an oversight community tasked with rooting out fraud, misconduct and abuse.
The most recent act threatens to upend scrutiny of the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue effort now underway, setting the stage for a major clash between Trump, government watchdogs and ...

Trump takes aim at agency watchdogs: 'Give me the name'

The Qatari government said Tuesday it has implemented widespread measures to protect immigrant workers from the coronavirus, after a German documentary highlighted that ongoing construction of World Cup infrastructure raised the risk of infections.
The government said in a statement to The Associated Press that it is providing free healthcare and a salary-guarantee for those workers affected by the virus, and is bringing a daily shipment of food and protective equipment into the industrial area where immigrant laborers reside.
The response came after a German documentary reported on severe food shortages for the workers and an increased risk of infection due to cramped conditions inside a quarantined part of the Industrial Area district outside Doha.
Retail shops and bank branches in shopping malls are closed as Qatar bids to contain the virus. The Persian Gulf country has reported over 1,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with some 130 recoveries and four deaths.
But work on ...

Qatar says it's working to protect laborers from coronavirus

Rockets rained down on Libya's capital Tripoli on Tuesday, health authorities in the U.N.-backed government said, the second day of heavy bombardment by eastern-based forces that struck one of the city's largest hospitals.
The barrage of Grad rockets hit Al-Khadra Hospital, where over 300 patients were being treated, including two for the coronavirus and many for shrapnel wounds and burns from bombs.
The assault, sharply condemned by the U.N, wounded a Bangladeshi medical worker Monday and forced a group of patients to evacuate when missiles hit part of the maternity unit and the power system failed, said Tripoli health ministry official Amin al-Hashemi. Patients suffering from chronic illnesses continued to be evacuated Tuesday.
In recent weeks eastern-based forces under the command of Khalifa Hifter have escalated their year-long siege on the capital, despite appeals for a cease-fire so authorities can focus their resources on the pandemic. Their attack on Al-Khadra was the third ...

Eastern Libyan forces attack Tripoli hospital for second day

President Donald Trump shook up his communications team on Tuesday, replacing his press secretary and adding new staffers as he grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephanie Grisham, who had held the titles of press secretary and White House communications director since last June, is out after never holding a formal press briefing. She will be rejoining the first lady's office in a new role as Melania Trumps's chief of staff.
Kayleigh McEnany, a top Trump campaign spokeswoman, will take over as Trump's fourth press secretary.
Also returning to the White House: Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah. She will lead strategic communications, according to a senior administration official familiar with the moves who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions had not been formally announced.
The shakeup comes as the president is facing the biggest crisis of his administration, with the coronavirus spreading across the country. The virus has killed nearly 12,000 people in the U.S. 

Page 392 - PTI Stories National