The leader of an Amazon warehouse walkout will take his fight for a safe workplace to the New York governor’s office if needed, he told RT. City authorities are investigating whether he was fired in retaliation for the protest.
Chris Smalls, the Amazon associate who led Monday’s walkout at the megacorporation’s mammoth Staten Island warehouse, believes he was fired over his leadership of the protest, but he told RT he isn’t done fighting for the safety of what were until recently his fellow employees. “My plan of action is to continue to fight until the buildings are closed down,” he said. “They got rid of me to stop the movement but they actually empowered me and motivated me, so I will continue to fight.”
The walkout’s demands were modest: shut down and disinfect the warehouse, provide adequate cleaning supplies and personal protection equipment, and operate within safe social distancing guidelines. “People are scared to work” in the massive 5,000-person facility, he said – even the cleaning crews - because the company refuses to disinfect its facility even after as many as a dozen people tested positive for coronavirus.
Amazon insists it fired Smalls after five years of employment because he broke quarantine after coming into contact with an employee diagnosed with coronavirus. The e-commerce giant told ABC News he “received multiple warnings for violating social distancing guidelines and putting the safety of others at risk.” Smalls, however, pointed out that there are procedures typically followed in firing employees that were skipped in his case.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has asked the National Labor Relations Board to investigate the firing, warning that employees have the right to organize under state law and “retaliatory action by management” is illegal. Such action in the midst of a pandemic, she said in a statement on Tuesday, is “also immoral and inhumane.”
Some 50 to 60 employees participated in the walkout, which inspired a similar protest in Chicago and attracted international media attention. With three-quarters of the US currently under some form of quarantine or lockdown, Amazon and other online shopping behemoths have become essential to the functioning of society. But if the company continues to turn a deaf ear to employee concerns, Smalls warned, “we will have to go above their heads and go to the government to close them down.” He plans to take a contingent of protesters to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office in Albany, if it comes to that.
If Amazon does not react…we will go to the governor's door. That is what we will do in a day or two. We are definitely planning a bigger protest and plan to go to the governor's office.
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US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said it was too soon to evacuate an aircraft carrier where over 100 sailors were infected with Covid-19, despite the unusual plea by the ship’s captain to quarantine the entire crew.
Asked about removing over 4,000 sailors aboard the USS Theordore Roosevelt – the first US warship on deployment to report an outbreak of the lethal virus – Esper said it was premature, stating “I don’t think we’re at that point.”
“We're moving a lot of supplies and assistance, medical assistance, out to the carrier in Guam. We're providing additional medical personnel as they need it,” Esper told CBS News in an interview on Tuesday, adding that none of the sailors were seriously ill.
The Roosevelt was effectively taken out of commission last week, after several dozen crewmen contracted Covid-19, forcing the ship to divert from its mission in the South China Sea and dock at Guam, where all personnel on board received screenings for the virus. More than 100 ultimately tested positive.
With thousands of seamen living in close proximity on the cramped vessel, the rapidly spreading outbreak prompted the ship’s commander, Captain Brett Crozier, to pen a letter to the Defense Department asking that all personnel be allowed to disembark and go into quarantine. The missive was unusual, as the captain skipped several rungs on the chain of command to make the request directly to the Pentagon, likely suggesting its urgency.
“Decisive action is required now in order to … prevent tragic outcomes,” Crozier wrote, adding that instead of additional testing for the virus, “our focus now must be on quarantine and isolation.”
Keeping over 4,000 young men and women on board the [Theodore Roosevelt] is an unnecessary risk and breaks faith with those Sailors entrusted to our care.
We obtained 4-page letter by Capt. Brett Crozier, a Santa Rosa native, where he pleads for isolation equipment allowing his crew to self-isolate.
Esper said he had yet to read Crozier’s letter in detail, preferring to deal with the issue through the regular chain of command, and did not comment directly on the captain’s request during his interview with CBS beyond questioning the need for an evacuation.
“Well, I have not had a chance to read that letter, read in detail,” he said. “I'm going to rely on the Navy chain of command to go out there to assess the situation and to make sure they provide the captain and the crew all the support they need to get the sailors healthy and get the ship back at sea.”
At least three other minor outbreaks have been reported on board Navy warships – the USS Boxer, the USS Colorado and the USS Ralph Johnson, all docked off the West Coast – though none of them are currently on deployment.
A Russian cargo plane carrying medical supplies to help combat the coronavirus outbreak in the US has taken off from its airbase and will land in the country in a matter of hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
“The plane with masks and medical equipment on board left for the United States,” the ministry announced in a statement early on Wednesday.
The US has shattered its one-day record for Covid-19 fatalities, tallying some 865 deaths on Tuesday alone as the lethal illness rapidly spreads in major hotspots across the country.
Counting more than 188,000 confirmed cases nationwide, the world’s leading epicenter for Covid-19 has achieved another grim milestone, with data gathered by Johns Hopkins University showing the US broke its own record for the number of deaths recorded in a single day. The 865 new fatalities bring the total US death toll to 3,873, well surpassing China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated last December.
Though both cases and deaths are on the rise in the US – particularly in New York, where nearly half of the country’s fatalities have been reported – the outbreak has yet to reach its peak. A model created by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicted a sharp spike in fatalities in the coming weeks, suggesting the outbreak would hit its apex sometime in mid-April, at which point the country could see more 2,200 deaths per day.
During a daily briefing earlier on Tuesday, the White House’s coronavirus task force projected that up to 240,000 patients could succumb to the disease under a best case scenario, with a top expert on the team, Dr Anthony Fauci, warning Americans to prepare for a six-figure death toll. While Fauci said he hoped aggressive containment efforts would reduce that number, even the more optimistic models suggest the worst is yet to come.
Italy still leads the world in coronavirus fatalities with more than 12,000, and faces one of the highest mortality rates at over 11 percent, though health experts have noted that the actual number of infections in the Mediterranean nation likely far exceeds those confirmed by tests, suggesting the real death rate is much lower.
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A strong 6.5 magnitude earthquake has rocked southern Idaho. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicenter was near the town of Challis.
The tremor struck shortly before 6pm local time, with a depth of some 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). While there are currently no reports of damage or injuries, videos shared across social media show homes being shaken by the jolt.
Boss of the Red Bull Formula 1 team Helmut Marko suggested his drivers contract the coronavirus during the hiatus created by the pandemic, but was stopped by other members of the organization's management team.
Marko said he wanted to bring together all of his star Formula 1 drivers and junior racers in a mid-hiatus camp, and said it would be the "ideal time for the infection to come."
Speaking to Austrian television channel ORF, Marko said he wanted to make sure his team was fully fit and healthy for the start of the F1 season when it eventually resumes.
"They are all strong young men in good health. That way they would be prepared whenever the action starts," he said.
"We have four Formula 1 drivers and eight or 10 juniors, and the idea was that we would organize a camp to mentally and physically bridge the dead time."
However, Marko's colleagues in the Red Bull F1 management team were against the idea and it was scrapped.
"Let's put it this way: It has not been well received," he said.
The team is currently awaiting a decision from F1 bosses regarding the 2020 season, with the championship head Chase Carey suggesting that F1's 2020 calendar could be rearranged to include 15 to 18 of the original 22-race schedule, with the season potentially running into January 2021.
Marko suggested that plan may be overly-ambitious, saying, "If there is a racing season with 15-18 races, it will be very tough. There is no possibility to improve your fitness during the season. So it's actually ideal to use this time now."
Marko also revealed his belief that he had already contracted the coronavirus.
"I had what I thought was a severe cold and the symptoms would match corona," he said.
"It was also something that I had never had in this intensity.
"I don't know if it was because the test options are currently very limited. But as soon as there is a chance, I would like to be tested afterwards."
Red Bull are also involved in producing ventilators for the UK government, with their factories being used to help mass-produce the additional ventilators needed to assist the UK's National Health Service (NHS) with the growing demand due to the crisis.
"Production has already started here, we are producing ventilators," he said.
"This is the big plus of Formula 1, that you can react to the greatest technological challenges in the shortest possible time and also have the necessary speed in production.
"We have been on the so-called early summer break since last Friday, but the production of those parts that are made for the British government continues during the break."
The price of crude rebounded on Tuesday from an 18-year low after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump have agreed talks to stabilize energy markets.
International benchmark Brent rose 1.5 percent to $23.15 per barrel, as of 08:06 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up six percent at $21.19 a barrel. Both Brent and the WTI closed the previous session at their lowest levels since 2002.
According to the Kremlin, Trump and Putin agreed during a phone call on Monday to have their top energy officials discuss stabilizing oil markets.
"Oil prices are clawing back from a near 18-year low on hopes that oversupply concerns may finally see some relief," senior market analyst at broker OANDA, Edward Moya told Reuters. "Much of the focus has fallen on a key call between the Presidents of the United States and Russia."
The oil industry has been hurt by the largest demand drop in history. Oil prices have tanked by more than half in the past month, with companies cutting back and closing production as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the OPEC+ disagreement over production cuts.
UBS said that it estimates global oil demand to fall by 1.2 million bpd, or 1.2 percent, over the whole of 2020, weighed down by the coronavirus pandemic.
Historic banking firm Rothschild, whose alumni include French President Emmanuel Macron, has warned that the global Covid-19 crisis will impact the bank's financial results due to the effect on global business and markets.
"Although there is still considerable uncertainty around how this will develop and, hence, the degree to which this will impact our 2020 financial results, it is clear that the effect will be materially detrimental compared to 2019," Rothschild said in a statement on Tuesday.
Rothschild added that it was still planning to pay out a dividend of €0.85 ($0.93) per share.
Founded in the 18th century by Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the banking dynasty has worked on some of history's biggest deals, including helping to finance Britain's war with Napoleonic France.
President of the Robert Koch Institute Lothar Wieler believes that Germany’s current Covid-19 mortality rate of 0.8 percent would rise further but defended his optimism on flattening the curve of infection in the country.
During Tuesday morning's briefing, Wieler stated that Germany's coronavirus strategy would remain the same for the time being: containment, protection of the most vulnerable demographics in society like the elderly and immunocompromised and increasing hospital capacity where possible.
He warned that the pandemic will continue for months, not weeks, however.
As of Tuesday morning, Germany has 67,051 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection resulting in some 650 deaths.
President of the Robert Koch Institute Lothar Wieler believes that Germany’s current Covid-19 mortality rate of 0.8 percent would rise further but defended his optimism on flattening the curve of infection in the country.
As of Tuesday morning, Germany has 67,051 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection resulting in some 650 deaths.
Authorities in the Swedish municipality of Eslov have warned residents that teenagers are knowingly coughing, sneezing, and spitting beside the elderly in the so-called ‘coronavirus challenge.’
Parents have been advised to “talk” with their children after a number of reports of targeted unsavory and unsanitary behavior by the local youth against the elderly. Sweden has opted not to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement of its citizens, contrary to most other countries.
However, universities and high schools have shut, meaning a bored youth is apparently looking to entertain itself at the expense of the elderly.
“Some of our elders have been exposed to youths knowingly coughing, sneezing, and spitting in their vicinity in the streets and in stores. Talk to your youth and, above all, respond if you see someone out to provoke and behave disrespectfully,” Eslov Municipality wrote on Facebook.
Many people online called the behaviour “disgusting” and “absolutely senseless” though some accused the municipality of spreading “fake news” from “racists” and that “young people” was a code word for something entirely different.
“It has come to our knowledge that older people feel insecure. That young people cough and shout ‘corona’ only to walk away and laugh,” Ingrid Westerlund, the head of operations at Eslov Municipality, told Swedish Radio.
Meanwhile, a migrant duo from Eskilstuna behind the YouTube account “Alpha & Ali” posted a video several days ago in which they approached random people on the street while pretending to cough while claiming they have coronavirus.
Local Social Democrat politician Maria Hind Alias tweeted, describing the pair as “general idiots” while inviting them to try and prank her, promising she’ll “be nice” before vowing to call their parents and inform them that they have raised “two full-scale idiots.” As of Tuesday morning, Sweden has a reported 4,028 cases of coronavirus infection, resulting in 146 deaths.
Sweden is not alone when it comes to distasteful coronavirus-themed pranks, however, as similar instances of attention-whoring have appeared online as Generation Z tries to outdo itself in the middle of a pandemic, all for the sake of staving off boredom.
The #CoronaVirusChallenge has evolved. Now these absolute fools are targeting grocery stores. 5-6 years in prison should be enough to make other wannabe internet-celebrities think twice before endangering the health of the rest of us. #Idiocracy#Modernitypic.twitter.com/mv6MXuTHBE
Irish police have made several arrests after youths were caught coughing on or spitting at members of the general public in what Ireland’s Health Minister Simon Harris described as “disgusting” and “pathetic” behaviour.
Authorities in the Swedish municipality of Eslov have warned residents that teenagers are knowingly coughing, sneezing, and spitting beside the elderly in the so-called ‘coronavirus challenge.’
Parents have been advised to “talk” with their children after a number of reports of targeted unsavory and unsanitary behavior by the local youth against the elderly. Sweden has opted not to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement of its citizens, contrary to most other countries.
However, universities and high schools have shut, meaning a bored youth is apparently looking to entertain itself at the expense of the elderly.
“Some of our elders have been exposed to youths knowingly coughing, sneezing, and spitting in their vicinity in the streets and in stores. Talk to your youth and, above all, respond if you see someone out to provoke and behave disrespectfully,” Eslov Municipality wrote on Facebook.
Many people online called the behaviour “disgusting” and “absolutely senseless” though some accused the municipality of spreading “fake news” from “racists” and that “young people” was a code word for something entirely different.
“It has come to our knowledge that older people feel insecure. That young people cough and shout ‘corona’ only to walk away and laugh,” Ingrid Westerlund, the head of operations at Eslov Municipality, told Swedish Radio.
Meanwhile, a migrant duo from Eskilstuna behind the YouTube account “Alpha & Ali” posted a video several days ago in which they approached random people on the street while pretending to cough while claiming they have coronavirus.
Local Social Democrat politician Maria Hind Alias tweeted, describing the pair as “general idiots” while inviting them to try and prank her, promising she’ll “be nice” before vowing to call their parents and inform them that they have raised “two full-scale idiots.” As of Tuesday morning, Sweden has a reported 4,028 cases of coronavirus infection, resulting in 146 deaths.
Sweden is not alone when it comes to distasteful coronavirus-themed pranks, however, as similar instances of attention-whoring have appeared online as Generation Z tries to outdo itself in the middle of a pandemic, all for the sake of staving off boredom.
The #CoronaVirusChallenge has evolved. Now these absolute fools are targeting grocery stores. 5-6 years in prison should be enough to make other wannabe internet-celebrities think twice before endangering the health of the rest of us. #Idiocracy#Modernitypic.twitter.com/mv6MXuTHBE
Irish police have made several arrests after youths were caught coughing on or spitting at members of the general public in what Ireland’s Health Minister Simon Harris described as “disgusting” and “pathetic” behaviour.
The US has renewed sanctions curtailing Iran's nuclear program for another 60 days, as Iran issued pleas for the US to ease its pressure campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid humanitarian and economic crisis.
"We will continue to use the full range of our diplomatic and economic tools to constrain Iran's destabilizing proliferation activities," the US State Department said in a statement.
The US re-imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after Washington unilaterally left the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program in 2018. The move was blasted by the EU, Russia and China, who were also signatories of the agreement.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the Islamic Republic was secretly violating the JCPOA. However, the global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed at the time that Iran was complying with the deal.
After the US ramped up the sanctions aiming to torpedo Iran's oil trade, Tehran started scaling down its commitments under the JCPOA. Iranian officials pledged to return to the agreement if the EU provides the nation with sanctions relief.
Iran, which insists that the US sanctions are illegal under international law, has been warning that Washington's 'maximum pressure' campaign undermines its ability to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and hurts regular Iranians. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the sanctions are leading to a "humanitarian catastrophe" as they hamper Iranians' access to life-saving drugs.
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The US has renewed sanctions curtailing Iran's nuclear program for another 60 days, as Iran issued pleas for the US to ease its pressure campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid humanitarian and economic crisis.
"We will continue to use the full range of our diplomatic and economic tools to constrain Iran's destabilizing proliferation activities," the US State Department said in a statement.
The US re-imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after Washington unilaterally left the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program in 2018. The move was blasted by the EU, Russia and China, who were also signatories of the agreement.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the Islamic Republic was secretly violating the JCPOA. However, the global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed at the time that Iran was complying with the deal.
After the US ramped up the sanctions aiming to torpedo Iran's oil trade, Tehran started scaling down its commitments under the JCPOA. Iranian officials pledged to return to the agreement if the EU provides the nation with sanctions relief.
Iran, which insists that the US sanctions are illegal under international law, has been warning that Washington's 'maximum pressure' campaign undermines its ability to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and hurts regular Iranians. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the sanctions are leading to a "humanitarian catastrophe" as they hamper Iranians' access to life-saving drugs.
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The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen from 57,298 to 61,913 in 24 hours, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has reported. The disease has claimed 128 more lives, bringing the total death toll to 583.
Germany is considering new measures that would help deal with the coronavirus, including tracking movement of patients through their phones. The approach is used by several other nations like Singapore and Israel, but digital surveillance is a touchy subject in Germany. Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said tracking apps may be used in the country only voluntary.
The leading European economy remains among the nations in which a high number of identified cases has resulted in a relatively low number of deaths. France has fewer virus-positive patients but more fatalities, with its death toll sadly surpassing 3,000 on Tuesday.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen from 57,298 to 61,913 in 24 hours, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has reported. The disease has claimed 128 more lives, bringing the total death toll to 583.
While some Asian countries appear to have slowed down the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease, no nation should let its guard down, World Health Organization (WHO) experts have warned.
"Let me be clear. The epidemic is far from over in Asia and the Pacific," WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai told reporters on Tuesday.
This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard... We need every country to keep preparing for large-scale community transmission.
While positive news has been coming out of China and South Korea, whose response seems to have slowed down the spread of the virus, WHO technical adviser Matthew Griffith explained that this should not be interpreted as Covid-19 leaving particular areas.
"Whereas countries and areas in this region have shown how to flatten the curve, outbreaks continue to pop up in new places and importation remains a concern," he said.
Meanwhile, Chinese health officials reported on Tuesday that there were no new confirmed Covid-19 cases recorded in the Hubei Province – where the outbreak initially started – for the seventh day in a row. All new 48 cases reported on Tuesday were linked to people arriving from abroad.
Chinese authorities said that although the domestic transmission of the disease has been largely stopped, the growing number of imported cases risks triggering a secondary wave of the infection.
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While some Asian countries appear to have slowed down the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease, no nation should let its guard down, World Health Organization (WHO) experts have warned.
"Let me be clear. The epidemic is far from over in Asia and the Pacific," WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai told reporters on Tuesday.
This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard... We need every country to keep preparing for large-scale community transmission.
While positive news has been coming out of China and South Korea, whose response seems to have slowed down the spread of the virus, WHO technical adviser Matthew Griffith explained that this should not be interpreted as Covid-19 leaving particular areas.
"Whereas countries and areas in this region have shown how to flatten the curve, outbreaks continue to pop up in new places and importation remains a concern," he said.
Meanwhile, Chinese health officials reported on Tuesday that there were no new confirmed Covid-19 cases recorded in the Hubei Province – where the outbreak initially started – for the seventh day in a row. All new 48 cases reported on Tuesday were linked to people arriving from abroad.
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Pakistan’s national railway has converted all of its business class coaches into rolling quarantine wards for Covid-19 patients, adding thousands of beds to the fight against the virus, a move mirroring a similar project in India.
The mobile isolation units are ready to ship out to any part of the country connected by rail lines, offering much needed relief to local authorities in Pakistan’s hardest-hit regions, Railways Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad announced on Monday at the Rawalpindi train station in Punjab, a major stop on the Karachi–Peshawar line.
Some 220 coaches have been specially equipped to house and treat patients, each containing nine beds, the Dawn newspaper reports. Train stations in all seven divisions administered by Pakistan Railways – in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Sukkur, Rawalpindi and Multan – have also been fitted with 100 beds and a ventilator each, further taking pressure off local healthcare systems.
Pakistan Railways has launched Quarantine special train including two AC sleepers and three normal sleepers pic.twitter.com/UB1D7eHrWa
Pakistan has suspended all passenger rail services amid the Covid-19 outbreak, allowing only freight cars to deliver vital food and supply shipments around the country. While Ahmad said he hoped passenger lines could reopen sometime in April, he noted they would remain shuttered until authorities could get a handle on the outbreak, which has sickened some 1,700 Pakistanis and killed 21, according to Johns Hopkins University.
India, too, has signaled plans to convert rail cars into moving isolation wards, with the state-owned Indian Railways presenting a prototype for the project over the weekend. Once cleared by authorities, the train operator hopes to convert 10 coaches into quarantine units each week to serve its 16 zones, which make up the world’s fourth largest rail network. Despite boasting a population of over 1.3 billion, India has confirmed only around 1,250 cases of the virus to date, with 32 deaths.
Pakistan’s national railway has converted all of its business class coaches into rolling quarantine wards for Covid-19 patients, adding thousands of beds to the fight against the virus, a move mirroring a similar project in India.
The mobile isolation units are ready to ship out to any part of the country connected by rail lines, offering much needed relief to local authorities in Pakistan’s hardest-hit regions, Railways Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad announced on Monday at the Rawalpindi train station in Punjab, a major stop on the Karachi–Peshawar line.
Some 220 coaches have been specially outfitted to house and treat patients, each containing nine beds, the Dawn newspaper reports. Train stations in all seven divisions administered by Pakistan Railways – in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Sukkur, Rawalpindi and Multan – have also been outfitted with 100 beds and a ventilator each, further taking pressure off local healthcare systems.
Pakistan Railways has launched Quarantine special train including two AC sleepers and three normal sleepers pic.twitter.com/UB1D7eHrWa
Pakistan has suspended all passenger rail services amid the Covid-19 outbreak, allowing only freight cars to deliver vital food and supply shipments around the country. While Ahmad said he hoped passenger lines could reopen sometime in April, he noted they would remain shuttered until authorities could get a handle on the outbreak, which has sickened some 1,700 Pakistanis and killed 21, according to Johns Hopkins University.
India, too, has signaled plans to convert rail cars into moving isolation wards, with the state-owned Indian Railways presenting a prototype for the project over the weekend. Once cleared by authorities, the train operator hopes to convert 10 coaches into quarantine units each week to serve its 16 zones, which make up the world’s fourth largest rail network. Despite boasting a population of over 1.3 billion, India has confirmed only around 1,250 cases of the virus to date, with 32 deaths.
US President Donald Trump has praised Moscow for sending a ‘very large planeload of things’ to help fight the spread of the coronavirus and treat sickened patients, noting that China and other nations had also chipped in.
“We’ve had great relationships with a lot of countries,” the president told reporters at his daily Covid-19 briefing on Monday, adding “China sent us some stuff, which was terrific. Russia sent us a very, very large planeload of things, medical equipment, which was very nice.”
Other countries sent us things that I was very surprised at, very happily surprised.
Trump did not specify what kind of aid Moscow or Beijing had provided, however, and failed to name any of the “other countries” that had also sent supplies.
The comment was somewhat puzzling, given that Russian officials have yet to announce any such aid shipment to the US, and a State Department email recently sent to American diplomats stationed in Europe in search of supplies – obtained by Foreign Policy magazine last week – explicitly ruled out Russia, stressing that the request applied to countries hosting US embassies “minus Moscow.”
The president’s off-hand remark about the aid did, however, follow a call with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, in which the two discussed their mutual concern over the fast-spreading virus. Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov had also previously signaled that his country was “ready to help the United States” if needed.
Moscow last week sent more than 100 medical experts and nearly a dozen aircraft loaded with equipment to Italy – including ventilators, disinfecting supplies, as well as face masks and other protective gear – to combat the country’s own outbreak, among the most severe in Europe. Though Italian media reports had slammed the aid as “useless” and mused that it came with malicious and hidden intentions, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio insisted the assistance was a pure “act of solidarity.”
The lethal coronavirus has killed more than 3,000 Americans, data collected by Johns Hopkins University shows, with the US death toll doubling in a period of only three days as all 50 states scramble to cope with outbreaks.
Tallying more than 163,000 cases in the US, the Johns Hopkins Covid-19 tracker put the country at 3,008 fatalities late on Monday evening, nearly half of them from New York, which has quickly become the nation’s major viral hotspot.
The dark landmark was achieved as authorities in Arizona and Kentucky joined dozens of other states and cities with lockdown measures, with Arizona Governor Doug Ducey imposing a sweeping stay-at-home order, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signing an executive order urging residents to not leave the state. Some 250 million Americans currently face similar travel restrictions across 30 states, or about 75 percent of the entire US population.
After repeatedly suggesting federal social distancing guidelines designed to limit the spread of the virus could be relaxed by Easter, President Donald Trump reversed course on Monday, telling reporters the measures would have to be “toughened up” at least until the end of April and that Americans could expect “challenging times” over the next month.
The guidelines will be very much as they are, maybe even toughened up a little bit.
Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish is in hot water after an alleged drunken incident where he reportedly smashed into three parked cars, just hours after asking people to stay at home during the coronavirus crisis.
Police have launched an investigation after pictures surfaced online of Grealish and a damaged white Range Rover.
The West Midlands police have said they investigated the Dickens Heath area, near Solihull, on Sunday morning after reports of parked cars being damaged in the early hours.
The driver of the vehicle had left his details with a member of the public before leaving, the police said.
Viral pictures appear to show the Aston Villa star in a hoody and slippers, as well his Range Rover which appears to have been damaged.
The incident came just hours after the Villa captain took to social media to ask that supporters stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, which has caused the U.K. to go into lockdown.
The player said in his post: "To help save lives you must stay at home. Only leave your house to buy food, buy medicine or to exercise and always remember to stay at least two metres apart. This is urgent, protect the NHS, stay home, save lives."
After reportedly attending a party which went onto the early hours, the 24-year-old smashed his £80,000 vehicle into several parked cars in the area.
The Range Rover was thought to have reversed from a parking spot across the road, before plunging into a silver van, which suffered a dent to its bumper and a cracked rear light.
U.K. newspaper The Sun reported that witnesses saw the car then ride onto the pavement before colliding into a £20,000 blue Mercedes, and then another Mercedes, a £30,000 C-Class.
This happened before the midfielder's vehicle smashed some railings in front of an estate agency.
The West Midlands police said in a statement: "Officers are investigating the circumstances and anyone with information has been asked to get in touch, via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk quoting log 643 of 29 March."
Good Morning host Piers Morgan then blasted the Premier League ace on his show on Monday.
"Another day, another load of idiots. England footballer Jack Grealish. Aston Villa star. Had a lot to say last week. Gave a video message. 'To help save lives you must stay at home'.
"Really good words. Until you go out to your mate’s house on the lash for a party. Get into a car and crash into a load of other cars, allegedly.
"What were you thinking Jack? What happened to your little guidance? What happened to what you told us about saving lives and staying home?
"Doesn’t help when an England star, a role model, does that. Acts with total impurity and selfishness and recklessness. Shame on you."
Grealish has been in excellent form for Villa this season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in the Premier League this campaign, and has even been linked with a possible England call-up.
He has so far earned seven caps for the Under-21s, but there is little doubt this incident might affect his chances of a senior England call up.
The star was in the middle of controversy five years ago, when footage showed him to be inhaling nitrous oxide.
A close aide to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for Covid-19. But the 70-year-old politician is not expected to go into 14-day self-isolation, amid fevered talks on a unity government.
Rivka Paluch’s test for the coronavirus came back positive shortly after her husband was taken to hospital with the disease. The veteran politician serves as Netanyahu’s adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs and was involved in organizing a Knesset vote last Thursday.
After her diagnosis was revealed, some Israeli media said the prime minister and some members of his cabinet will now have to enter a 14-day quarantine. But hours later the premier’s office said isolation will likely not be necessary and that Health Ministry specialists were conducting an epidemiological study to determine the course of action.
Paluch earlier told The Jerusalem Post that, contrary to earlier reports, she didn't engage with Netanyahu in person last week when she helped prepare the Knesset vote. She said it was very unlikely that she had passed the virus to the prime minister.
Paluch's husband apparently contracted the virus during a hospital visit, she said. Both spouses have minimal symptoms of Covid-19 and the aide didn't expect her test would come back positive.
Netanyahu reportedly has had multiple negative coronavirus tests since mid-March and intends to submit to one on Monday. As of Sunday night, there were 4,347 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Israel, with the death toll standing at 16. Seven members of parliament had gone into self-isolation by Sunday, due to exposure to carriers of the virus.
Paluch, 64, is considered a high-risk patient due to her age. So would be Netanyahu, if his test came back positive.
In addition to dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak, Israel is undergoing political turmoil at the moment. Netanyahu, who has three corruption cases hanging over his head, is trying to hammer out a deal on forming a unity government with his rival, Benny Gantz.
Gantz was elected Knesset speaker last week, but it cost him the support of two former members of his Blue and White coalition, who would rather be in opposition than in a government headed by Netanyahu.
Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan says that champions-elect Liverpool should be awarded the Premier League title as various players express confusion over when, or if, the league season will resume.
If this were any other year, Liverpool would have most likely been crowned as Premier League champions by now. Jurgen Klopp's record-breaking title-chasers have been peerless this season as they pursue the club's first English top division title in 30 years, nd bid to end a drought that has consumed the city for three decades.
Indeed, it appears that only a global pandemic can stop them. The coronavirus outbreak has forced a temporary cessation of most major sports leagues across the world and, with it, has brought a stifling degree of uncertainty regarding the potential of fulfilling of the league's remaining fixtures.
Potential theories have been floated about how best to resolve the season. One is to play the remaining games in the summer window previously occupied by the now-postponed UEFA European Championships. Another is to delay the start of next season to allow for the conclusion of the current one.
The coronavirus, though, follows no such timetable. Due to COVID-19 affecting different regions at different rates, it is nearly impossible to select a "one size fits all" approach when it comes the resumption of the beautiful game in the age of social distancing.
The best thing, says Manchester City's Gundogan, is to acknowledge Liverpool's 25-point league at the summit of the table and award them the appropriate silverware.
"You have to be fair as a sportsperson," the German midfielder told broadcaster ZDF.
"There are different opinions. For clubs who have had a very good season, it obviously wouldn't be nice if it was canceled now. On the other hand, for clubs who aren't doing as well and are maybe in the relegation places, an abandonment would obviously suit them."
England captain Harry Kane has also called for English football's authorities to make their stance on the issue clearer.
"I know the Premier League will do everything it can to finish the season," he said in an Instagram conversation with pundit and former player Jamie Redknapp.
"There needs to be a point where enough is enough. Probably the limit for me is the end of June. Playing into July or August and pushing next season back, I don't see too much benefit in that.
"Obviously I don't know too much about behind the scenes and financially. If the season's not completed by the end of June we need to look at the options and just look forward to next season."
The Premier League remains suspended until April 30, but with the UK government continuing to issue restrictions on gatherings and movement, it seems like this might be an optimistic deadline.
For Liverpool, deprived of claiming the title in front of The Kop, it looks as though they may just have to take what they're given, because the alternative is unthinkable, not just to football fans on the Red half of Merseyside, but apparently across the entire Premier League.
Spain has surpassed China in the total number of confirmed coronavirus infections, as the number of cases rose from 78,797 on Sunday to 85,195 on Monday. The death toll rose by 812 to 7,340.
To add insult to injury, the country's emergency health chief Fernando Simon tested positive for coronavirus infection on Saturday night, leaving the deputy health emergency chief, Maria Jose Sierra, to break the news that some 12,298 health workers in the country have tested positive for the disease.
According to the latest data China, the original source of the coronavirus pandemic, has 81,470 confirmed cases. Spain remains behind Italy, the hardest hit country in Europe, with 97,689 confirmed cases resulting in 10,779 deaths.
In spite of the grim updates at the daily press briefing, the Spanish Health Ministry has mercifully noted a drop in the rate of new infections, following a spike midweek last week.
On Wednesday March 25, Spain recorded a 20 percent surge in confirmed cases. This dropped to just a nine percent rise in day-to-day new infections on Sunday, showing signs that Spain’s continuing emergency lockdown in combination with its frontline medical staff’s best efforts are turning the tide on the outbreak.
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A close aide to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for Covid-19. But the 70-year-old politician is not expected to go into 14-day self-isolation, amid fevered talks on a unity government.
Rivka Paluch’s test for the coronavirus came back positive shortly after her husband was taken to hospital with the disease. The veteran politician serves as Netanyahu’s adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs and was involved in organizing a Knesset vote last Thursday.
After her diagnosis was revealed, some Israeli media said the prime minister and some members of his cabinet will now have to enter a 14-day quarantine. But hours later the premier’s office said isolation will likely not be necessary and that Health Ministry specialists were conducting an epidemiological study to determine the course of action.
Paluch earlier told The Jerusalem Post that, contrary to earlier reports, she didn't engage with Netanyahu in person last week when she helped prepare the Knesset vote. She said it was very unlikely that she had passed the virus to the prime minister.
Paluch's husband apparently contracted the virus during a hospital visit, she said. Both spouses have minimal symptoms of Covid-19 and the aide didn't expect her test would come back positive.
Netanyahu reportedly has had multiple negative coronavirus tests since mid-March and intends to submit to one on Monday. As of Sunday night, there were 4,347 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Israel, with the death toll standing at 16. Seven members of parliament had gone into self-isolation by Sunday, due to exposure to carriers of the virus.
Paluch, 64, is considered a high-risk patient due to her age. So would be Netanyahu, if his test came back positive.
In addition to dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak, Israel is undergoing political turmoil at the moment. Netanyahu, who has three corruption cases hanging over his head, is trying to hammer out a deal on forming a unity government with his rival, Benny Gantz.
Gantz was elected Knesset speaker last week, but it cost him the support of two former members of his Blue and White coalition, who would rather be in opposition than in a government headed by Netanyahu.
