Africa bracing for ‘complete collapse of economies’ as coronavirus takes its toll
African leaders are warning of an economic collapse if financial assistance isn’t provided to the millions of people out of work because of the novel coronavirus.
coronavirus
China joins UN Human Rights Council panel despite troubling record, response to coronavirus
China has been appointed to a panel on the controversial U.N. Human Rights Council, where it will help vet candidates for important posts — despite its decades-long record of systematic human rights abuse that the U.S. has said fueled the coronavirus pandemic.
US payrolls plunge 701,000 in March amid the start of a job market collapse
Nonfarm payrolls dropped by 701,000 in March, according to Labor Department numbers released Friday that only begin to show the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus crisis.
Democratic National Convention postponed to August due to the coronavirus
The Democratic Party announced on Thursday that it will postpone the Democratic National Convention to the week of August 17 because of the coronavirus. It was originally scheduled to take place in July.
Trump warns against ‘partisan investigations’ after Pelosi establishes select committee on virus response
President Trump on Thursday railed against “partisan investigations” and “witch hunts” amid the coronavirus pandemic after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) established a special House committee to examine the federal response to the pandemic.
World risks permanent surveillance with coronavirus controls
More than 100 civil society groups urged governments Thursday not to use the global coronavirus pandemic as cover for future pervasive electronic snooping but instead make sure data is erased once the health crisis is over.
Britain’s Queen Invokes World War II In Coronavirus Address
Queen Elizabeth II says Britons will overcome the new coronavirus pandemic if they confront the crisis with the same resolve that carried the nation through other trials and tragedies. Invoking the spirit of World War Two, the British monarch urged Britain in televised remarks to demonstrate the determination as generations of the past.
Iran Frees Christian Converts Over Coronavirus Concerns
Iran has released a Christian woman who was jailed after refusing to reconvert to Islam, activists confirmed to Worthy News. Rokhsareh (Mahrokh) Ghanbari, 62, is among some 85,000 prisoners freed in recent weeks amid concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19.
Pastor in Nepal punished in spite of following quarantine orders
A pastor in Nepal who made sure to fastidiously follow government regulations forbidding worship services was attacked by police anyway while at home with his family, the officers taunting him and Jesus.
Major Jewish leaders leave off speculation about the Messiah, begin asserting that his arrival is imminent
Many Jewish leaders are making surprising comments about the imminent arrival of the messiah, even suggesting that a savior figure could arrive as early as Passover.
Countries Fight Over Medical Supplies Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
As countries struggle to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, a global fight has emerged over dwindling medical supplies. The tensions even led to growing competition for medical goods between the United States and its traditional European allies. Take Germany. The local government in the German state and capital, Berlin, claims that 200,000 U.S.-made protective masks bound for Germany never arrived. Authorities say the shipment was ‘confiscated’ in Bangkok, Thailand.
Continued harassment for Christians during coronavirus outbreak
Christians in China have reported ongoing harassment from government authorities during the coronavirus crisis. China is ranked as one of the world’s worst countries in the persecution of Christians, according to the Open Doors USA’s World Watch List.
European leaders say EU at risk of breaking up over coronavirus
A former European Commission president has said the coronavirus crisis may result in the break-up of the European Union. In a rare statement last weekend, Jacques Delors said the lack of European solidarity in dealing with the crisis presented “a mortal danger” to the EU. Others have expressed similar concerns.
US government expected to advise public to wear face-coverings outdoors
After the US recorded 1000 coronavirus deaths in one day on Wednesday, it is expected the federal government will shortly advise Americans to cover their mouths and noses when outdoors. Advice on wearing masks has been the subject of ongoing debate among the US coronavirus taskforce, as some worry face-coverings may give a false sense of security and cause the public to ignore social-distancing and hand-washing instructions.
EU ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over Hungary’s Coronavirus Measures
Thirteen European Union nations say they fear that emergency measures to contain the new coronavirus pandemic could threaten “democracy and fundamental rights.” Their statement came after EU-member Hungary introduced coronavirus legislation that allows the increasingly authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to rule by decree without parliamentary approval.
Global coronavirus cases surpass one million
Global coronavirus cases surpassed 1 million on Thursday with more than 52,000 deaths as the pandemic further exploded in the United States and the death toll climbed in Spain and Italy, according to a Reuters tally of official data.
Record 6.6 million Americans file unemployment claims, nearly doubling prior week’s total
More than 6.6 million Americans filed unemployment claims last week as more businesses were forced to lay off and furlough workers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
95 percent of European coronavirus fatalities are people older than 60, WHO says
Nearly all of the people in Europe who have died from the coronavirus were more than 60 years old, the World Health Organization announced Thursday.
Netanyahu: All Israelis must wear face masks as virus precaution
All Israelis must wear face masks while in public as a precaution against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
Pentagon Confirms It’s Seeking 100,000 Body Bags in Virus Crisis
The Pentagon confirmed that it’s seeking to provide as many as 100,000 military-style body bags for potential civilian use as the U.S. warns that deaths could soar in the coming weeks from the coronavirus pandemic.