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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Coronavirus Pandemic Will Push 60 Million Into Extreme Poverty: World Bank

The pandemic will erase all the progress made in poverty alleviation in the past 3 years, World Bank saidWashington: The head of the World Bank warned Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis threatens to push some 60 million people into extreme poverty, wiping out the gains made over the past three years.The global lending institution is already financing aid programs in 100 countries, under its commitment to spend $160 billion over the next 15 months, bank president David Malpass said."That's home to 70 percent of the world's population. This represents a significant milestone," Malpass told a conference call.Malpass said the bank anticipates a five percent contraction in the world economy this year, with severe effects on the poorest countries."Our estimate is that up to 60 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty, erasing all the progress made in poverty alleviation in the past three years, and our forecasts indicate a deep recession," Malpass said.Nearly five million people have been infected by the virus around the world, and more than 300,000 have died since it first appeared in China in late 2019.So far, the World Bank has spent $5.5 billion to shore up beleaguered health systems, economies and social services in poor countries.But Malpass stressed that the World Bank's efforts alone were insufficient, and urged donor nations to step up bilateral aid to poorer countries to ensure a durable recovery.He said restoring the flow of remittance payments and tourism -- key sources of income for developing countries -- would be "critical steps in the reopening."A year-long moratorium on debt payments by less developed countries -- called for by the G-20 in mid-April -- has gained growing acceptance, he noted.According to Malpass, 14 countries have agreed to such a suspension of debt payments, another 23 are expected to request it, and 17 were giving it serious consideration."That's a very welcome and very fast response and positive response to the G-20 countries' commitment," he said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Donald Trump Set To Restore Partial Funding To World Health Organization: Report

Trump has accused WHO of promoting China's "disinformation" about coronavirus outbreak.President Donald Trump's administration is set to restore partial funding to the World Health Organization, Fox News reported late on Friday, citing a draft letter.The Trump administration will "agree to pay up to what China pays in assessed contributions" to the WHO, Fox News reported, quoting from the letter.Trump suspended US contributions to the WHO on April 14, accusing it of promoting China's "disinformation" about the coronavirus outbreak and saying his administration would launch a review of the organization.WHO officials denied the claims and China has insisted it was transparent and open.The United States was the WHO's biggest donor.If the US matches China's contribution, as the Fox report adds, its new funding level will be about one-tenth of its previous funding amount of about $400 million per year. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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US House Passes $3 Trillion Coronavirus Recovery Bill, Fate Uncertain In Senate

House Democrats on Friday narrowly pushed through the largest-ever US economic rescue package, but the coronavirus measure faces headwinds in the White House and Senate where Republicans bemoan its $3 trillion price tag.The Heroes Act, which passed largely along party lines, provides some $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of cash disbursements to millions of hard-hit American families, funds for hospitals and health workers, and relief for devastated small businesses.The 1,815-page measure also would extend unemployment and food aid; provide rent and mortgage support for struggling households, and pump billions of dollars into virus testing, tracing operations and treatment."We think this is a major investment in the lives of the American people and in the budgets of our states and localities," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.The American people, more than 36 million of whom have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus catastrophe and related business lockdown, "are suffering so much, in so many ways," Pelosi added. "We want to lessen the pain for them."All but one Republican opposed the bill, along with 14 Democrats, as the measure cleared the House on a vote of 208 to 199.Many Republicans branded it an exorbitant liberal wish list packed with Democratic priorities like funding for vote-by-mail programs or marijuana studies."It's not a stretch to say that this bill is nothing more than a Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis," House Republican Tom Cole told colleagues."The Senate will not pass this bill, the president will not sign it into law."Leaders in the Republican-controlled Senate have said they are opposed to moving swiftly with a new tranche of relief, preferring more time to study how the previous aid measures have helped American communities.Pelosi has said the bill is effectively an opening offer, and she expects Republicans to join Democrats in negotiating compromise legislation.Trump has already signed four pandemic relief measures into law.They include a $2.2 trillion package in March and a $483 billion measure to pump additional funds into a loan program for hard-hit small businesses. Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Antimicrobial Surface Coating Kills Coronavirus For 90 Days, Says Study

The colorless substance is sprayed on surfaces, and has to be reapplied every three to four months.Washington, United States: A specially formulated antimicrobial coating can keep surfaces clear of a human coronavirus for up to 90 days with just one application, a preliminary study said Friday, suggesting a new line of defense against COVID-19.The paper by researchers at the University of Arizona (UA), which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that the amount of virus on coated surfaces reduced by 90 percent in 10 minutes and by 99.9 percent in two hours.Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at UA who was the study's senior author, told AFP the technology was "the next advancement in infection control.""I think it's mostly important for high-use surfaces like subways and buses, because you could disinfect them but then the next people that come in there will recontaminate the surfaces," he said. "It's not a substitute for regular cleaning and disinfecting, but it covers you in between regular disinfecting and cleaning."The UA team tested a coating specifically designed to act against viruses that was developed by the company Allied BioScience, which also funded their study.The researchers carried out their testing on human coronavirus 229E, which is similar in structure and genetics to SARS-CoV-2 but causes only mild cold symptoms and was therefore safer to use.The coating works by "denaturing" the virus' proteins -- effectively twisting them out of shape -- and attacking its protective layer of fat.The colorless substance is sprayed on surfaces, and has to be reapplied every three to four months.The technology behind so-called self-disinfecting coatings has been around for almost a decade, and has previously been used in hospitals to fight against the spread of infection, including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.A 2019 paper by UA researchers found that coatings reduced hospital-acquired infections by 36 percent.Gerba said that as a university professor, he and colleagues had been discussing ways to make their environment safer for students when they return from lockdowns, and antimicrobial coatings on door handles and table tops would be useful."There's a lot of them being developed right now, but hopefully when we start opening everything, they'll be ready."(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Spain's Coronavirus Daily Death Count Falls To 179

The number of diagnosed coronavirus cases rose to 2,23,578 in Spain (File)Madrid: Spain's daily death count from the coronavirus fell to 179 on Saturday, down from 229 on the previous day, the health ministry reported.Overall deaths rose to 26,478 from 26,299 on Friday and the number of diagnosed cases rose to 223,578 from 222,857 the day before, the ministry said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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US Justice Department Drops Case Against Ex-Donald Trump Aide Michael Flynn

The department said FBI's original probe of Michael Flynn had no "legitimate investigative basis."Washington: The US Justice Department withdrew its case against former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn Thursday, handing President Donald Trump a major political victory.The department said in a filing that Flynn's December 2017 guilty plea for lying to the FBI in an interview over his Russia contacts was moot because the alleged lies were not significant.It also said the FBI's original probe of him had no "legitimate investigative basis."The decision by the Justice Department, led by close Trump ally Attorney General Bill Barr, came as Flynn was fighting the court's move toward a decision on his sentence, and after public statements by Trump that Flynn was the political victim of "filthy cops."Flynn's secret talks with the Russian ambassador to Washington in December 2016, before Trump was inaugurated, was a cornerstone of the sprawling investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Moscow's meddling in the US election.Even though Trump fired Flynn just 22 days into his administration, the president has always claimed the investigation was a political "witch hunt" and that Flynn, a former general and head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was a "good man."The Justice Department filing Thursday gave support to Trump's claim, saying there were no grounds for the original investigation."The government has concluded that the interview of Mr Flynn was untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Mr Flynn -- a no longer justifiably predicated investigation," it said.The department said the January 24, 2017 interview was not "conducted with a legitimate investigative basis, and therefore does not believe Mr Flynn's statements were material if untrue."(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Top US Expert Anthony Fauci To Testify Before US Senate On COVID-19 Response

Anthony Fauci is part of the White House Coronavirus Task ForceWashington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said top health official Anthony Fauci would appear next week before a panel in the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate examining the country's coronavirus response but could not testify to the Democratic-led House of Representatives.Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, defended his decision to block the nation's top infectious disease expert from appearing before the House, saying he was being set up by Democrats who hate him and want to win back the White House in November's presidential election.Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, is scheduled to appear May 12 before the Senate Health, Education, and Labor and Pensions committee along with other top US health officials."The House is a set up. The House is a bunch of Trump haters. They put every Trump hater on the committee," the Republican president said."The House they should be ashamed of themselves and, frankly, the Democrats should be ashamed because they don't want us to succeed. They want us to fail so they can win an election, which they're not going to win," added Trump, who is seeking re-election in November.A House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees health programs had been seeking testimony from Fauci for a May 6 hearing, but the White House last week said his appearance would be "counterproductive."Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, and Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Brett Giroir are also scheduled to appear before the Senate hearing next week focused on "safely getting back to work and ... school," according to the committee.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Zoom Admits It Does Not Have 300 Million Daily Active Users: Report

Zoom was not immediately available for a comment. (File)Zoom video conferencing app does not have 300 million daily active users, the company admitted on Thursday to the Verge, saying it "unintentionally" referred to daily meeting participants as users in a blog post.The Zoom blog from April 22, in which the video conferencing app announced a 50% jump in users over three weeks, has now been edited to say that the company had surpassed "300 million daily Zoom meeting participants" instead of "more than 300 million daily users". "When we realized this error, we adjusted the wording to 'participants'," the company told the Verge, adding, "this was a genuine oversight on our part."Zoom, which has been heavily criticized for overstating its encryption capabilities, was not immediately available for a comment.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Elon Musk Calls Coronavirus Lockdown Fascist Action, Urges Reopening

Elon Musk is also the founder of the private space exploration firm SpaceXSan Francisco: Tesla chief Elon Musk on Wednesday called the coronavirus confinement a "fascist" action and "an outrage" that infringes on personal freedom and will damage the economy.The billionaire entrepreneur, speaking on an earnings update for the electric carmaker, lashed out at the orders which forced the shutdown of production in California and said he remained "a bit worried" about when production would resume.He condemned shelter in place orders, "or as we call it forcibly imprisoning people in their homes, against all their constitutional rights ... and breaking people's freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong, and not why people came to America or built this country."."It's (an) outrage," he continued, adding that the lockdowns would cause "great, great harm but not just to Tesla but any company. And while people will weather the storm there are many small companies that will not."The comments by Musk, who is also the founder of the private space exploration firm SpaceX, come amid caution by authorities in the US and other parts of the world about easing restrictions imposed to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak."I think people are going to be very angry about this," he said."They should be allowed to stay in the house and they should not be compelled to leave. But to say that they cannot leave their house, and they will be arrested if they do, this is fascist. This is not democratic. This is not freedom. Give people back their goddamn freedom."(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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India Remittances May Fall To $64 Billion From $83 Billion Amid COVID-19, Says World Bank

Remittances to India are likely to drop by 23 per cent from USD 83 billion last yearWashington: As a result of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in a global recession, remittances to India are likely to drop by 23 per cent from USD 83 billion last year to USD 64 billion this year, the World Bank has said."In India, remittances are projected to fall by about 23 per cent in 2020, to USD 64 billion - a striking contrast with the growth of 5.5 percent and receipts of USD 83 billion seen in 2019," the World Bank said in a report on impact of COVID-19 on migration and remittances released on Wednesday.Globally remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 per cent this year due to the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.The projected fall, which would be the sharpest decline in recent history, is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country, the bank said."Remittances are a vital source of income for developing countries. The ongoing economic recession caused by COVID-19 is taking a severe toll on the ability to send money home and makes it all the more vital that we shorten the time to recovery for advanced economies," said World Bank Group President David Malpass."Remittances help families afford food, healthcare, and basic needs. As the World Bank Group implements fast, broad action to support countries, we are working to keep remittance channels open and safeguard the poorest communities'' access to these most basic needs," he added.Remittance flows are expected to fall across all World Bank Group regions, most notably in Europe and Central Asia (27.5 per cent), followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (23.1 per cent), South Asia (22.1 per cent), the Middle East and North Africa (19.6 per cent), Latin America and the Caribbean (19.3 per cent), and East Asia and the Pacific (13 per cent).In Pakistan, the projected decline is also about 23 per cent, totalling about USD 17 billion, compared with a total of USD 22.5 billion last year, when remittances grew by 6.2 per cent.In Bangladesh, remittances are projected at USD 14 billion this year, a likely fall of about 22 per cent.Remittances to Nepal and Sri Lanka are expected to decline by 14 percent and 19 percent, respectively this year. World26,27,653Cases17,33,285Active7,11,032Recovered1,83,336DeathsCoronavirus has spread to 185 countries. The total confirmed cases worldwide are 26,27,653 and 1,83,336 have died; 17,33,285 are active cases and 7,11,032 have recovered as on April 23, 2020 at 8:56 am.India21,393 2408Cases16,454 1332Active4,258 998Recovered681 78DeathsIn India, there are 21,393 confirmed cases including 681 deaths. The number of active cases is 16,454 and 4,258 have recovered as on April 23, 2020 at 8:00 am.State & District Details State Cases Active Recovered Deaths MaharashtraDistrictCasesMumbai514Pune134Mumbai Suburban65Thane31Sangli24Ahmednagar22Nagpur17Latur8Palghar8Aurangabad8Raigad6Satara5Yavatmal4Osmanabad4Buldhana4Jalgaon2Kolhapur2Hingoli2Ratnagiri2Washim1Nashik1Sindhudurg1Amravati1Jalna1Gondia1Details Awaited*47845652 9834594 729789 217269 37GujaratDistrictCasesAhmadabad79Surat18Bhavnagar13Gandhinagar12Vadodara12Rajkot10Patan5Porbandar3Mahesana2Kachchh2Gir Somnath2Panch Mahals1Anand1Sabar Kantha1Jamnagar1Chhotaudepur1Morbi1Botad1Details Awaited*22422407 3412125 267179 48103 26DelhiDistrictCasesSouth175Central100North66Shahdara66New Delhi56South East33South West24West23East17North East9North West6Details Awaited*16732248 1671476 724 29348 1RajasthanDistrictCasesJaipur104Jodhpur55Bhilwara27Tonk20Jhunjhunu20Jaisalmer16Bikaner11Churu11Kota10Banswara9Ajmer7Dungarpur6Dausa6Bharatpur5Alwar4Udaipur4Nagaur2Pali2Pratapgarh2Dholpur1Karauli1Sikar1Details Awaited*15661890 3141633 287230 2527 2Tamil NaduDistrictCasesChennai150Coimbatore60Dindigul45Tirunelveli36Erode32Tiruchirappalli30Namakkal28Madurai24Theni24Karur22Tiruppur19Villupuram16Cuddalore13Thiruvallur12Thiruvarur12Salem12Virudhunagar11Thanjavur11Nagapattinam11Tiruvannamalai9Kanchipuram6Kanniyakumari6Sivaganga5Vellore5The Nilgiris4Ramanathapuram2Ariyalur1Perambalur1Details Awaited*10221629 109949 662 20518 1Madhya PradeshDistrictCasesIndore116Bhopal70Morena12Jabalpur8Ujjain8Barwani3Khargone3Chhindwara2Gwalior2Shivpuri2Vidisha1Details Awaited*13651592 521364 27148 2180 4Uttar PradeshDistrictCasesGautam Buddha Nagar58Agra49Meerut32Ghaziabad23Lucknow22Shamli14Saharanpur13Kanpur Nagar8Sitapur8Varanasi7Bareilly6Maharajganj6Basti5Ghazipur5Firozabad4Hathras4Kheri4Baghpat3Pratapgarh3Jaunpur3Hapur3Azamgarh3Bulandshahr3Rae Bareli2Mirzapur2Pilibhit2Mathura2Banda2Shahjahanpur1Kaushambi1Moradabad1Prayagraj1Hardoi1Budaun1Bijnor1Barabanki1Auraiya1Details Awaited*11441449 1551255 121173 3321 1TelanganaDistrictCasesHyderabad173Warangal Urban23Nizamabad23Suryapet16Medchal Malkajgiri16Ranga Reddy15Jogulamba Gadwal12Nalgonda11Adilabad10Karimnagar9Mahabubnagar8Kamareddy8Sangareddy7Vikarabad5Jagitial4Nirmal4Medak4Bhadradri Kothagudem4Peddapalli2Mulugu2Jangoan2Nagarkurnool2Jayashankar Bhupalapally1Kumuram Bheem Asifabad1Siddipet1Mahabubabad1Details Awaited*581945 26728 22194 423 Andhra PradeshDistrictCasesKurnool57Spsr Nellore42Guntur38Krishna28Y.s.r.27Prakasam24West Godavari21Visakhapatanam20Chittoor17East Godavari12Anantapur6Details Awaited*521813 56669 30120 2424 2West BengalDistrictCasesKolkata37Howrah15Medinipur East12Kalimpong724 Paraganas North6Jalpaiguri5Nadia524 Paraganas South4Hooghly4Purba Bardhaman3Medinipur West2Paschim Bardhaman2Darjeeling1Details Awaited*353456 64362 5579 615 3KeralaDistrictCasesKasaragod149Kannur51Ernakulam26Thiruvananthapuram15Malappuram14Kozhikode13Pathanamthitta13Thrissur12Idukki10Kollam8Palakkad7Alappuzha3Kottayam3Wayanad3Details Awaited*111438 30112 323 323 KarnatakaDistrictCasesBengaluru Urban59Mysuru34Chikkaballapura10Bidar10Uttara Kannada10Dakshina Kannada8Belagavi7Ballari6Kalaburagi6Bagalkote5Bengaluru Rural5Udupi4Mandya3Tumakuru2Davangere2Gadag1Kodagu1Dharwad1Chitradurga1Details Awaited*252427 12279 131 1717 Jammu And KashmirDistrictCasesSrinagar33Bandipora24Baramulla16Budgam9Jammu9Udhampur8Kupwara5Pulwama4Rajouri3Shopian3Ganderbal2Details Awaited*291407 39310 1892 215 HaryanaDistrictCasesNuh38Gurugram35Palwal28Faridabad19Karnal5Ambala4Panipat4Fatehabad3Sirsa3Panchkula2Bhiwani2Rohtak1Kaithal1Sonipat1Jind1Hisar1Charki Dadri1Details Awaited*113262 8119 140 133 PunjabDistrictCasesS.a.s Nagar26Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar (nawanshahr)18Amritsar10Hoshiarpur7Jalandhar6Ludhiana5Mansa5Fatehgarh Sahib2Pathankot2Faridkot1Kapurthala1Moga1Patiala1Barnala1Details Awaited*165251 6186 49 1016 BiharDistrictCasesSiwan6Gaya5Patna5Munger4Gopalganj3Begusarai2Nalanda2Saharsa2Bhagalpur1Lakhisarai1Saran1Details Awaited*111143 2995 2546 42 OdishaDistrictCasesKhordha33Bhadrak3Cuttack2Jajapur1Kalahandi1Kendrapara1Puri1Details Awaited*4183 950 132 81 JharkhandDistrictCasesRanchi2Hazaribagh1Details Awaited*4649 338 8 83 1UttarakhandDistrictCasesDehradun17Nainital5Udam Singh Nagar4Almora1Haridwar1Pauri Garhwal1Details Awaited*1746 23 23 50 Himachal PradeshDistrictCasesSolan7Kangra3Una3Details Awaited*2740 121 18 21 ChhattisgarhDistrictCasesRaipur5Korba2Bilaspur1Durg1Rajnandgaon1Details Awaited*2636 10 26 10 AssamDistrictCasesGolaghat9Goalpara4Marigaon4Nalbari4Dhubri3Kamrup Metro2Cachar1Hailakandi1Kamrup1Karimganj1Lakhimpur1South Salmara Mancachar1Details Awaited*335 15 19 1 ChandigarhDistrictCasesChandigarh18Details Awaited*927 113 14 10 LadakhDistrictCasesLeh Ladakh11Kargil3Details Awaited*418 4 14 0 Andaman And Nicobar IslandsDistrictCasesNorth And Middle Andaman7South Andamans3Details Awaited*818 27 211 0 MeghalayaDistrictCasesEast Khasi Hills1Details Awaited*1112 111 10 1 GoaDistrictCasesNorth Goa5South Goa1Details Awaited*17 0 7 0 PuducherryDistrictCasesPondicherry4Mahe1Details Awaited*27 4 3 0 ManipurDistrictCasesImphal West1Thoubal12 0 2 0 TripuraDistrictCasesGomati1Details Awaited*12 1 1 0 Mizoram1 1 0 0 Arunachal Pradesh1 0 1 0 Show moreShow less Read the full article

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Coronavirus Pandemic To Stop Asia's 2020 Growth For First Time In 60 Years: IMF

The IMF expects a 7.6% expansion in Asian economic growth next year.Tokyo: Asia's economic growth this year will grind to a halt for the first time in 60 years, as the coronavirus crisis takes an "unprecedented" toll on the region's service sector and major export destinations, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday.Policymakers must offer targeted support to households and firms hardest-hit by travel bans, social distancing policies and other measures aimed at containing the pandemic, said Changyong Rhee, director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department."These are highly uncertain and challenging times for the global economy. The Asia-Pacific region is no exception. The impact of the coronavirus on the region will be severe, across the board, and unprecedented," he told a virtual news briefing conducted with live webcast."This is not a time for business as usual. Asian countries need to use all policy instruments in their toolkits."Asia's economy is likely to suffer zero growth this year for the first time in 60 years, the IMF said in a report on the Asia-Pacific region released on Thursday.While Asia is set to fare better than other regions suffering economic contractions, the projection is worse than the 4.7% average growth rates throughout the global financial crisis, and the 1.3% increase during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, the IMF said.The IMF expects a 7.6% expansion in Asian economic growth next year on the assumption that containment policies succeed, but added the outlook was highly uncertain.Unlike the global financial crisis triggered by the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, the pandemic was directly hitting the region's service sector by forcing households to stay home and shops to shut down, the IMF said.The region's export powerhouses were also taking a battering from slumping demand for their goods by key trading partners such as the United States and European countries, it said.China's economy is expected to grow by 1.2% this year, down from 6% growth in the IMF's January forecast, on weak exports and losses in domestic activity due to social distancing steps.The world's second-largest economy is expected to see a rebound in activity later this year, with growth to bounce back to 9.2% next year, the IMF said.But there were risks even to China's growth outlook as the virus could return and delay normalization, the IMF said."Chinese policymakers have reacted very strongly to the outbreak of the crisis ... If the situation becomes aggravated, they have more room to use fiscal, monetary policies," Rhee said. "Whether that would be needed will really depend on progress in containing the virus."Asian policymakers must offer targeted support to households and firms hit hardest by the pandemic, the IMF said, calling also for efforts to provide ample liquidity to markets and ease financial stress faced by small and midsize firms.Rhee warned that direct cash transfers to citizens, part of the U.S. stimulus package, may not be the best policy for many Asian countries which should focus on preventing small firms from going under to stop a sharp increase in unemployment.Emerging economies in the region should tap bilateral and multilateral swap lines, seek financial support from multilateral institutions, and use capital controls as needed to battle any disruptive capital outflows caused by the pandemic, the IMF said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Taiwan, WHO Spar Again Over Sharing Of Coronavirus Information

Taiwan accused the WHO of having ignored its communications early in the pandemic. (Representational)Taipei: Tension flared again on Saturday as Taiwan accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of playing word games in a dispute over details it sought in an email querying if the new coronavirus could be transmitted between people.Taiwan is not a WHO member, because of objections from China, which claims the island as its own and deems it to have no right to membership of international bodies.Such an approach, Taiwan says, deprived it of timely information to fight the virus, and it accused the WHO of having ignored its communications early in the pandemic, which has infected 1.6 million people and killed 100,000 worldwide.Last month, Taiwan said it had received no reply from the WHO to a December 31 query for information on the outbreak in China's central city of Wuhan, including whether it could be transmitted between people.The WHO has said the email it received made no mention of human-to-human transmission.In Taipei on Saturday, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung quoted the text of the December 31 email written in English that the government sent to the WHO."News resources today indicate that at least seven atypical pneumonia cases were reported in Wuhan, China," Chen said, reading the email."Their health authorities replied to the media that the cases were believed not to be SARS, however the samples are still under examination, and cases have been isolated for treatment," he continued."I would greatly appreciate if you have relevant information to share with us."In a statement sent to Reuters on Saturday, the WHO said, "We have asked how they communicated this to us, because we are only aware of that one email that makes no mention of human-to-human transmission, but they haven't replied."SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, was caused by a previously unknown virus believed to have emerged from the wet markets of China's southern province of Guangdong in 2002-2003 that eventually killed 774 people in nearly 30 countries.Chen said any medical professional would know the circumstances requiring isolation, and added that the WHO was quibbling over the wording."If being treated in isolation is not a warning, then what is?" he asked. China confirmed virus transmission between people on January 20.On January 12, the WHO had said there was no clear evidence of such transmission. However, Taiwan, suspicious that information emerging from China was not accurate, had begun screening arrivals from Wuhan on December 31. It also activated its emergency operations centre on January 2, which experts say allowed it to effectively control the early spread of the virus.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson Still In Hospital With COVID19

Boris Johnson had been isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for the virus last month.LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in hospital in London for tests on Monday suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms 10 days after testing positive for the virus, but Downing Street said he remained in charge of the government.Johnson, who had been isolating in Downing Street after testing positive for the virus last month, was taken to hospital on Sunday night because he still had a high temperature and his doctors felt he needed additional tests.The prime minister is doing well and will undergo routine tests on Monday but will continue to lead the government, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said."He'll stay in hospital as long as he needs to do that, but I've heard that he's doing well and I very much look forward to him being back in Number 10 as soon as possible," Jenrick said."This isn't an emergency admission and so I certainly expect that he'll be back at Number 10 shortly," said, though he gave no time frame.On March 27, Johnson became the first leader of a major power to announce that he had tested positive. The 55-year-old went into isolation at an apartment in Downing Street and said on Friday he was staying there as he still had a high temperature.Downing Street stressed it was not an emergency admission. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will chair the government's emergency COVID-19 meeting on Monday.With only an unwieldy collection of sometimes ancient and contradictory precedents to go by, there is no formal succession plan should the prime minister become incapacitated.Queen Elizabeth, who delivered a rallying call on Sunday to the British people just as Johnson was admitted, has been informed of his admission to hospital, Buckingham Palace said.U.S. President Donald Trump said Johnson was a "strong man" as he passed on his nation's best wishes."All Americans are praying for him," Trump told a news conference. "He's a friend of mine, he's a great gentleman and a great leader, and as you know he went to the hospital today but I'm hopeful and sure that he's going to be fine."The pound fell against the dollar on news of Johnson's admission to hospital but rose when Jenrick said he expected him to be back at Downing Street shortly."PRECAUTIONARY TESTS"Johnson's office declined to say what tests he was to have in hospital, but experts said a person of his age with COVID-19 symptoms after 10 days was likely to be assessed for their oxygen levels, lung, liver and heart functions, and undergo an electrocardiogram heart check."Clearly the prime minister is finding it difficult to shake this thing off," said Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at Nottingham University."What it does show is how difficult it is to predict how this infection will develop, and whilst most people will experience nothing more than an annoying cold, for others this can develop into a serious and sometimes life-threatening disease."Medics said that patients with COVID-19 can deteriorate after about 10 days, with some developing pneumonia.Health officials said on Sunday the British death toll from the coronavirus had risen by 621 to 4,934.PM IN HOSPITALJohnson, the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign, won a resounding election victory in December before leading the United Kingdom out of the European Union on Jan. 31.He has faced criticism for initially approving a much more modest response to the novel coronavirus outbreak than other European leaders, telling a news conference on March 3 that he had been shaking hands with coronavirus patients.He then changed tack when scientific projections showed a quarter of a million people could die in the United Kingdom.Johnson effectively shuttered the world's fifth-largest economy, advising people to stay at home and the elderly or infirm to isolate themselves for weeks.The virus, though, had already penetrated the British government.Johnson and his health minister tested positive last month and his chief medical adviser also self-isolated. Johnson's pregnant 32-year-old fiancée, Carrie Symonds, also had symptoms but said on Saturday she was feeling better.From an apartment above Number 11 Downing Street, and with food brought to his door, Johnson continued to lead the government's response and chaired meetings via video conference.He has posted a series of video messages since then, initially appearing in a suit and tie but in the latest post on Friday, he appeared weary, sitting in a chair with his shirt open at the neck."Although I'm feeling better and I've done my seven days of isolation, alas I still have one of the symptoms, a minor symptom, I still have a temperature," he said.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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UN Chief Antonio Guterres Urges Protection Of Women During Virus Lockdown

UN chief urges governments to protect women during virus lockdownUnited Nations: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is urging governments around the world to include the protection of women in their response to the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic."Violence is not confined to the battlefield," said Guterres in a statement and a video released in multiple languages, reminiscent of his call for a ceasefire in conflicts worldwide to face the COVID-19 pandemic."For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest. In their own homes," Guterres said."Over the past weeks as economic and social pressures and fear have grown, we have seen a horrifying global surge in domestic violence. "I urge all governments to make the prevention and redress of violence against women a key part of their national response plans for COVID-19," he said.Guterres called for setting up emergency warning systems in pharmacies and groceries, and for safe ways "for women to seek support, without alerting their abusers."Together, we can and must prevent violence everywhere, from war zones to people's homes, as we work to beat COVID-19," he said, as he called "for peace at home - and in homes - around the world."(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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bigyack-com · 4 years

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Dubai Tightens Measures Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The decision came shortly after the UAE announced on Saturday 241 new novel coronavirus infections.Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai authorities on Saturday announced tighter measures to combat the novel coronavirus, as the number of cases in the United Arab Emirates surpassed 1,500.For two weeks the movement of people and vehicles will be further restricted, with only one person per residence allowed to leave for "essential needs" such as food and medicine, according to the Dubai Media Office.People working in "vital sectors" -- including healthcare, media and delivery -- are allowed to go out and supermarkets and pharmacies will remain in service.Metro and tram services, however, will also be suspended. In addition to movement restrictions, authorities announced "the extension of the sterilisation programme to 24 hours a day across all areas and communities in the emirate to protect the health and safety of the community".The measures went into effect at 8:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Saturday and are subject to renewal.The authorities added that "extensive medical tests will be conducted across densely populated areas".The decision came shortly after the UAE announced on Saturday 241 new novel coronavirus infections -- the highest single-day total since the outbreak in the country.The Gulf state has now a total of 1,505 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease, and 10 deaths. It has enforced extensive lockdown measures to curb the spread of the illness including an ongoing night-time curfew. The UAE has the second highest number of confirmed infections in the Gulf after Saudi Arabia, which has recorded more than 2,000 cases and 29 deaths. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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Donald Trump Expands Role Of US Army In The "War" Against Coronavirus

COVID-19 Pandemic: We are in a war - with an invisible enemy, US President Donald Trump said.Washington: US President Donald Trump has expanded the role of the US Army in the fight against deadly coronavirus, saying that no one is better prepared to fight the current situation which is like a war.US till Friday reported 7,380 deaths and at least 276,500 infections due to the deadly coronavirus, the highest for any country in the world."We are expanding the role of the Armed Forces in our response effort because no one is better prepared to win a war of the United States military, and we are in a war. Invisible enemy," Donald Trump told reporters during a press briefing as he described New York as the hotspot of this war.On Friday, the number of those infected by coronavirus (COVID-19) in the New York state alone crossed 100,000 and the deaths touched 3,000.It's neighbouring New Jersey followed up with nearly 30,000 infections and 646 deaths.Members of the White House task force on coronavirus expect the deadly disease to peak in the next 10 days.Various models have predicted between 100,000 to 200,000 deaths in the next few months, during which a large number of people are likely to be infected.As such, the administration would require thousands of new hospital beds and thousands of ventilators along with face masks and other medical supplies.Overall, the US on Friday in a single day added more than 33,000 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 276,500.In just one day more than 1,550 Americans lost their lives taking the fatalities to over 7,380.More than 90 per cent of the country''s 330 million population are under strict stay-in-home order and major disaster declaration has been announced for over three dozen States."Our hearts go out to the people of New York as they bear the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in America. That seems to be the hot spot right now, but you have some others as you know that are very, very bad," President Trump said during the briefing at the White House."Louisiana is getting hit very hard. Parts of Michigan are getting hit very, very dark. New Jersey is surprisingly it''s much greater than anybody would have thought they are doing a really good job," he said.The Javits Convention Center in New York that has been converted overnight into a 2,500 beds hospital by the army would now be manned by the armed forces as well, he said."Over 9,000 retired army medical personnel have answered their nation's call and are now supporting field hospitals and medical facilities all across the country, he said.The Army Corps of Engineers has assessed more than 100 facilities in all 50 states, he said.They are rapidly building temporary hospitals and alternative care sites in many states in New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio, Trump added.He said the National Guard members have been activated to hold states build new treatment centers and assist in the seamless distribution of medical supplies."The National Guard is assisting very strongly because the states were, in many cases, unable to have the delivery capability from warehouses and other places that they put the supplies," he said.In addition to ensure that healthcare workers in New York have the protective equipment the need the federal government, the Department of Defense is providing about 8.1 million respirators.The Department of Health and Human Services is working with the Department of Justice and has taken the custody of nearly 200,000 N95 respirators, 130,000 surgical masks, 600,000 gloves as well as many bottles and disinfectant sprays.World10,99,054Cases8,13,538Active2,26,611Recovered58,905DeathsCoronavirus has spread to 181 countries. The total confirmed cases worldwide are 10,99,054 and 58,905 have died; 8,13,538 are active cases and 2,26,611 have recovered as on April 4, 2020 at 10:27 am.India2,902 355Cases2,650 328Active184 21Recovered68 6DeathsIn India, there are 2,902 confirmed cases including 68 deaths. The number of active cases is 2,650 and 184 have recovered as on April 4, 2020 at 9:00 am.State & District Details State Cases Active Recovered Deaths MaharashtraDistrictCasesMumbai174Pune49Sangli24Thane20Nagpur18Ahmednagar8Mumbai Sub Urban5Yavatmal4Buldana4Satara3Kolhapur2Palghar2Raigad2Sindhudurg1Blanks1Ratnagiri1Nashik1Jalagaon1Gondia1Aurangabad1Details Awaited*101423 88400 9142 19 3Tamil NaduDistrictCasesChennai37Coimbatoor29Tiruneveli29Erode26Theni20Namakkal18Dindugal17Madurai15Tirupattur7Salem6Kanyakumari5Sivagangai5Thoothukudi3Villupuram3Kanchipurum3Thiruvarur2Karur2Thiruvannamalai2Tirupur1Trichirapalli1Vellore1Thanjavur1Virudhunagar1Details Awaited*177411 102406 1026 1 DelhiDistrictCasesSouth Delhi63South East16Central12West Delhi12South West10East Delhi9North Delhi9Shahdara8North East6North West5New Delhi2Details Awaited*234386 167384 1698 6 2KeralaDistrictCasesKasargod115Kannur49Ernakulam23Thiruvanthpuram13Mallapuram11Thrissur11Pathanamthitta10Kozhikode9Kottayam6Palakkad6Idukki4Wayanad3Kollam3Alappuzha2Details Awaited*30295 9256 41 142 RajasthanDistrictCasesJaipur32Bhilwara26Evacuees From Iran18Jhunjhunu8Jodhpur8Ajmer5Dungarpur3Pratapgarh2Foreign Nationals2Pali1Alwar1Sikar1Churu1Details Awaited*71179 12176 123 0 Uttar PradeshDistrictCasesGb Nagar45Meerut19Agra12Lucknow9Ghaziabad8Bareilly6Bulandshahar3Varanasi2Philibhit2Jaunpur1Kanpur1Bagpat1Lakhimpur1Shamli1Basti1Moradabad1Details Awaited*61174 2157 19 52 Andhra PradeshDistrictCasesPrakasam15Kadappa15West Godavari12Vizag11Guntur9Chitoor6East Godavari6Krishna6Nellore3Ananthapur2Kurnool1Details Awaited*75161 29161 291 1 TelanganaDistrictCasesHyderabad44Karimnagar13Madchal11Ranga Reddy11Bhadradri4Mahboobnagar3Kamareddy3Nizamabad2Gadwal2Warangal (u)1Details Awaited*64158 164 1 7 KarnatakaDistrictCasesBbmp30Bengaluru Urban21Mysore18Dakshin Kannada9Uttar Kannada8Chikkaballapura7Kalaburgi4Bellary3Udupi3Davangere3Bengaluru Rural1Dharwad1Kodagu1Tumkuru1Details Awaited*18128 4119 212 23 Madhya PradeshDistrictCasesIndore12Jabalpur8Ujjain4Bhopal3Shivpuri2Gwalior1Neemuch1Details Awaited*73104 110 0 6 GujaratDistrictCasesAhmedabad33Gandhinagar10Rajkot10Surat9Vadodara9Bhavnagar6Girsomnath2Kutch1Mehsana1Porbandar1Details Awaited*1395 94 110 9 1Jammu And KashmirDistrictCasesSrinagar25Bandipora11Budgam7Jammu5Udhampur4Rajouri3Pulwama3Baramulla2Shopian2Details Awaited*1375 74 3 2 West BengalDistrictCasesKolkata17Nadia5Hooghly4East Medinipur3North 24 Parganas3Howrah2West Medinipur1Kalimpong1South 24 Parganas1Details Awaited*2663 63 3 3 PunjabDistrictCasesSbs Nagar19Sas Nagar10Hoshiarpur6Jalandhar5Ludhiana3Amritsar2Patiala1Details Awaited*753 557 51 5 HaryanaDistrictCasesGurugram24Faridabad6Panipat4Sirsa3Panchkula2Palwal1Ambala1Sonipat1Hissar1Details Awaited*649 25 24 0 BiharDistrictCasesMunger8Patna5Siwan5Gaya1Begusarai1Gopalganj1Lakhisarai1Nalanda1Details Awaited*629 30 0 1 AssamDistrictCasesDetails Awaited*2424 824 80 0 ChandigarhDistrictCasesChandigarh16Details Awaited*218 18 0 0 UttarakhandDistrictCasesDehradun4Pauri Garhwal1Details Awaited*1116 614 62 0 LadakhDistrictCasesLeh11Kargil2Details Awaited*114 11 3 0 Andaman And Nicobar IslandsDistrictCasesSouth Andaman1010 10 0 0 ChhattisgarhDistrictCasesRaipur5Rajnandgaon1Durg1Bilaspur1Korba19 6 3 0 GoaDistrictCasesDetails Awaited*66 6 0 0 Himachal PradeshDistrictCasesKangra3Details Awaited*36 6 1 1 PuducherryDistrictCasesPuducherry2Mahe1Details Awaited*25 4 1 0 OdishaDistrictCasesKhordha3Bhadrak1Details Awaited*15 5 0 0 ManipurDistrictCasesImphal West1Details Awaited*12 2 0 0 JharkhandDistrictCasesRanchi1Details Awaited*12 2 0 0 Mizoram1 1 0 0 Arunachal PradeshDistrictCasesDetails Awaited*11 1 Show moreShow less Read the full article

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