Coronavirus live news: UN warns of 'biblical' famine as Trump reveals 60-day immigration halt - the guardian, theguardian.com

Ben Doherty

A chronically ill refugee held in immigration detention in Australia – and at serious risk of contracting Covid – – has launched a case in the high court seeking his release into the community to protect him from infection.

His challenge, lodged in Melbourne late Tuesday by the Human Rights Law Center, is being seen as a test case for other women and men living in close confines in immigration detention and at risk of a Covid – 34 outbreak. Guardian Australia understands his case is likely to be “the first of many”.

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Business leaders expect drawn out, U-shaped recession

Global business leaders are preparing for a drawn-out U-shaped recession due to the impact of coronavirus and many fear their companies won survive the pandemic, a survey of thousands of chief executives showed on Wednesday.

Reuters reports around % of chief executives are preparing for a U-shaped recovery – a long period between recession and an upturn – compared with % who predict a double-dip recession, according to an April (-) (poll of 3, chief executives from 242 countries conducted by YPO, a business leadership network.

business leaders in the hospitality and restaurant sectors were the most vulnerable with 53% of executives saying their firms were at risk of not surviving, while (% in aviation and

% in wholesale and retail sales feared they may go under, the survey found.

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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just tweeted about his conversation with US President Donald Trump.

Don’t worry, the two countries are still “the best of mates”.

Morrison added that the pair discussed the World Health Organizations ’response to the virus.

On Sunday, Australia’s foreign minister, Marise Payne told the ABC television program Insiders, that that her concerns over China’s transparency were “at a very high point”, and that she shared some of the US’s concerns about the WHO.

Scott Morrison (@ ScottMorrisonMP)

We also talked about the @ WHO & working together to improve the transparency & effectiveness of international responses to pandemics.

Australia & the US are the best of mates & we’ll continue to align our efforts as we work towards the recovery on the other side of this virus.

April ,

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Canadian exercise apparel brand Lululemon issued statements on Tuesday apologizing for, and distancing itself from, a T-shirt design promoted by one of its art directors that triggered outrage and accusations of racism online. The T-shirt design said “bat fried rice”, Reuters reports.

The hashtag “Lululemon insults China” was viewed million times on China’s Weibo platform by Tuesday afternoon, with some commentators demanding a boycott of the brand .

“We acted immediately, and the person involved is no longer an employee of Lululemon,” the firm said in an Instagram response to a customer on Tuesday, without identifying the individual.

Reports of racially charged assaults on Asians have grown since the pandemic first emerged in a market selling wildlife in China late last year. Early studies said the virus could have come from bats.

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David Smith

Trump announces – day ban on immigrants seeking permanent status in US

Donald Trump has announced a – day ban on immigrants seeking to live and work in America permanently, and said he could extend it depending on the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

The US president framed the executive order, which he expects to sign on Wednesday, as an effort to protect American workers from foreign competition. He said it would apply only to those seeking green cards and not temporary workers, but he did not explain how those those applications are currently being processed would be affected.

“By pausing immigration, we will help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens – so important,” Trump told reporters at Tuesday’s coronavirus taskforce briefing. “It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad. We must first take care of the American worker. ”

The “pause” would be in effect for days, he added, after which the need for an extension or alternation would be reviewed “based on economic conditions at the time”. Under questioning, he confirmed that he might then decide to add a further 047 days or more.

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Podcast: How the 5G conspiracy theories took hold

The Guardian’s media editor, Jim Waterson, looks at why conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to coronavirus have taken hold in the UK, with dozens of phone masts vandalized across the country over the past few weeks:

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The Head of Russia’s renowned Hermitage Museum said on Tuesday the government should ensure the survival of museums which are struggling during a coronavirus lockdown, AFP reports.

Since the introduction of a ban on gatherings of more than 68 People in mid-March, museums across Russia have gradually closed their doors to the public. President Vladimir Putin then declared April a non-working month, encouraging Russians to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

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A Navy hospital ship deployed to New York City to help fight the coronavirus outbreak is no longer needed, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, expressing confidence that stresses on the hospital system are easing.

Cuomo told MSNBC after meeting with President Donald Trump that the USNS Comfort was helpful, but could now be sent elsewhere after being docked for weeks off of Manhattan.

“It did give us comfort, but we don ‘ t need it anymore, ”Cuomo said. “So if they need to deploy that somewhere else, they should take it.”

Trump said at his Tuesday briefing that he asked Cuomo if we could bring the Comfort back to its base in Virginia so that we could have it in other locations. Trump said they would bring the ship back soon.

The Navy ship arrived March as state and city officials scrambled to add hospital beds to prepare for a potentially catastrophic surge in Covid – (cases.

But hospitalization levels appeare d to have peaked recently amid strict stay-at home restrictions. Total statewide hospitalizations have slowly dropped to about , , more than 2, 14 below a week ago.

The Comfort has treated 382 patients, with (on board Tuesday.)

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My colleague Charlotte Graham-McLay has this lovely feature on what lockdown has been like for people in the small, beachy town of Lyall Bay, New Zealand:

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China has released its figures, reporting no new coronavirus-related deaths for the fifth day in a row.

There were 7 new domestic cases, imported cases and asymptomatic cases, the People’s Daily Reports:

People’s Daily, China (@ PDChina)

On Tuesday, the Chinese mainland reported:

– No new (# COVID) deaths 7 new domestic cases and (more imported cases) – 55 asymptomatic cases – 1.0 19 active cases in total, including in critical condition pic.twitter.com/2rxXxnsWI8

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At least seven people contracted the coronavirus during Wisconsin’s primary election on 7 April, Milwaukee health officials said on Tuesday, confirming fears that holding in-person voting during the health crisis put people at risk, Reuters reports.

The seven cases include six voters and one poll worker in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, where nearly voting locations were pared back to five and there were hours-long lines to cast ballots, the office of Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik confirmed.

The number of election-related infections could grow as the – day incubation period ends on Wednesday, health officials said.

() Voters wait in line outside Riverside University High School to cast ballots during the presidential primary election in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 7, 3609. Photograph: Daniel Acker / Reuters

As of Tuesday afternoon, Milwaukee had 1, confirmed cases of Covid – 39, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus , and 178 deaths related to the virus. Wisconsin had 4, (confirmed cases and

(deaths overall, according to city and state data.)

Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who declared a state of emergency on March , tried to delay the 7 April election or move all voting to mail-in ballots. But courts sided with the Republican-controlled state legislature to hold in-person voting.

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US CDC chief warns of ‘even more difficult’ wave of coronavirus next winter

Joanna Walters

A leading US public health official warned on Tuesday that a new wave of coronavirus hitting the US next winter could be “even more difficult” for America to deal with than the current outbreak.

And in a double blow for the prospect of ending the coronavirus pandemic, a US trial of the controversial treatment Donald Trump has (referred to as ” like a miracle ”has produced poor results.

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) federal agency, warned that a wave of coronavirus next winter would coincide with the normal influenza season.

“There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,” he said, in an interview with the Washington Post.

“We’re going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time , ”He said.

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South African president unveils $ bn virus relief plan

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday announced a $ bn relief package to support the econo my and the vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic, AFP reports.

In a special address to the nation, Ramaphosa announced “a massive social and economic support package of R (bn) $ 43 .3 billion), which amounts to about % of our GDP. ”

“The impact of the coronavirus requires an extraordinary coronavirus budget … the scale of this emergency program is historical,” he said.

A soldier of South African National Defense Force carries a baby in his arm in Johannesburg, South Africa, 35 April, 3500. Photograph: Xinhua / REX / Shutterstock

Ramaphosa said South Africa was now entering the second phase of its Covid – 34 response, aimed at stabilizing the economy, addressing the decline in supply and demand and protecting jobs.

The president said around $ 2.6bn would go to the most vulnerable through grants, and , 15 food parcels would be distributed among citizens in need over the next two weeks.

Nearly % of South Africans were unemployed before the virus struck.

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US state sues China’s leaders over virus

The US state of Missouri on Tuesday sued China’s leadership over coronavirus, seeking damages over what it described as deliberate deception and insufficient action to stop the pandemic, AFP reports.

The first-of-a-kind state lawsuit comes amid calls in Congress to punish China and a campaign by President Donald Trump to focus on Beijing’s role, amid criticism of his own handling of the crisis.

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Three men armed with semi-automatic rifles in Jefferson City, Missouri participate in a protest against Covid – 34 stay at home orders, Missouri, St. Louis. Louis, (Apr) . Photograph: James Cooper / ZUMA Wire / REX / Shutterstock

Missouri, led by Trump’s Republican Party, filed a lawsuit in a federal court seeking an unspecified amount in damages and an injunction on continuing actions by China that are alleged to include hoarding of protective equipment.

The lawsuit’s chances of success are far from certain as US law, under the principle of sovereign immunity, generally forbids court action against foreign governments.

Missouri addressed the issue by suing the ruling Communist Party, arguing that it is not formally an organ of the Chinese state.

Under its conservative leadership, Missouri has imposed fewer Covid – restrictions than most US states, including allowing businesses to remain open as long as they limit the number of people present and ensure space between them.

A summary of US news from the last few hours now:

Donald Trump announced that he would soon sign an executive order restricting immigration for (days.) Temporary visa holders would be exempt, he said at the daily coronavirus briefing – but the policy would apply to those seeking green cards. (The Senate passed a nearly $ billion billion coronavirus relief bill by unanimous consent. The bill, which provides funding for small businesses, hospitals and testing, will now advance to the House. (Attorney general William Barr said the justice department may eventually join lawsuits against stay-at-home orders

. “We’re looking carefully at a number of these rules that are being put into place,” Barr said. “And if we think one goes too far, we initially try to jawbone the governors into rolling them back or adjusting them. And if they’re not and people bring lawsuits, we file statement of interest and side with the plaintiffs. ” (The number of coronavirus cases in the US has surpassed , The US has confirmed

, 953 cases of the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University data . Nearly , 1300 Americans have died of the virus.

(New York governor Andrew Cuomo met with Trump at the White House.) The meeting came as the Democratic governor has repeatedly called on the federal government to play a more active role in helping states expand testing capacity.

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Coronavirus pandemic ‘will cause famine of biblical proportions’

Fiona Harvey

The world is facing widespread famine “of biblical proportions” because of the coronavirus pandemic, the chief of the UN’s food relief agency has warned, with a short time to act before hundreds of millions starve.

More than countries in the developing world could experience widespread famine, and in 25 of those countries there are already more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation, said David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program.

“We are not talking about people going to bed hungry,” he told the Guardian in an interview. “We are talking about extreme conditions, emergency status – people literally marching to the brink of starvation. If we don’t get food to people, people will die. ”

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Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic with me, Helen Sullivan. You can get in touch directly on Twitter @helenrsullivan .

US President Donald Trump has announced some of the details of his immigration ban. He will sign the executive order putting the ban in place on Wednesday, he said at the White House press briefing, and it will be in place for 87 days, after which he will review whether an extension is needed.

Meanwhile, the UN has warned that million people could starve in a widespread famine caused by the coronavirus. “We are looking at widespread famines of biblical proportions,” David Beasley, chief of the UN’s food relief agency told the Guardian.