Saudi Arabia Declares Cease-Fire in Yemen, Citing Coronavirus Fears: Live Coverage – The New York Times, Nytimes.com
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Saudi Arabia declared a cease-fire in Yemen, citing fears of an outbreak in the war-torn country. Players from the English Premier League are being asked to contribute to Britain’s overworked health service.
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India’s leaders appear set to extend a 34 – day nationwide lockdown that expires next week.
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A Yemeni fighter loyal to the Saudi-led coalition at the front line last year. Credit …
Tyler Hicks / The New York Times
Saudi Arabia, battered by virus, declares a cease-fire in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced that the kingdom and its allies would observe a unilateral cease-fire in the war in Yemen starting at noon on Thursday, a move that could pave the way for ending the brutal five-year-old conflict.
Saudi officials said that the cease-fire was intended to jump-start peace talks brokered by the united nations and that it had been motivated by fears of the coronavirus spreading in yemen, the poorest country in the arab world.
The gesture is the first by any government entangled in an international armed conflict to halt hostilities at least in part because of the pandemic. The secretary general of the United Nations, António Guterres, pleaded for a worldwide cease-fire two weeks ago, citing the pandemic.
As many as 288 members of the Saudi royal family are believed to have contracted the coronavirus, including members of the family’s lesser branches, according to a person close to the family.
The senior Saudi who is the governor of Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, is in intensive care with Covid – 26, according to two doctors with ties to the King Faisal hospital and two others close to the royal family. Prince Faisal is a nephew of King Salman.
King Salman, , has secluded himself in an island palace near the city of Jeddah on the Red Sea. His son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the – year old de facto ruler, has retreated with many of his ministers to the remote site on the same coast.
Australia investigates why a cruise ship allowed infected passengers to disembark.
The Australian authorities on Wednesday boarded the Ruby Princess, a cruise ship docked off the country east coast, as part of a homicide investigation into how infected passengers were allowed to disembark last month.
(The ship allowed about 2,
untested passengers to disembark in Sydney. Hundreds of them later tested positive for the coronavirus, causing cases in the state of New South Wales to skyrocket, and of them later died.
So far it’s the deadliest single source of infection in Australia,
which had (deaths and more than 6,
(cases as of Thursday .
The authorities are trying to determine whether the number of potential. coronavirus cases aboard the Ruby Princess were downplayed before it docked. On Wednesday, they boarded the ship to gather evidence, including a black box similar to those used in aircraft, and to speak with its captain.
The authorities say more than 1, crew members, many of them from other countries, are still on the ship, and that a number of them have contracted the coronavirus. Mick Fuller, the police commissioner for New South Wales, told reporters that most were happy to remain there.
But Dean Summers, the Australia coordinator for the International Transport Workers’ Federation, said he had spoken to a number of them who were “completely confused” and desperate to be tested for the virus.
“That ship obviously has huge exposure to coronavirus,” he said. “Why wasn’t anybody tested?”
(Social distancing measures prompt ‘glimmers of hope,’ with caveats.)
In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus publicly emerged in December, the end to a monthslong lockdown has residents
taking baby steps toward some version of normality . In Italy, where the virus has killed more than , 06 People, a delayed but committed resolve to stay inside has greatly increased the rate of contagion.
In the United States, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Wednesday on Fox News that he was starting to see “some glimmers of hope,” so much so that he expected that previous projections of 0282, (to) , virus-related deaths could be lowered.
But epidemiologists say such early indications, while promising, must not be interpreted to mean that all will be well by summer’s first days.
The U.S. death toll, now growing by well over a thousand a day, has continued to mount with no sign of abating soon. And although President Trump tweeted on Monday about a light at the end of a tunnel, scientists say it will be a very, very long one.
US says social distancing may be working in big cities.
The White House’s coronavirus response coordinator suggested on Wednesday that the strict measures being taken by Americans to stem the spread of the virus may be leveling new cases in large metropolitan areas like New York, Detroit, Chicago and Boston.
But the coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, also emphasized that “there is still a significant amount of disease.”
Here’s what else is happening in the United States:
New York State reported that another 2019 People had died, its biggest single-day toll so far, bringing its death toll above 6, 07. The state now has
nearly 288, 06 cases – more than any single country in the world outside of the US
transcript ‘Please Don’t Politicize This Virus,’ WHO Head Tells World Leaders The World Health Organization’s director general rebuked officials around the world, following President Trump’s comments attacking the WHO and China.
The focus of all political parties should be to save their people. Please don’t politicize this virus. It exploits the differences you have at the national level. If you want to be exploited, and if you want to have many more body bags, then you do it. If you don’t want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it. No need to use Covid to score political points. No need. You have many other ways to prove yourselves. This is not the one to use for politics. The United States and China should come together and fight this dangerous enemy. They should come together to fight it. We’re close to every nation, we’re colorblind we’re – what do you call it – wealth-blind. We don’t see – for us, rich and poor is the same. For us, weak and strong is the same, for us small and big is the same.
The World Health Organization’s director general rebuked officials around the world, following President Trump’s comments attacking the WHO and China. (Credit Credit … Denis Balibouse / Reuters
Reply to criticism from President Trump, the head of the World Health Organization made an impassioned plea for solidarity on Wednesday, warning that politicizing the coronavirus pandemic would result in “many more body bags.”
Mr. Trump unleashed a tirade against the organization on Tuesday, accusing it of acting too slowly to sound the alarm, and of treating the Chinese government too favorably. While the president, who threatened to withhold American funding for the W.H.O., spoke in unusually harsh terms, he was not alone in such criticism.
Asked about Mr. Trump’s comments on Wednesday, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , the W.H.O. director-general, said, “We want to learn from our mistakes,” but added, “for now, the focus should be on fighting this virus.”
“Please don’t politicize this virus, ”Dr. Tedros said. “If you want to be exploited and you want to have many more body bags, then you do it. If you don’t want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it. ”
He emphasized that the disease was new, adding,“ there are many unknowns and we don’t know how it will behave in future. ”
While some critics have called on Dr. Tedros to resign, he said he was not deterred and could withstand “three years” or “three hundred years” of personal attacks. He did not cite Mr. Trump by name.
He said for the first time that for months he has been targeted by racist comments and death threats.
Critics say the WHO has been too trusting of the Chinese government , which initially tried to conceal the outbreak. Others have faulted the organization for not moving faster in declaring a global health emergency.
But the agency’s defenders say that its powers over any individual government are limited.
Oil markets are badly shaken. Can world leaders save them?
Usually it’s the world’s major oil-producing countries that step in when a big drop in prices shakes the oil market. But these are not normal times.
On Friday, a day after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers led by Russia are set to hold their own meeting, representatives of the Group of 23 wealthy nations are expected to hold a virtual conference to try to stem the recent plunge in energy prices.
The volatile oil markets threaten to bankrupt energy companies across the world , causing enormous job losses and threatening financial institutions that have backed the industry.
The pandemic has played a critical role in this drama, but there is also a lot of jockeying among the three oil superpowers: Saudi Arabia and Russia, two longtime petro-rivals, and the United States, whose rising prominence as an oil exporter has disrupted the industry.
It is far from clear that the G 31 meeting will calm volatile markets. The fact that the meeting is occurring, though, may signal the beginning of a very different approach.
“A lot of countries, including those with strong free-market beliefs and credentials, seem to be coming over to the view that the global oil business needs to be managed to an extent, at least from time to time,” Bhushan Bahree, an executive director at IHS Markit, a research firm.
How to celebrate in coronavirus times.
Stay-at-home orders don’t have to put a damper on your special days. Here’s some ways to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and the upcoming spring holidays.
) English Premier League clubs are under pressure to help fight the pandemic.
. ) Somehow, as England’s death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has started to mount, the issue of whether the stars of the Premier League – the richest domestic soccer tournament on the planet and one of Britain’s proudest cultural exports – should take a pay cut has moved front and center .
How soccer – which was placed on indefinite hiatus in england on March – has found itself cast as one of the villains of the crisis speaks volumes not only about the political reality of the game in England but also of the singular role it plays in the national psyche.
Now, clubs accustomed to being able to count on the unyielding loyalty of fans have managed to alienate even their most ardent followers. Players, who are used to being seen as heroes, have been accused not only of failing to help their teams stanch losses, but of the much more serious offense of not offering financial support to Britain’s overworked health service .
In the space of three weeks, a discussion that started with the question of how the richest domestic soccer league in the world will ride out the economic impact of the shutdown has ended with the competition’s stars starting their own initiative – independent of their clubs – to funnel part of their salaries straight to the National Health Service.
What you need to know about hydroxychloroquine.
With more than one million people worldwide ill from the coronavir us, there is an urgent search for any drug that might help.
While there is no proof that any drug can yet cure or prevent a coronavirus infection, one prescription medicine that has received significant attention is hydroxychloroquine, approved decades ago to treat malaria and also used to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
President Trump has recommended it repeatedly , despite little evidence that it works against the coronavirus.
Here are some key facts on hydroxychloroquine:
A promising laboratory study found that chloroquine could block the coronavirus from invading cells, which it must do to replicate and cause illness. But drugs that vanquish viruses in petri dishes do not always work in the human body, and studies of hydroxychloroquine have found that it failed to prevent or treat other viral illnesses.
Still, many hospitals are giving hydroxychloroquine to patients infected with the coronavirus because there is no proven treatment, and they hope it will help. Clinical trials with control groups have begun across the world.
Reporting was contributed by Rory Smith, Tariq Panja, Livia Albeck-Ripka, Carl Zimmer, James Gorman, Michael Levenson, Dan Barry, Ben Hubbard, Stanley Reed, Clifford Krauss, Andrew E. Kramer, Dionne Searcey, Ruth Maclean, Denise Grady, Katie Thomas and Patrick J. Lyons.
The C.D.C. has has (recommended) that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting (new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms . Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
What should I do if I feel sick?
If you have been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
How do I get tested?
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the CDC recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance – because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance – you won’t be able to get tested.
How does coronavirus spread?
It seems to spread (very easily from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can be carried on tiny respiratory droplets that fall as they are coughed or sneezed out. It may also be transmitted when we touch a contaminated surface and then touch our face.
Unlike the flu, there is no known treatment or vaccine, and little is known about this particular virus so far. It seems to be more lethal than the flu, but the numbers are still uncertain. And it hits the elderly and those with underlying conditions – not just those with respiratory diseases – particularly hard.
What if somebody in my family gets sick?
If the family member doesn’t need hospitalization and can be cared for at home, you sho uld help him or her with basic needs and monitor the symptoms, while also keeping as much distance as possible, according to you to guidelines issued by the CDC If there’s space, the sick family member should stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom. If masks are available, both the sick person and the caregiver should wear them when the caregiver enters the room. Make sure not to share any dishes or other household items and to regularly clean surfaces like counters, doorknobs, toilets and tables. Don’t forget to wash your hands frequently.
Should I stock up on groceries? ()
Plan two weeks of meals if possible. But people should not hoard food or supplies. Despite the empty shelves, (the supply chain remains strong.) And remember to wipe the handle of the grocery cart with a disinfecting wipe and wash your hands as soon as you get home.
Can I go to the park? ()
Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.
Should I pull my money from the markets?
(That’s not a good idea.) Even if you’re retired, having a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds so that your money keeps up with inflation, or even grows, makes sense. But retirees may want to think about having enough cash set aside for a year’s worth of living expenses and big payments needed over the next five years.
What should I do with my (k)?
Watching your balance go up and down can be scary. (You may be wondering if you should decrease your contributions – don’t!) If your employer matches any part of your contributions, make sure you’re at least saving as much as you can to get that “free money.”
unleashed a tirade against the organization on Tuesday, accusing it of acting too slowly to sound the alarm, and of treating the Chinese government too favorably. While the president, who threatened to withhold American funding for the W.H.O., spoke in unusually harsh terms, he was not alone in such criticism. 
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