Monday, April 27, 2020

The Rundown: Some States Re-Opening


While some hard-hit states like New York and Michigan aren't lifting their coronavirus lockdown restrictions until at least the middle of May, governors in some other states are starting to take steps to reopen their economies, as are some European nations. Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska are among the states allowing some businesses to reopen, and some church services returned yesterday in Montana. People flocked to beaches in some parts of California amid a heat wave, as beaches were open in Ventura and Orange Counties while remaining closed in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties. However, authorities saying beach-goers were following social distancing guidelines.

In Europe, Spain let children under 14 go outside and play for up to an hour, accompanied by one parent, for the first time in six weeks. Hard-hit Italy recorded its lowest daily death toll in over a month, 260, and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that starting on May 4th, parks will reopen, funerals will be allowed, athletes can resume training, and people will be able to visit relatives who live in the same region, but masks must be worn and social distancing observed. Conte said if all goes well, stores and museums will reopen on May 18th, and restaurants, cafes and salons on June 1st. China, where the virus first emerged, said hospitals in the original epicenter of Wuhan no longer have any coronavirus patients.



Tyson Foods, one of the nation's biggest meat processors, warned in a full-page New York Times ad Sunday that the, quote, "food supply chain is breaking." Tyson is among the meat processing companies that have had to shut down some of their plants because of coronavirus outbreaks among their employees. Chairman of the Board John Tyson wrote, "As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain. As a result, there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed." Tyson detailed measures it has instituted to protect workers, including taking temperatures, requiring masks, and doing "additional daily deep cleaning and sanitizing."

In other developments:
  • More than 205,000 people have died worldwide from the coronavirus, according to the Johns Hopkins University count, which shows U.S. deaths as of last night at nearly 55,000. The number of diagnosed U.S. cases is over 965,000.
  • After President Trump had a much briefer than usual coronavirus news briefing on Friday, there wasn't one at all on Saturday and Sunday, amid reports that Trump likely won't be doing the daily briefings any more. Trump tweeted Saturday that they were, quote, "Not worth the time & effort." AP reported White House officials are considering whether to continue holding them in a modified form without Trump. The change comes after Trump came under widespread criticism for suggesting during the briefing on Thursday that research should be done on whether injecting disinfectants could help cure the virus.
  • After recovering from the coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was hospitalized and in intensive care for several days, will be returning to work today. 
NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM'S TRAIN SEEN AT COMPOUND AMID HEALTH RUMORS: Satellite images show that a train that's likely the one used for travel by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been at his compound on the country's east coast since last week, amid rumors about his health, including that he could be gravely ill. The speculation about his condition, including that he recently underwent a heart procedure, has swirled in part because he hasn't been seen in public for some time, and missed North Korea's most important holiday on April 15th, which commemorates the birthday of his late grandfather, Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea. The satellite photos released by 38 North, a website that specializes in studying North Korea, supports South Korean intelligence that Kim is staying outside the capital. South Korea has also repeatedly said there haven't been unusual signs that could indicate Kim is ill. Moon Chung-in, the top foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told CNN, "Our government position is firm. Kim Jong Un is alive and well."

LAST HOSPITALIZED PATIENT FROM EL PASO WALMART SHOOTING HAS DIED: The last patient still hospitalized after the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, last August died on Saturday (April 25th). Youth soccer coach Guillermo "Memo" Garcia is now the 23rd victim of the attack. He was outside the store with his wife and their two children fundraising for his daughter's soccer team that he helped coach when the attack began. His wife was also shot, but survived. Dozens of other were also injured when suspect Patrick Crusius allegedly opened fire. Crusius is in custody and has been indicted on 90 federal charges. Police said he confessed to the massacre and to targeting Mexicans in the attack. Authorities said he posted a racist screed online railing against Hispanics coming into the U.S.

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