16/04/20 COVID-19 Global News Update

Haiti will reopen its key textile industry next week, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe said on Wednesday, suggesting the impoverished nation had escaped the worst of the global coronavirus pandemic by imposing early on a state of emergency.

The All Blacks and many of their fellow top professional players could lose half of their income if no more rugby is possible this year under cuts announced by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) on Thursday.

Australia’s federal government on Thursday urged state premiers to reopen schools as it considers how to start winding back some other restrictions on movement that have helped slow the spread of the coronavirus throughout the country.

Amazon has ordered the temporary closure of all six of its French distribution centres, one day after a French court ruled it was not doing enough to protect its workers in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Three major takeaway chains in the UK have announced limited reopening programmes after closing during the coronavirus lockdown. Burger King, KFC and Pret A Manger have or will open certain restaurants around the country for delivery only.

A County Londonderry firm has teamed up with medical experts to develop a shield to protect healthcare staff. It sits over patients' heads and is being used across the world. Seating Matters in Limavady took an existing prototype and worked with Irish designers and anaesthetists to produce the item.

Retail sales declined at the worst rate on record last month as the government's coronavirus lockdown measures took hold, a trade body says. Total UK sales fell by 4.3% compared with the previous year, the sharpest decline since 1995, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

Budget airline Easyjet said today that it had has raised £1.8bn-£1.9bn in extra cash to help it survive the shutdown caused by the coronavirus epidemic. The airline said today that it had signed two term loans totalling around £400m which are secured against aircraft and mature in 2022.

A farming group has chartered a plane to fly in staff from Romania so the European workers can help train its seasonal UK workforce. Grower G's has recruited 180 skilled workers who will land on Thursday.

A decision on how GCSE, AS and A-Level results will be awarded this summer is expected later. Arlene Foster said on Wednesday that Education Minister Peter Weir would give a statement to the assembly on Thursday. Earlier, Mr Weir warned there was no "perfect solution" to awarding grades.

A decision on whether MPs can take part in some Commons business virtually is due to be made later. It is understood the House of Commons Commission, which is responsible for the administration and services of the Commons, is highly likely to nod through the plan.

Ministers are later expected to announce a three-week extension to the coronavirus lockdown. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will lead emergency Cobra committee and cabinet meetings about the continuation of social distancing measures.

UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N) on Wednesday reaffirmed its financial targets for the year, but cautioned it was uncertain of the impact of elective procedures being postponed by Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

China reported on Thursday fewer new coronavirus cases involving travellers arriving from overseas, but locally transmitted infections rose, with the Chinese capital seeing new local cases for the first time in more than three weeks.

The world economy already faces an economic downturn worse than the Great Depression. But this could be followed by another “possibly much worse downturn”, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

Economies in Asia will see zero growth this year for the first time in 60 years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. Its bleak outlook for the region comes as it warns the global economy will face the "worst recession since the Great Depression".

Switzerland’s government is due to unveil on Thursday how it plans to relax the country’s shutdown put in place to halt the spread of the new coronavirus epidemic, Swiss media reported.

Global stocks were set to fall today as “ugly” economic data and weak bank earnings suggest a recession is on the horizon. Asian stocks dropped today, with Japan’s Nikkei falling 1.2 per cent while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 0.7 per cent.

Mexico could force the closure of companies in non-essential sectors if they refuse to suspend operations during a state of emergency to curb spread of the coronavirus, a top health official said on Wednesday.

Reported cases of the coronavirus crossed 2.05 million globally and more than 136,600 people have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 0200 GMT on Thursday.

Portugal’s coronavirus curve has flattened but the good news is still not enough for the country to lift lockdown measures and reopen its tourism-dependent, export-oriented economy, government ministers said on Wednesday.

Australia will keep in place restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus for at least four more weeks, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, despite signs that Canberra has been successful in slowing infection rates.

The US has been the largest single contributor of funding to the World Health Organization - providing about £400 million a year.

A U.S. judge ruled on Wednesday that bankrupt Puerto Rico cannot fund more than $300 million in annual pension and health costs for its municipalities, but suspended the effective date of the order for three weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus health crisis.

On a typical evening Suva’s Holiday Inn is packed with guests from all over the world.