Here are today’s biggest headlines.
Coronavirus live updates: Cases top 336,000 worldwide – CNN
A United States Secret Service employee has tested positive for coronavirus, the agency said in a statement. It said the employee, who is not being further identified, is currently in quarantine.
Coronavirus rages as Washington struggles to catch up
Despite declaring war on the coronavirus, a White House playing catch-up and a deadlocked Congress are struggling to cope with the pandemic’s tragic humanitarian and grave economic toll.
Nigeria records chloroquine poisoning after Trump endorses it for coronavirus treatment
Health officials in Nigeria have issued a warning over chloroquine after they said three people in the country overdosed on the drug, in the wake of President Trump’s comments about using it to treat coronavirus.
Postponing 2020 Olympic Games is a ‘realistic option’
After weeks of insisting the 2020 Olympic Games would go ahead as planned, Tokyo’s Organizing Committee has admitted that postponement is now a “realistic option.”
Parking in a pandemic: Grounded planes scramble for storage space
(CNN) – The global aviation network system is turning into a frantic game of musical chairs. Every player is orbiting over its landing site. The music stops, the there’s a mad dash for somewhere to park. At any given time — pre-coronavirus era — there were usually as many as 20,000 planes swirling around the planet at altitude.
Coronavirus is ‘the great equalizer,’ Madonna tells fans from her bathtub
From a milky bath sprinkled with rose petals, Madonna has told her fans that the novel coronavirus is “the great equalizer.”
Formula One goes virtual as Bahrain Grand Prix kicks off the season
Golfers, pop stars and Olympians all went head-to-head in the first Formula One race of the season as the Bahrain Grand Prix went virtual.
For the first time ever, travelers can join an expedition to the deepest spot in the oceans
(CNN) – Once upon a time, reaching the highest peak on Earth was considered a feat achievable only by a select few. So what’s an intrepid amateur explorer with a thirst for all things rare and superlative to do? Travel in the opposite direction, of course, to Challenger Deep.
SR-71 Blackbird: The Cold War spy plane that’s still the world’s fastest airplane
During the Cold War, this plane could fly higher and faster than any other — and 55 years after its first flight, it still does. The Lockheed SR-71, designed in secrecy in the late 1950s, was able to cruise near the edge of space and outfly a missile.
Coronavirus updates: Japan PM: Postponing Olympics ‘may be inevitable’ – BBC News
In the past hour it has ticked over midday in Australia – marking the official beginning of a nationwide shutdown. All non-essential services such as pubs and gyms are being closed, and restaurants will now be takeaway only. We have more specific details here.
Harvey Weinstein tests positive for coronavirus
Former Hollywood producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for coronavirus while in prison. He is now in isolation, according to Michael Powers, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. Weinstein was found guilty of rape and sexual assault last month and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
South Korea reports lowest number of new cases
South Korea has reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases since infection rates peaked four weeks ago, fuelling hope Asia’s worst outbreak outside China may be abating. The country recorded 64 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 8,961 with 111 deaths.
Gary Neville: Too soon to consider games behind closed doors
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville says it is too soon to consider playing matches behind closed doors. Football in England is suspended until at least 30 April because of the coronavirus pandemic. Playing games without fans is one of the suggested possible measures to allow football to resume before coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
McDonald’s to close all UK restaurants
McDonald’s will close all 1,270 of its restaurants in the UK by the end of Monday, as fears over the spread of Covid 19 escalate. Previously, the fast food giant had closed its seating areas but had continued to offer takeaway and drive-through services. McDonald’s said it wanted to protect the wellbeing of staff and customers.
Sir Patrick Stewart is reading soothing Shakespeare on Twitter while social distancing
You might not be able to go to the theatre at the moment due to coronavirus social distancing measures, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still watch famous actors reciting iambic pentameter. You just need to head over to Sir Patrick Stewart’s Twitter feed for that.
Photos show an empty California on ‘stay at home’ coronavirus order
The state of California, normally full of sun bathers and wilderness explorers, restaurant goers and entertainment venue attendees, is empty. On Thursday, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a state-wide “stay at home” order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
Apple TV+ joins Netflix in reducing European streaming quality
Europeans quarantined at home will be riding out the coronavirus pandemic in low-res. Apple TV+ has joined the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming giants this week in downgrading streaming video quality across the continent in an apparent effort to reduce strain on the internet.
Google launched a coronavirus website. It’s nothing like what Trump said it would be.
Remember about a week and some days ago when President Donald Trump claimed that Google was working on a website to help people get tested for coronavirus? This weekend, Google launched its dedicated coronavirus site. While the information provided by the company is helpful, it’s not even close to what Trump was promoting it as.
Internet speeds slowed down in some major cities after coronavirus forced people to stay home
We’re winding down the second week of many Americans being forced (or at least strongly encouraged) to stay home in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus. As such, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of the strain this is putting on America’s internet infrastructure.
