Here are some of today’s biggest headlines.
As governments fumbled their coronavirus response, these four got it right. Here’s how.
As much of the world mulls gradually lifting lockdowns, there are still lessons to be learned from these four places that have led effective coronavirus responses. Here are 12 of those lessons.
Wife of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo is diagnosed with coronavirus
The wife of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has been diagnosed with coronavirus two weeks after he announced he was infected.
Space images of Venice show how coronavirus has changed the city’s iconic canals
The European Space Agency has released two images of Venice, taken one year apart, which highlight the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on its famous waterways.
Pregnant nurse dies of Covid-19 but baby survives after emergency C-section
The baby of a pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19 is doing “very well” after being delivered via emergency cesarean section, a spokeswoman for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) told CNN on Thursday.
Howard Finkel, WWE Hall of Famer and ring announcer, dead at 69
Howard Finkel, the legendary ring announcer and WWE Hall of Famer, has passed away, the company announced Thursday. He was 69.
US explores possibility that coronavirus started in Chinese lab, not a market
US intelligence and national security officials say the United States government is looking into the possibility that the novel coronavirus originated in a Chinese laboratory rather than a market, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter who caution it is premature to draw any conclusions.
Airline passengers undergo Covid-19 blood tests before boarding
(CNN) – Perhaps a sign of what the future holds for air travelers, Dubai-based airline Emirates has begun carrying out Covid-19 blood tests on passengers at the airport prior to flights. According to a statement released by the airline, the first rapid Covid-19 blood tests took place on Wednesday at Dubai International Airport, with passengers on a flight to Tunisia all reportedly tested before departure.
‘Captain Tom,’ 99, raises $15m for NHS as he completes garden challenge
Tom Moore, the 99-year-old war veteran raising funds for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) by walking 100 lengths of his garden, has completed the challenge and raised more than £12 million ($15 million) in donations.
A 106-year-old woman leaves UK hospital after recovering from coronavirus
Connie Titchen, who is a 106-year-old great grandmother, may be the oldest person in the United Kingdom to beat coronavirus.
Dutch Hyperloop plan eyes Paris to Amsterdam in 90 minutes
(CNN) – Proposals to create a Hyperloop network that would carry passengers from Amsterdam to Paris in less than 90 minutes are under discussion in the Netherlands after a study that says the hi-tech link could be economically viable.
Security forces kill more Nigerians than coronavirus
Security forces enforcing the lockdown in parts of Nigeria have killed more people than coronavirus itself, a local rights group says. Evidence of the killings comes from members of the public who rang their hotline or sent in videos, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) adds.
The mystery of Nigeria’s fake gangster attacks
Hundreds of gang members, mostly teenagers, fleeing police in two Nigerian states under a coronavirus lockdown hoaxed residents into believing that coordinated armed robbery attacks were underway. Police say the gangsters achieved their intention of creating panic.
Japan declares nationwide state of emergency
A nationwide state of emergency has been declared in Japan due to the country’s worsening coronavirus outbreak. The move allows regional governments to urge people to stay inside, but without punitive measures or legal force. The state of emergency will remain in force until 6 May.
Coronavirus hits decade of US jobs growth
Another 5.2 million Americans registered for unemployment benefits last week as businesses remain shut amid the coronavirus lockdown. The new Department of Labor filings bring the number of jobless claims over the last four weeks to more than 20 million. That amounts to roughly as many jobs as employers had added over the previous decade.
Where are all the unused planes right now?
Between a third and half of the global population are in some form of lockdown. City centres, malls, high streets and tourist attractions are all quiet – and so too is the sky above our planet. The planes that connect our world, unite families and open our eyes to new horizons are, almost entirely, grounded.
Is this the most powerful word in the English language?
‘The’. It’s omnipresent; we can’t imagine English without it. But it’s not much to look at. It isn’t descriptive, evocative or inspiring. Technically, it’s meaningless. And yet this bland and innocuous-seeming word could be one of the most potent in the English language.
99-year-old veteran raises 14 million for healthcare workers by walking around his garden
Here’s a story that’ll warm your heart in these strange times. Captain Tom Moore, a 99-year-old veteran, has raised £14 million ($17.3 million) for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) by completing 100 laps around his back garden.
Facebook cancels its in-person events from now until June 2021
Facebook is socially distancing itself from you. Mark Zuckerberg, the social media giant’s CEO, announced Thursday that the company is preemptively canceling most in-person events through the summer of 2021. And yes, the coronavirus is to blame. In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg explained that any and all Facebook events with over 50 people in attendance would be nixed until June of next year.
Stephen Colbert blasts Trump’s decision to defund WHO during coronavirus pandemic
“Folks, if you watch the show you know I criticise Donald Trump a lot,” said host Stephen Colbert during Wednesday’s episode of the Late Show. “But with this coronavirus gripping our nation it’s made me realise I don’t do it enough.”
‘He only knows 3 words’: Seth Meyers serves up coronavirus supercuts of Trump’s bizarre vocabulary
There are many things that are less than reassuring about Donald Trump being president during a pandemic that’s killed 25,000 Americans and counting. But one of them, noted Seth Meyers in Wednesday night’s A Closer Look segment, is the fact that he can barely seem to read his own briefing notes or teleprompter half the time.
