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How green are the aid packages?
This week, the Swiss parliament approved the record sum of just under 60 billion Swiss francs to support the economy in the Corona crisis. Similar things are happening around the world. Politicians are launching unprecedented support programs to cushion the economic consequences of pandemic measures.
The call to align these measures to also help the climate and biodiversity is getting stronger. So far, however, these have been primarily lawsuits with no consequences.
Robotic dog in Singapore
Meanwhile, Singapore is taking a perhaps somewhat strange path in the fight against the coronavirus. Authorities have a four-legged dog-shaped robot that patrols a park. Equipped with cameras and sensors, it finds park visitors who are too close to each other. A computer voice reminds them of the distance rules. This is still a remotely controlled test robot. In the future, however, you should take a surveillance tour completely autonomously.
Singapore has 876 new confirmed corona infections today. The total number of cases is 23,336, reports the Ministry of Health. Most of the new infections occurred among migrant workers who are in shared accommodation.
Unemployment in the United States is likely to rise further
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin believes that the unemployment rate in the United States, which has risen to its highest level since World War II, will increase. “The reported numbers are likely to worsen before they improve,” Mnuchin told Fox News.
He indicated that the ongoing talks at the White House on new fiscal measures to cushion the economic burdens caused by the pandemic. However, the federal government does not want to help states with weak management. The Presidential Office is lobbying for lower wage taxes.
New protests in Hong Kong during the crown crisis
In Hong Kong, hundreds of people protested in various shopping malls against the friendly government of China. Police arrested at least eleven people, including a twelve-year-old girl, media reported Sunday. In addition, dozens of people were fined for not complying with the authorization rules for containing the corona virus. Accordingly, groups of more than eight people are prohibited from meeting in public.
Protesters accused the authorities of using the pandemic measures to reduce civil liberties in China’s Special Administrative Region.
Police officers clear a shopping center with suspected protesters in Hong Kong. The high police presence in the special administrative zone prevented a protest march, instead of protesters gathered in shopping malls.
Keystone
Free use of the toilet, disinfectant dispenser and cleaning equipment on the train.
With the resumption of the schedule on Monday, SBB is strengthening the cleaning of trains and train stations. According to the company, about a thousand cleaning employees will be on the trains. They are supposed to clean certain trains while driving. At train stations, cleaning teams are increasingly concerned with disinfecting contact surfaces such as armrests, handrails, and machines. These are cleaned six times a day instead of just three times as before, as an SBB spokesperson said Sunday at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Disinfectant dispensers are installed at the entrances to larger train stations. Passengers would have the opportunity to use hygiene centers or health services that would otherwise be paid at Basel SBB, Bellinzona, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Locarno, Lucerne and Zurich HB stations free of charge until further notice, according to SBB.
A railroad worker installed the first passenger disinfectant dispensers at the Bellizona station on Friday.
Keystone
Mafiosi thanks to Corona at vacation home
The coronavirus is a blessing to them: More than 300 gangsters have been able to get out of their jails in Italy in the past few weeks and are now under house arrest. They are old and seriously ill gangsters who belong to the high-risk group and who, according to the judges, would be in great danger in overcrowded prisons. This triggers fierce criticism.
Soccer clubs are allowed to train, but then lose the right to work for a short time
The Swiss Football League announced Thursday that it would decide on May 29 to resume the season in the Super and Challenge League. And: As of May 11, teams can resume their training, although in compliance with all protective measures. But because short-term work can no longer be claimed when training resumes, 9 out of 10 Super League clubs start later.
Dozens of announcements after the crown show.
After protests against the federal crown measures in four cities in German-speaking Switzerland on Saturday, Bern and St. Gallen city police, according to the SDA-Keystone news agency, issued “several dozen” of advertisements.
A police spokeswoman said the exact number of reports was not yet known in Bern because the deployment took a long time and numerous police officers were involved. In St. Gallen, personal details were recorded by 32 protesters. You can expect to be charged with violating the Covid 19 regulation. In addition to the event ban, they would also have partially violated the two-meter distance requirement. Furthermore, protesters would have needed approval for the rally even in normal times.
In Zurich and Basel, law enforcement officers had given directions or buses. But also in these two cities, more than a hundred people had gathered on Saturday afternoons and demonstrated against the closure. In Zurich, the concentration at Sechseläutenplatz was dissolved at the request of the police. Police did not intervene in Basel, where about a hundred people had gathered in the market square.
“Pandemic training” for tourism staff in Turkey
Turkey is preparing to open up to tourism with crown requirements for hotels and restaurants. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy told CNN Türk on Sunday that tourism would begin gradually in late May. International flights are expected to gradually return in June.
Hotels and restaurants are subject to strict requirements, Ersoy said. Turkey has developed a certification program with 132 criteria. Among other things, the facilities would have to comply with the rules of distance and hygiene. The staff also received pandemic training. There are buffets, but without self-service. The staff will distribute the food and drinks.
Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Turkey. Ersoy said 58 million tourists were expected before the crown pandemic this year. One should not have too high expectations now; if 50 or 60 percent of hotels were to open, it would be a good season. If the Corona pandemic ends in 2021, the hope is 63 million tourists a year.
Closed shops in Istanbul. Turkey is gradually easing the measures again. This weekend there is only a curfew in 24 cities and provinces instead of 31 locations previously. Also, for the first time since March 21, people 65 and older can go outside for several hours.
Keystone
New confirmed infection in Wuhan
China has been reporting a coronavirus infection in the Wuhan metropolis for more than a month, where the outbreak of the epidemic was originally discovered. The case is one of 14 confirmed infections that China launched on Sunday. The last time an infection was found in Wuhan was April 3.
The BLS before the relaxation step
Quiet at the train stations, with plenty of space on the trains, to the delight of the few remaining travelers. But if more crown loosening is applied tomorrow in Switzerland, that should be the end. Transportation companies are preparing for more travelers. With great effort, as shown by the BLS in Bern.
Japan is considering lifting the state of emergency
The Japanese government is considering prematurely lifting the Corona emergency in most of the country’s provinces. As reported by Japanese media on Sunday, citing government officials, the government may want to lift the state of emergency in 34 of the 47 prefectures due to the pandemic until May 31 of next Thursday. The other provinces, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, as well as Osaka and Kyoto, continue to be considered areas where “special caution” is required.
To date, Japan has more than 16,400 infections and more than 630 deaths. According to official information, the trend of new infections is now pointing down. In the capital city of Tokyo, only 22 more cases were confirmed on Sunday. The number of new daily infections in Tokyo has been below the 40 mark for five days.
A state of emergency in Japan does not mean a foreclosure as harsh as in Europe. Citizens are only asked to stay home if possible.
Keystone
Italian Prime Minister gives hope for a beach vacation
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte gave his compatriots hope for a summer beach vacation. In the newspaper “Corriere della Sera”, Conte said, without giving an exact date, that this summer it would be possible to go to the sea in Italy or to the mountains. He did not say whether this would also apply to foreign tourists.
In order to provide accurate information about the appointment, Conte wants to wait for developments. The number of new infections in Italy has been decreasing for some time.
Obama criticizes Trump for dealing with the crown crisis
Former United States President Barack Obama criticized his successor Donald Trump. Obama described Trump’s handling of the crown crisis in a private event as “an absolute chaotic mess,” reports the US press. They refer to the participants in the event.
In his speech, Obama also criticized the fact that more and more people were selfish and saw dissidents as enemies. Supporters of likely Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would be won at the event.
Keystone
STOCK EXCHANGE: Corona numbers remain low
In Switzerland and Liechtenstein, 54 people with a crown infection were confirmed in the last day. That’s a little more people than the day before. The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) reported 44 additional cases on Saturday.
According to the BAG, there were a total of 30,305 laboratory confirmed cases on Sunday. The number of cases is subject to a weekly fluctuation with lower numbers on weekends.
According to the BAG, the number of deaths related to Covid-19 lung disease is 1,538.
Bethlehem in Israel is open again
Kindergartens and nurseries in Israel were closed for almost two months due to the crown pandemic. Many of these facilities have now reopened, just in time for the start of the work week.
However, many parents are likely to keep their children at home for fear of contracting the coronavirus. Even if the number of children in kindergartens and nurseries is limited and strict hygiene standards apply. A week ago, Israel gradually started opening schools. People can move freely again. However, a mask requirement applies.
For Mother’s Day: entry to Germany is allowed
To allow visits on Mother’s Day, strict rules imposed due to the crown pandemic have been relaxed for one day at the borders. According to an announcement by the agency, the federal police decided to accept the visit to the mother this Sunday as a valid reason to enter Germany.
For weeks, only those who have an important reason can enter the country. These are, for example, truckers, members of the medical profession, or travelers from the border region. There are also stationary border controls at the borders with Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Austria. “The information given during entry control must be credible and verifiable,” federal police said Sunday.
Crown Alert System for England
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to launch a five-level warning system for England in the fight against the crown pandemic later today, the media reports. This is part of the government’s plans to slowly reduce the curfew. The warning system levels should be color coded from green to red and indicate the risk of crown in the respective area.
French Open with no spectators possible
The organizers of the French Open no longer rule out holding the most important tennis court tournament on the calendar without a spectator. Organizing the tournament behind closed doors would allow part of the business model to operate television rights. This should not be overlooked, ”said Bernard Giudicelli, president of the French tennis association FFT.
More recently, France’s Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, had clearly refused to organize the Grand Slam tournament without spectators. Television funds, however, represent more than a third of the French Open revenue. Organizers had already announced during the week that they would refund the money for tickets they had already purchased.
The world’s largest clay court tournament was originally scheduled to take place at Roland Garros from May 24 to June 7, but was postponed due to the crown pandemic. It will now take place from September 27 to October 10.
South Korea: biggest increase in crown cases in four weeks
In South Korea, 34 people tested positive for the corona virus yesterday. As much as not in a month. In a speech, President Moon Jae In warned that he should remain vigilant, but also said there was no reason to “stand still” out of fear.
All 2,100 clubs and bars in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, closed yesterday. The reason is the case of a man who had infected at least 15 people with the virus in several restaurants.
