Jumat, 08 Mei 2020

US Vice-President Mike Pence's aide tests positive for coronavirus - BBC News

US Vice-President Mike Pence's aide tests positive for coronavirus - BBC News
Katie Miller with Marc Short, the Chief of Staff for Vice President Mike Pence Image copyright Getty Images

A top aide to US Vice-President Mike Pence has tested positive for Covid-19 one day after another White House staff member was diagnosed with the virus.

Mr Pence's press secretary Katie Miller tested positive on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump's valet.

The White House has begun daily testing for Mr Pence and Mr Trump, and has claimed to be taking "every single precaution to protect the president".

The US death toll is now over 76,000 and states are beginning to reopen.

Six members of Mr Pence's team were abruptly taken off his plane, Air Force 2, after it was held on the tarmac outside Washington, DC for over an hour on Friday, as he prepared to travel to Iowa to meet religious leaders.

The staff members had had recent contact with Mrs Miller, according to an unnamed US official cited in the media pool report. The president and vice-president had not.

Mrs Miller is the wife of Trump aide Stephen Miller.

Mr Trump visited the WWII memorial in Washington DC on Friday Image copyright Getty Images

During a meeting with Republicans at the White House, Mr Trump told reporters: "She's a wonderful young woman, Katie."

"She tested very good for a long period of time and then all of a sudden today she tested positive."

When asked about the possibility of an outbreak in the White House, Mr Trump told reporters: "All you can do is take precautions and do the best you can."

He also said he was correct not to wear a mask while visiting the World War II memorial in Washington for VE Day, because the elderly veterans there with him were "far away".

"Plus the wind was blowing so hard and such a direction that if the plague ever reached them, I'd be very surprised," he added.

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Giving the impression it's under control

BBC White House correspondent Tara McKelvey

The president has made it clear he does not like the way that a mask looks on him.

He said last month that he believes wearing a mask would not make a good impression on world leaders and others he meets.

"As I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens ... I don't see it for myself, I just don't," Trump told a journalist.

For some, the president's refusal to wear a mask is more than a question of style. It is a political statement.

Trump and the other officials at the White House want to give people the impression that the health crisis is under control and that soon the economy will be on back on track.

Presentational grey line

Earlier on Friday, Mr Trump told Fox and Friends that his valets have already started wearing masks.

A day earlier it emerged that a member of the US Navy who serves the president's food had tested positive for coronavirus.

The president said that the individual had tested negative four days beforehand.

"This is why testing's not necessarily the answer," he said, though he noted staff would now be tested daily. "Testing only goes so far."

Later, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the measures taken by the White House to keep officials safe.

"We've taken every single precaution to protect the president," Ms McEnany said.

Mr Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, also told reporters: "This is the safest place you can come to."

On Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first saliva test collection kit for home use.

The government agency has been criticised for allowing the market to become flooded with test kits that sometimes show false results.

According to the White House coronavirus task force, the US is testing about 248,000 people per day and has tested around 8.1m people so far.


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2020-05-08 23:56:00Z
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Coronavirus: Italy death toll tops 30,000, highest in EU - BBC News

Italy has become the first country in the European Union to register more than 30,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

It reported 243 new fatalities on Friday - down from 274 the day before - taking the total to 30,201.

The daily number of confirmed new cases fell slightly to 1,327, bringing the total number of infections to 217,185.

Restrictions have begun to ease around the county, but one doctor described the city of Milan as a time "bomb," according to local media.

Italy has the third highest number of officially recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, after the United States and the UK - which is no longer a member of the EU.

Britain passed the 30,000 mark on Wednesday. Spain is Europe's third worst-affected country with more than 26,000 deaths.

Italy was the first country in Europe to impose a lockdown when coronavirus cases first started to surface in northern regions in February.

Some lockdown measures have been rolled back. This week, Italians have been able to exercise for the first time in weeks, as long as they respect rules on physical distance and wear masks where distancing is difficult. They are able to visit relatives - but not friends - within their region.

Catholic churches are also preparing for the resumption of Mass on 18 May, but there will be strict social distancing and worshippers must wear face masks. Other faiths will also be allowed to hold religious services.

However, schools, cinemas and most shops will stay shut, and all public gatherings are still banned. Bars and restaurants are due to start allowing customers to sit at tables in June.

While some restrictions remain in place, images shared on social media show people in busy areas ignoring distancing rules and not wearing protective masks, leading to an outcry.

Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases department at Milan's Sacco hospital, told La Reppublica newspaper it was clear that lockdown easing "may present problems".

He said: "We have a very high number of infected people returning to circulation."

Coronavirus commissioner Angelo Borrelli warned the public that containment measures would "be stiffened" if the virus showed signs of taking off again.

"We are monitoring things carefully," he said on Thursday.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Police in the capital Rome said they were setting up checkpoints on roads leading to the coast, lakes and rural tourist spots over the weekend.

They said they would also be monitoring areas popular for nightlife.

The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, issued an "ultimatum" on Friday after footage emerged of crowds of people - most of them young - shunning face masks or social distancing in the city's popular Navigli area.

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, which has been the epicentre of the Italian outbreak.

"I will take measures, I will close the Navigli," Mr Sala threatened, describing the scenes as "disgraceful".

In another development, an Italian government agency has warned that the cash-starved tourism industry is vulnerable to incursions by mafia organisations as the lockdown eases.

A report by the Covid-19 criminal infiltration monitoring body said the tourism and catering sectors would have a "lack of liquidity that will expose them to loan sharking".

It said the mafia groups would be looking to invest in struggling businesses such as hotels and restaurants with the aim of laundering money.

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2020-05-08 22:20:22Z
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The Queen praises “love and care” in current crisis as she honours VE Day - BBC News - BBC News

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  1. The Queen praises “love and care” in current crisis as she honours VE Day - BBC News  BBC News
  2. VE Day: UK marking 75th anniversary of end of WW2 in Europe  BBC South East Wales
  3. Watch in full: The Queen's VE Day 2020 address  The Telegraph
  4. ‘Victory over Europe’? How VE Day has been subverted by false patriots – Joyce McMillan  The Scotsman
  5. The most moving war films to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day  Evening Standard
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-05-08 22:16:34Z
52780762502466

Coronavirus: Italy death toll tops 30,000, highest in EU - BBC News

Italy has become the first country in the European Union to register more than 30,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

It reported 243 new fatalities on Friday - down from 274 the day before - taking the total to 30,201.

The daily number of confirmed new cases fell slightly to 1,327, bringing the total number of infections to 217,185.

Restrictions have begun to ease around the county, but one doctor described the city of Milan as a time "bomb," according to local media.

Italy has the third highest number of officially recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, after the United States and the UK - which is no longer a member of the EU.

Britain passed the 30,000 mark on Wednesday. Spain is Europe's third worst-affected country with more than 26,000 deaths.

Italy was the first country in Europe to impose a lockdown when coronavirus cases first started to surface in northern regions in February.

Some lockdown measures have been rolled back. This week, Italians have been able to exercise for the first time in weeks, as long as they respect rules on physical distance and wear masks where distancing is difficult. They are able to visit relatives - but not friends - within their region.

Catholic churches are also preparing for the resumption of Mass on 18 May, but there will be strict social distancing and worshippers must wear face masks. Other faiths will also be allowed to hold religious services.

However, schools, cinemas and most shops will stay shut, and all public gatherings are still banned. Bars and restaurants are due to start allowing customers to sit at tables in June.

While some restrictions remain in place, images shared on social media show people in busy areas ignoring distancing rules and not wearing protective masks, leading to an outcry.

Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases department at Milan's Sacco hospital, told La Reppublica newspaper it was clear that lockdown easing "may present problems".

He said: "We have a very high number of infected people returning to circulation."

Coronavirus commissioner Angelo Borrelli warned the public that containment measures would "be stiffened" if the virus showed signs of taking off again.

"We are monitoring things carefully," he said on Thursday.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Police in the capital Rome said they were setting up checkpoints on roads leading to the coast, lakes and rural tourist spots over the weekend.

They said they would also be monitoring areas popular for nightlife.

The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, issued an "ultimatum" on Friday after footage emerged of crowds of people - most of them young - shunning face masks or social distancing in the city's popular Navigli area.

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, which has been the epicentre of the Italian outbreak.

"I will take measures, I will close the Navigli," Mr Sala threatened, describing the scenes as "disgraceful".

In another development, an Italian government agency has warned that the cash-starved tourism industry is vulnerable to incursions by mafia organisations as the lockdown eases.

A report by the Covid-19 criminal infiltration monitoring body said the tourism and catering sectors would have a "lack of liquidity that will expose them to loan sharking".

It said the mafia groups would be looking to invest in struggling businesses such as hotels and restaurants with the aim of laundering money.

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2020-05-08 21:32:57Z
CBMiMGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWV1cm9wZS01MjU5NDU3MNIBNGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC93b3JsZC1ldXJvcGUtNTI1OTQ1NzA

Coronavirus: Italy death toll tops 30,000, highest in EU - BBC News

Coronavirus: Italy death toll tops 30,000, highest in EU - BBC News
People stroll along the Navigli canals in Milan on May 8, 2020 Image copyright AFP

Italy has become the first country in the European Union to register more than 30,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

It reported 243 new fatalities on Friday - down from 274 the day before - taking the total to 30,201.

The daily number of confirmed new cases fell slightly to 1,327, bringing the total number of infections to 217,185.

Restrictions have begun to ease around the county, but one doctor described the city of Milan as a time "bomb," according to local media.

Italy has the third highest number of officially recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, after the United States and the UK.

Britain passed the 30,000 mark on Wednesday. Spain is Europe's third worst-affected country with more than 26,000 deaths.

Italy was the first country in Europe to impose a lockdown when coronavirus cases first started to surface in northern regions in February.

Some lockdown measures have been rolled back. This week, Italians have been able to exercise for the first time in weeks, as long as they respect rules on physical distance and wear masks where distancing is difficult. They are able to visit relatives - but not friends - within their region.

Catholic churches are also preparing for the resumption of Mass on 18 May, but there will be strict social distancing and worshippers must wear face masks. Other faiths will also be allowed to hold religious services.

People walk in the park of Villa Pamphili during phase two of the emergency block of the Coronavirus Covid-19 in Rome, Italy, 08 May 2020 Image copyright EPA

However, schools, cinemas and most shops will stay shut, and all public gatherings are still banned. Bars and restaurants are due to start allowing customers to sit at tables in June.

While some restrictions remain in place, images shared on social media show people in busy areas ignoring distancing rules and not wearing protective masks, leading to an outcry.

Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases department at Milan's Sacco hospital, told La Reppublica newspaper it was clear that lockdown easing "may present problems".

He said: "We have a very high number of infected people returning to circulation."

Coronavirus commissioner Angelo Borrelli warned the public that containment measures would "be stiffened" if the virus showed signs of taking off again.

"We are monitoring things carefully," he said on Thursday.

"We risked everything to survive" - Naples resident Filomena

Police in the capital Rome said they were setting up checkpoints on roads leading to the coast, lakes and rural tourist spots over the weekend.

They said they would also be monitoring areas popular for nightlife.

The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, issued an "ultimatum" on Friday after footage emerged of crowds of people - most of them young - shunning face masks or social distancing in the city's popular Navigli area.

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, which has been the epicentre of the Italian outbreak.

"I will take measures, I will close the Navigli," Mr Sala threatened, describing the scenes as "disgraceful".

Sorry, this Twitter post is currently unavailable.

Presentational white space

In another development, an Italian government agency has warned that the cash-starved tourism industry is vulnerable to incursions by mafia organisations as the lockdown eases.

A report by the Covid-19 criminal infiltration monitoring body said the tourism and catering sectors would have a "lack of liquidity that will expose them to loan sharking".

It said the mafia groups would be looking to invest in struggling businesses such as hotels and restaurants with the aim of laundering money.


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2020-05-08 21:05:00Z
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US Vice-President Mike Pence's aide tests positive for coronavirus - BBC News

A top aide to US Vice-President Mike Pence has tested positive for Covid-19 one day after another White House staff member was diagnosed with the virus.

Mr Pence's press secretary Katie Miller tested positive on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump's valet.

The White House has begun daily testing for Mr Pence and Mr Trump, and has claimed to be taking "every single precaution to protect the president".

The US death toll is now over 76,000 and states are beginning to reopen.

Six members of Mr Pence's team were abruptly taken off his plane, Air Force 2, after it was held on the tarmac outside Washington, DC for over an hour on Friday, as he prepared to travel to Iowa to meet religious leaders.

The staff members had had recent contact with Mrs Miller, according to an unnamed US official cited in the media pool report. The president and vice-president had not.

Mrs Miller is the wife of Trump aide Stephen Miller.

BBC White House correspondent Tara McKelvey

The president has made it clear that he does not like the way that a mask looks on him.

He said last month that he believes wearing a mask would not make a good impression on world leaders and others he meets.

"As I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens ... I don't see it for myself, I just don't," Trump told a journalist.

For some, the president's refusal to wear a mask is more than a question of style. It is a political statement.

Trump and the other officials at the White House want to give people the impression that the health crisis is under control and that soon the economy will be on back on track.

The decision of the president and others at the White House not to wear masks, writes the Washington Post's David Nakamura, conveys "a sense of confidence that life, at least for the nation's most prominent resident, is returning to a semblance of normalcy during the coronavirus pandemic - a visual cue to the public that conditions are improving as Trump pushes to restart sectors of the economy".

When asked about the possibility of an outbreak in the White House, Mr Trump told reporters: "All you can do is take precautions and do the best you can."

He also said he was correct not to wear a mask while visiting the World War II memorial in Washington for VE Day, because the elderly veterans there with him were "far away".

"Plus the wind was blowing so hard and such a direction that if the plague ever reached them, I'd be very surprised," he added.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Trump told Fox and Friends that the valets serving his food have already started wearing masks.

The president said that the individual who has the virus had tested negative four days beforehand.

"This is why testing's not necessarily the answer," he said, though he noted staff would now be tested daily. "Testing only goes so far."

Later, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the measures taken by the White House to keep officials safe.

"We've taken every single precaution to protect the president," Ms McEnany said.

Mr Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also told reporters: "This is the safest place you can come to."

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2020-05-08 19:47:57Z
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BREAKING: The Queen's VE Day anniversary message: 'Never give up, never despair' - Sky News

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

  1. BREAKING: The Queen's VE Day anniversary message: 'Never give up, never despair'  Sky News
  2. VE Day: UK marking 75th anniversary of end of WW2 in Europe  BBC South East Wales
  3. President Trump joins World War II veterans at VE Day ceremony  The Telegraph
  4. ‘Victory over Europe’? How VE Day has been subverted by false patriots – Joyce McMillan  The Scotsman
  5. VE Day POLL: Should VE Day ALWAYS be a public holiday? VOTE HERE  Express
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-05-08 20:08:57Z
52780762502466