Covid-19 pandemic: Italy to shut shops and schools amid infection spike - BBC News

EPA

Shops, restaurants and schools will be closed across most of Italy on Monday, with PM Mario Draghi warning of a "new wave" of the coronavirus outbreak.

For three days over Easter, 3-5 April, there will be a total shutdown.

Italy, which one year ago imposed one of the first national lockdowns, is once again struggling to contain the rapid spread of infections.

The country has reported more than 100,000 Covid-related deaths, Europe's second-highest tally after the UK.

Italy's vaccination campaign has been hit by delays, as has been seen elsewhere in the European Union.

Anglo-Swedish drug company AstraZeneca has announced a further shortfall in the amount of its vaccine it can supply to the European Union, blaming export restrictions imposed by some countries. It did not elaborate.

In January, it announced a large cut in the 100m doses it had originally expected to deliver to the EU by March, sparking a public spat with European Commission.

Last week the government in Rome blocked the export of 250,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia to address shortfalls of vaccines.

• Why is the EU having vaccine problems?
• No reason to stop using AstraZeneca jab - WHO

Elsewhere, Bulgaria, Denmark and Norway have all paused the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over fears it causes blood clots.

The World Health Organization said on Friday there was no indication this was true, stressing that countries should not stop using the vaccine.

What are the new rules in Italy?

From Monday, schools, shops and restaurants will shut in more than half of Italy, including the two most populous regions containing Rome and Milan.

Residents will be required to stay at home except for work, health or other essential reasons.

EPA

The extra restrictions would last until Easter, Mr Draghi's office said, and over the Easter weekend the whole country would be turned into the high-risk "red zone".

"I'm aware that today's restrictions will have consequences on the education of your children, on the economy and on everyone's mental health," Mr Draghi said.

"But they're necessary to avoid a worsening of the situation that would require even stricter measures."

Cases have been rising across Italy for the past six weeks, exceeding 25,000 a day.

In a majority of the country's regions "hospitals and above all intensive care units are already overloaded", the GIMBE health think-tank warned this week, the AFP news agency reported.

The island of Sardinia is the only region where infection rates are low.

Italy has had nearly 3.2 million confirmed infections since the outbreak began last year.

How are other European countries faring?

• Poland registered nearly 21,049 new daily cases on Saturday - the highest number since November
• Germany reported a rapid rise in infections among schoolchildren, with new Covid variants blamed
• In France, the number of patients in intensive care units exceeded 4,000 - the highest figure for more than three months. Some patients are being flown across the country to find available beds. The government has not ruled out more regional lockdowns
• Slovakia and the Czech Republic were hit by government crises over buying non-EU approved vaccines

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2021-03-13 11:55:11Z
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Covid-19 pandemic: Italy to shut shops and schools amid infection spike - BBC News

EPA

Shops, restaurants and schools will be closed across most of Italy on Monday, with PM Mario Draghi warning of a "new wave" of the coronavirus outbreak.

For three days over Easter, 3-5 April, there will be a total shutdown.

Italy, which one year ago imposed one of the first national lockdowns, is once again struggling to contain the rapid spread of infections.

The country has reported more than 100,000 Covid-related deaths, Europe's second-highest tally after the UK.

Italy's vaccination campaign has been hit by delays, as has been seen elsewhere in the European Union.

Anglo-Swedish drug company AstraZeneca has announced a further shortfall in the amount of its vaccine it can supply to the European Union, blaming export restrictions imposed by some countries. It did not elaborate.

In January, it announced a large cut in the 100m doses it had originally expected to deliver to the EU by March, sparking a public spat with European Commission.

Last week the government in Rome blocked the export of 250,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia to address shortfalls of vaccines.

• Why is the EU having vaccine problems?
• No reason to stop using AstraZeneca jab - WHO

Elsewhere, Bulgaria, Denmark and Norway have all paused the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over fears it causes blood clots.

The World Health Organization said on Friday there was no indication this was true, stressing that countries should not stop using the vaccine.

What are the new rules in Italy?

From Monday, schools, shops and restaurants will shut in more than half of Italy, including the two most populous regions containing Rome and Milan.

Residents will be required to stay at home except for work, health or other essential reasons.

EPA

The extra restrictions would last until Easter, Mr Draghi's office said, and over the Easter weekend the whole country would be turned into the high-risk "red zone".

"I'm aware that today's restrictions will have consequences on the education of your children, on the economy and on everyone's mental health," Mr Draghi said.

"But they're necessary to avoid a worsening of the situation that would require even stricter measures."

Cases have been rising across Italy for the past six weeks, exceeding 25,000 a day.

In a majority of the country's regions "hospitals and above all intensive care units are already overloaded", the GIMBE health think-tank warned this week, the AFP news agency reported.

The island of Sardinia is the only region where infection rates are low.

Italy has had nearly 3.2 million confirmed infections since the outbreak began last year.

How are other European countries faring?

• Poland registered nearly 21,049 new daily cases on Saturday - the highest number since November
• Germany reported a rapid rise in infections among schoolchildren, with new Covid variants blamed
• In France, the number of patients in intensive care units exceeded 4,000 - the highest figure for more than three months. Some patients are being flown across the country to find available beds. The government has not ruled out more regional lockdowns
• Slovakia and the Czech Republic were hit by government crises over buying non-EU approved vaccines

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2021-03-13 10:56:41Z
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Democrats accused of promoting 'unfit' candidate Joe Biden and of 'betraying' US public - Daily Express

Dominic Green, deputy editor of The Spectator’s US edition, pointed to the behaviour of the new US President Joe Biden in his limited public appearances. He claimed Mr Biden "looks and sounds frail", suggesting the 78-year-old may not be well enough to efficiently manage the demanding role. Mr Green believes he has become "so embarrassing to watch" that it felt "cruel to mention it".

The 46th US President - and oldest in history - recently caused concern during a visit to Houston at the beginning of March.

While delivering a speech, Mr Biden appeared to lose focus and become disorientated.

At one point the US President said: "What am I doing here?"

In an op-ed for the Daily Telegraph, Mr Green writes: "Compare how he moves and sounds now to how he was a year ago, let alone five years ago.

"Biden looks and sounds frail.

"He seems visibly distressed at his inability to carry out the simplest requirements of office – and at a time when the requirements are simpler than usual."

READ MORE: Beijing backlash at US warship in disputed waters amid high tensions

"The people’s trust in democratic institutions will decline further. And we will all be party to Biden’s public humiliation."

During the presidential campaign, Mr Biden's doctor released a three-paged medical report on his health.

The report described the Democrat nominee as a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief.”

It also stated he has no known medication allergies and "does not use any tobacco products, does not drink alcohol at all, and he works out at least five days per week.”

Mr Biden is confident in his mental and physical fitness - and challenged a farmer from Iowa to a contest of pushups, running or an IQ test at the end of last year. 

The man had suggested he was "too damn old".

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2021-03-13 01:43:00Z
CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy93b3JsZC8xNDA5MzE4L2pvZS1iaWRlbi1oZWFsdGgtdW5maXQtdG8tYmUtcHJlc2lkZW50LWRvbWluaWMtZ3JlZW4tc3BlY3RhdG9yLXVzLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1vbnTSAYABaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzcy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLzE0MDkzMTgvam9lLWJpZGVuLWhlYWx0aC11bmZpdC10by1iZS1wcmVzaWRlbnQtZG9taW5pYy1ncmVlbi1zcGVjdGF0b3ItdXMtZGVtb2NyYXRzLW9udC9hbXA

Covid-19 pandemic: Italy to shut shops and schools amid infection spike - BBC News

EPA

Shops, restaurants and schools will be closed across most of Italy on Monday, with PM Mario Draghi warning of a "new wave" of the coronavirus outbreak.

For three days over Easter, 3-5 April, there will be a total shutdown.

Italy, which one year ago imposed one of the first national lockdowns, is once again struggling to contain the rapid spread of infections.

The country has reported more than 100,000 Covid-related deaths, Europe's second highest tally after the UK.

Italy's vaccination campaign has been hit by delays, as has been seen elsewhere in the European Union.

Last week the government in Rome blocked the export of 250,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia in a bid to address shortfalls of vaccines.

• Why is the EU having vaccine problems?
• No reason to stop using AstraZeneca jab - WHO

Elsewhere, Bulgaria, Denmark and Norway have all paused the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over fears it causes blood clots.

The World Health Organization said on Friday there was no indication this was true, stressing that countries should not stop using the vaccine.

In other developments across Europe:

• Poland registered nearly 19,000 new daily cases on Friday - the highest number since November
• Germany reported a rapid rise in infections among schoolchildren, with new Covid variants blamed
• In France, the number of patients in intensive care units exceeded 4,000 - the record figure for more than three months. The government has not ruled out more regional lockdowns
• Slovakia and the Czech Republic were hit by government crises over buying non-EU approved vaccines

What are the new rules in Italy?

From Monday, schools, shops and restaurants will shut in more than half of Italy, including the two most populous regions containing Rome and Milan.

Residents will be required to stay home except for work, health or other essential reasons.

EPA

The extra restrictions would last until Easter, Mr Draghi's office said, and over the Easter weekend the whole country would be turned into the high-risk "red zone".

"I'm aware that today's restrictions will have consequences on the education of your children, on the economy and on everyone's mental health," Mr Draghi said.

"But they're necessary to avoid a worsening of the situation that would require even stricter measures."

Cases have been rising across Italy for the past six weeks, exceeding 25,000 a day.

In a majority of the country's regions "hospitals and above all intensive care units are already overloaded", the GIMBE health think-tank warned this week, the AFP news agency reported.

The island of Sardinia is the only region where infections rates are low.

Italy has had nearly 3.2 million confirmed infections since the outbreak began last year.

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2021-03-13 00:27:59Z
CBMiMGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLWV1cm9wZS01NjM4MjYwONIBNGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC93b3JsZC1ldXJvcGUtNTYzODI2MDg

George Floyd: Minneapolis City Council to pay $27m settlement to family over his death - Sky News

Minneapolis City Council will pay George Floyd's family $27m (£19.4m) to settle a civil lawsuit over his killing in police custody.

The settlement includes $500,000 for the neighbourhood where Mr Floyd was arrested, the council said.

Mr Floyd's family filed the federal civil rights lawsuit against the city last July, alongside ones against police officer Derek Chauvin and three others that were fired and criminally charged over his death.

The civil dispute is separate from the ongoing criminal trial, where the jury is being selected and Chauvin is charged with third and second degree murder as well manslaughter.

Image: Former police officer Derek Chauvin who is charged on multiple counts over George Floyd's death

At a news briefing in Minneapolis on Friday, the family's lawyer Ben Crump described his death on 25 May last year as a "watershed moment for America" and the civil ruling as "historic and significant".

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Mr Crump thanked the mayor and city council for their "responsible leadership" and said "history will judge them" on their actions.

"The family of George Floyd and I are very grateful to Mayor Fry and the city council for not just saying you care about George Floyd, but showing that you care about George Floyd," he said.

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"They have shown that the life of George Floyd and black lives matter to them."

He also urged protesters to remain calm and non-violent as the trial gets underway.

Mr Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee into the back of Mr Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, prompting cries of "I can't breathe, I can't breathe" from him before he was declared dead.

The civil case alleged that Chauvin and the other three officers officers violated Mr Floyd's rights when they restrained him, and that the city allowed a culture of excessive force, racism and impunity to flourish in its police force.

In the criminal case, prosecutors have succeeded at levelling a charge of third degree murder, despite attempts to throw it out.

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Bridgett Floyd speaks outside the courthouse where she had been representing her family

Third-degree is less serious than second-degree murder and is described as an unplanned, unintentional killing - while second-degree murder can be intentional or unintentional.

Although second-degree murder would involve more prison time if Chauvin is convicted, legal experts say an additional third-degree murder charge would boost the chances of a murder conviction because the burden of proof is lower.

To win a third-degree murder conviction, prosecutors would only have to show that Mr Floyd's death was caused by an act that was obviously dangerous, though not necessarily a felony. This would carry a maximum sentence of 25 years.

Chauvin's trial begins on Monday.

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2021-03-12 21:11:15Z
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Andrew Cuomo: NY governor says he won't quit as he denies harassment claims and criticises 'reckless' politicians - Sky News

Andrew Cuomo has criticised "reckless and dangerous" politicians for calling for him to step down as he told New Yorkers on Friday: "I'm not going to resign."

New York's governor said he wants people to "wait for the facts" regarding the sexual harassment allegations against him, adding that he does not want to speculate on "people's possible motives".

"Women have a right to come forward and be heard and I encourage that fully," he said in a conference call.

"There is still a question of the truth. I did not do what has been alleged. Period.

"I won't speculate about people's possible motives but I can tell you as a former attorney general who has gone through this situation many times there are often many motivations to make an allegation and that is why you need to know the facts before you make a decision."

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The Democratic governor has faced widespread calls for his resignation in the last few days, with such calls including more than half of New York's Democratic congressional members.

Representatives Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Mondaire Jones, Nydia Velazquez, Adriano Espaillat, Carolyn Maloney, Grace Meng, Antonio Delgado, Brian Higgins and Yvette Clarke were among them.

They joined Kathleen Rice, who had previously called for Mr Cuomo to resign.

Making reference to "cancel culture", Mr Cuomo later criticised those who had demanded he quit, suggesting they had not separated fact from opinion.

He said: "Politicians who don't know a single fact but yet form a conclusion on an opinion are in my opinion reckless and dangerous.

"The people of New York should not have confidence in a politician who takes a position without knowing any facts or substance."

Mr Cuomo is accused by several women, including some of his female aides, of behaving in a sexually suggestive manner and making similar such remarks.

One woman said the 63-year-old had asked her if she would ever have sex with an older man, while another said he had once kissed her without her consent.

The latter said Mr Cuomo's other aides had then publicly smeared her when she accused him.

Mr Cuomo has repeatedly denied touching anyone inappropriately and has previously said he was sorry if he made anyone feel uncomfortable.

A review into his conduct is currently ongoing.

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2021-03-12 18:56:15Z
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Cuomo: New York governor defiant as more Democrats tell him to quit - BBC News

Tom Williams

Andrew Cuomo has insisted he will not heed calls to quit as New York governor over allegations of sexual misconduct.

He was already being investigated after complaints from five women and is now facing allegations of assault from a sixth.

New York politicians Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerry Nadler are the latest Democrats asking him to step down.

The New York governor has denied all of the allegations against him.

Mr Cuomo reiterated he would not resign in a phone call on Friday.

"I did not do what has been alleged," he said. "I never harassed anyone, I never assaulted anyone, I never abused anyone."

Earlier, Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Congressman Jamaal Bowman released a joint statement that said, "we believe these women, we believe the reporting, we believe the Attorney General, and we believe the fifty-five members of the New York State legislature."

"Governor Cuomo can no longer effectively lead in the face of so many challenges", the statement said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a long-time political rival of Democrat Governor Cuomo, told reporters on Thursday that the latest allegation is "disgusting to me, and he can no longer serve as governor."

"I'm not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians. I was elected by the people," Mr Cuomo responded on Friday afternoon.

Mr Cuomo, whose term in office comes to an end in 2022, was last year praised for his handling of the Covid epidemic in his state. However, this year he has been accused of obscuring the scale of coronavirus deaths in the state's nursing homes.

Since the allegations of harassment were made a string of people have called for his resignation.

On Thursday, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he had given the go-ahead for an "impeachment investigation" into the allegations made against Mr Cuomo. The investigation, which will interview witnesses and look at evidence, would be the first step towards impeachment.

More than 55 Democratic legislators in New York have signed a letter calling on him to step down.

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In a statement Mr Cuomo called the new claims, reported by the Times Union of Albany on Wednesday, "gut-wrenching".

He has previously said that he would wait for the results of an independent investigation into the allegations, which is being overseen by the New York's attorney general Letitia James.

The political ground is crumbling beneath Andrew Cuomo's feet.

The worst case for the New York governor was always that the early revelations about his conduct in office would lead to new sexual harassment accusers, exposing a pattern of behaviour.

That appears to be happening, and more New York politicians are lining up against Cuomo.

The flood of the state congressional Democrats calling for Cuomo's resignation on Friday is just the latest, most significant development.

Some of the names involved are unsurprising. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, for instance, are progressives who unseated Cuomo-backed incumbent Democrats.

The uprising against Cuomo isn't limited to his left flank, however. It includes House Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler - an indication that Cuomo is losing the support of his party's establishment, as well.

In all, 11 of the state's 19 House Democrats are now on the record calling for Cuomo's resignation, along with dozens of state legislators. As the investigations multiply, the pressure on the embattled governor is growing.

At some point the state's two Democratic senators, including powerful majority leader Chuck Schumer, will have to weigh in - either to throw him a lifeline or, perhaps, deliver a final blow.

What has Cuomo been accused of?

According to the Times Union newspaper, the unnamed woman was called to Mr Cuomo's private residence in Albany last year on the "apparent pretext" of helping him figure out an issue with his phone.

The woman also reportedly told the newspaper the governor touched her inappropriately on other occasions.

She has not filed a formal complaint.

However, the paper reported that she told a female supervisor about the incident after a group of staff members watched Mr Cuomo give a press conference on 3 March denying previous allegations of harassment.

• Cuomo: 'I never touched anyone inappropriately'

Mr Cuomo was first accused of harassment in February, when Lindsey Boylan, a former top-level aide, wrote in an essay that the governor touched her without her consent and frequently made inappropriate comments about her appearance.

Ms Boylan accused Mr Cuomo of kissing her on the lips and asking her to play strip poker while on his private jet.

Another former aide, Charlotte Bennett, told the New York Times that she "understood the governor wanted to sleep with me".

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2021-03-12 18:36:22Z
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