South America at centre of pandemic, says WHO – as it happened
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Madrid and Barcelona to ease lockdown as Spain’s death toll stays under 100 again; 660,000 people forced to flee homes during crisis despite UN global ceasefire call
The war of words between China and the US has continued, with Chinese State media telling US senators who are pushing for sanctions in response to Beijing’s new national security laws for Hong Kong. The Global Times says the Chinese public is “outraged” by the senator’s calls, and will continue to “defend its sovereignty as HK has always been part of China”.
It’s hard to escape the escalating rhetoric between these two world superpowers on several fronts.
#US senators who are pushing for new sanctions in responding to #HK new national security law have outraged the Chinese public who vow to defend sovereignty as HK has been always part of China, and object to all forms of foreign intervention https://t.co/sOXdDu36Wzpic.twitter.com/Ig3RfKNuRB
While the Hong Kong story dominates China coverage, the country reported four newly diagnosed cases of Covid-19 on Friday, including two imported cases (both in Sichuan) and two local cases (both in Jilin).
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (right) speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP
Australian state of New South Wales announces easing of restrictions
The leader of Australia’s most populous state has announced that restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus will be eased to allow cafes and restaurants to have up to 50 patrons from 1 June.
The premier of the state of New South Wales (NSW), Gladys Berejiklian, said the easing of restrictions, which currently limit restaurants and cafes to 10 patrons, was needed to revive the local economy.
“Losing 221,000 jobs in April was a disaster. We don’t want to see that continue,” Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.
Australia’s hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit by social distancing restrictions imposed in March to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Nationally, nearly 600,000 people were in April forced out of work by the restrictions.
Berejiklian said that restrictions would still be in place, including limits of 10 people for single bookings, enforced social distancing between tables, no mingling of patrons, and customers at pubs required to sit at tables.
Australia has had remarkable success in flattening the curve of infections from the coronavirus. The country of 25m has recorded 101 deaths and just over 7,000 cases. The country is consistently recording fewer than 20 new cases a day.
We need geeks, not James Bonds, for post-Covid world, says French spy chief
Among those imagining a new world post-coronavirus is the technical director of the French secret service, who has said the DGSE wants to recruit geeks rather than budding young James Bonds.
In rare public comments, Patrick Pailloux said there was a danger that many young tech-savvy French people did not consider themselves suitable for the stereotypes of France’s directorate-general for external security (DGSE), but that needed to change as France adapts to new demands in the post-coronavirus world.
“We need people who are very connected to new technologies – thus young people,” Pailloux told Agence France-Presse. “We have to bring them into the DGSE, it’s essential.”
Washington DC mayor sets tentative date for easing some restrictions
After weeks of insisting the Washington DC area is not ready to end restrictions, the mayor, Muriel Bowser, has said the numbers are pointing to the start of a gradual reopening process at the end of the month.
Bowser has set Friday, 29 May, as a potential start date for phase 1 of the District of Columbia’s proposed three-phase reopening plan. That includes restaurants allowing outdoor seating, non-essential businesses offering curb-side pickup and hair salons and barbers operating by appointment at limited capacity.
A man practices his skateboard skills on Freedom Plaza with the US Congress Capitol in the background in Washington DC. Photograph: Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images
Bowser emphasised the gradual nature of the process and warned residents not to expect the lives they had in February to return in full any time soon.
“Let’s be clear on what this is and what this isn’t,” Bowser said. “This is not an on-off switch.”
Bowser had previously set the nations capital on a timeline that would have it beginning to reopen on June 8 at the earliest. That’s later than most jurisdictions around the country and a stark contrast to the sense of urgency to reopen coming from the White House.
China empowers itself to set up legal framework to punish subversion in Hong Kong
While we’re on China, there have also been some significant announcements coming out of the Congress about Hong Kong.
China’s proposed new legislation for Hong Kong requires the territory to quickly finish enacting national security regulations under its mini-constitution, the Basic law, according to a draft of the legislation seen by Reuters.
China’s parliamentary vice chairman, Wang Chen, was scheduled to give a speech explaining the new law later on Friday.
According to the legislation, China’s parliament empowers itself to set up the legal framework and implementation mechanism to prevent and punish subversion, terrorism, separatism and foreign interference, “or any acts that severely endanger national security”.
Reuters China Breaking News Editor, Vincent Lee, gives his view on the day’s events so far.
Today might be the most chaotic day of work ever for doing China stuff and that is no small feat
More on the announcements coming out of China’s National People’s Congress. Ahead of the meeting, which is largely rubber-stamp parliament, China’s top leaders promised to step up stimulus to bolster the virus-ravaged economy amid rising worries that job losses could threaten social stability.
Chinese officials and delegates attend the opening session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photograph: Carlos García Rawlins/Reuters
In addition to targeting a 2020 budget deficit of at least 3.6% of GDP, above last year’s 2.8%, and fixed the quota on local-government special bond issuance at 3.75 trillion yuan ($527 billion), up from 2.15 trillion yuan, China will also issue 1 trillion yuan in special treasury bonds for the first time this year.
Local government bonds could be mainly used to fund infrastructure projects, while special treasury bonds could be used to support firms and regions hit by the coronavirus outbreak, for subsidies to spur consumption or for boosting the capital structure of small banks, analysts say.
China's key policy targets/goals for the year
A. No GDP target B. Budget deficit at least 3.6% of GDP C. CPI target of 3.5% D. 1 Trlnyuan in special treasury bonds E. Cut corporate fees/taxes by 2.5 trln yuan E. Defense budget to rise 6.6%
China has taken the rare move of not setting an annual GDP target this year after the coronavirus battered the world’s second-largest economy and ravaged global growth, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday.
It is the first time that China has not set target since the government began publishing such goals in 1990.
Instead, given “great uncertainty” caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Beijing will “give priority to stabilising employment and ensuring living standards”, Li told the opening of the National People’s Congress.
He also announced that China’s fiscal deficit was expected to be over 3.6% of gross domestic product this year, with a deficit increase of one trillion yuan ($140bn) over last year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Premier Li Keqiang (R) arrive for the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing. Photograph: Leo Ramirez/AFP/Getty Images
Another one trillion yuan of government bonds will be issued for Covid-19 control, he added, calling these “extraordinary measures for an unusual time”.
He also said governments at all levels should “tighten their belts”, and that all types of surplus, idle and carryover funds will be withdrawn and re-allocated, to be put to better use.
It is the first time since 1990 officials have decided not to issue a numerical growth target, which is typically seen as a signal of the resources leaders are willing to spend to shore up the economy.
China’s economy contracted 6.8% in the first quarter, compared to a year earlier.
At the annual meeting, Li said China would work with the US to implement phase one of the trade deal, which was struck before the pandemic was declared. He said China would safeguard multilateral trade and advance free-trade agreement talks with Japan and South Korea.
Li also reiterated China’s policy on Taiwan, which has been the subject of discussion this week due to Taiwan being excluded from the World Health Assembly. Li said Beijing will firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and would encourage Taiwan’s people to oppose independence for Taiwan.
US first families pay tribute to ex-White House butler dies from Covid-19
Tributes from former first families have rolled in after the death from Covid-19 of Wilson Jerman, a former White House butler who was a fixture in Washington under 11 presidents.
Jerman, who was 91, started working as a cleaner under Dwight Eisenhower and retired as an elevator operator during the presidency of Barack Obama.
“With his kindness and care, Wilson Jerman helped make the White House a home for decades of first families, including ours,” said Michelle Obama.
“His service to others his willingness to go above and beyond for the country he loved and all those whose lives he touched is a legacy worthy of his generous spirit.”
Jerman became a White House butler under John Kennedy, a role that JFK’s wife, Jackie, was instrumental in landing for him, his oldest granddaughter, Jamila Garrett, told the local Fox news channel in Washington.
“Jerman served as a White House butler across 11 presidencies and made generations of first families feel at home, including ours,” wrote Hillary Clinton. “Our warmest condolences to his loved ones.”
Japan records first consumer price drop in three years
Consumer prices in Japan fell for the first time in more than three years last month, official data shows, dragged down by the coronavirus pandemic and collapsing oil prices.
Core prices in April, excluding volatile fresh food, slipped 0.2%t from a year earlier, reversing a rise of 0.4 % in March, according to the internal affairs ministry.
It was the first drop in 40 months, the ministry said, and larger than a 0.1% drop predicted by economists surveyed by Bloomberg.
Month-on-month, prices fell 0.5 % following a drop of 0.1% in March.
Government data on Monday showed Japan had dived into its first recession since 2015 in the first quarter of the year and some economists warned the worst was yet to come.
Commuters wearing protective masks head to work amid the coronavirus disease in Osaka. Photograph: KYODO/Reuters
Australia seeks exemption from UK quarantine rules
Australia is seeking an exemption from a requirement that travellers arriving in the UK quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The British government is planning a 14-day quarantine for most people arriving in the country in the coming weeks to try to prevent a second peak of the pandemic, with details to be finalised next month.
Heathrow Airport has proposed Britain should set up “travel bubbles” with low-risk countries exempt from the requirement.
“Australia has led the world in the successful containment of Covid-19, which clearly means that travellers coming from Australia would pose a low risk to the rest of the world,” the trade minister, Simon Birmingham said in a statement.
Birmingham said Australia has no plans to open its borders to non-citizens, while all returning locals will still have to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival.
Australia has recorded just over 7,000 cases, with 101 deaths. The country hopes to reopen the economy fully by July.
Sydneysiders have been enjoying slightly relaxed restrictions over the past week. Photograph: Loren Elliott/Reuters
