‘There’s no better present’: Chinese businesses send masks to European clients
With a dire shortage of protective face masks in Europe, even for health workers, a senior manager at a Spanish furniture store group was surprised to hear business partners and staff in China offering to send him masks.
Japan ‘on the brink’ as it struggles to hold back coronavirus
Japan will ban entry to foreigners from 73 countries and ask everyone arriving from abroad to quarantine themselves for two weeks as it struggles to contain the coronavirus, with a senior minister warning the country had been pushed “to the brink”.
Japan expands entry ban to more countries, will ask all visitors to quarantine
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday the government was expanding a ban on the entry of non-Japanese people to cover 73 countries as policymakers try to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
Putin takes coronavirus precautions as Moscow unveils tracking app
President Vladimir Putin is taking precautions to protect himself against coronavirus, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, as Moscow authorities launched a smartphone app designed to track people who have been ordered to stay home because of the virus.
Australian shops ration booze to foil hoarders amid virus shutdowns
Australia’s retailers are putting limits on purchases of alcohol as hoarders turn their attention from toilet paper and other household essentials to drink amid a widespread shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Postcards from Wuhan: residents tell the world to stay strong, stay indoors
Life in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, is slowly returning to normal as the government relaxes a more than two-month-old lockdown that cut the city off from the world and kept most of its 11 million residents at home.
China has fewer new coronavirus infections, starts posting tally of symptom-free cases
China reported dwindling new infections on Wednesday in the global coronavirus pandemic and started to publish the daily change in cases that are free of symptoms, although the latter could complicate the picture of trends in the disease.
Malaysia’s coronavirus infection curve flattening, health ministry says
The rate of new coronavirus infections in Malaysia appears to be slowing amid month-long curbs on movement, a senior health official said on Wednesday, citing research by a government-backed think tank.
Calls to Spain’s gender violence helpline rise sharply during lockdown
Calls to Spain’s governmental helpline for victims of gender violence shot up in the first two weeks of a state of emergency lockdown imposed to combat the spread of coronavirus, the government said on Wednesday.
In Taiwan, anger at China over virus drives identity debate
Anger at being confused with China amid the coronavirus outbreak and Beijing’s stepped-up efforts to assert sovereignty is stirring heated debate in Taiwan about how to further distance itself from its giant and often threatening neighbour.
