S. Korea scrambles to contain Seoul nightclub coronavirus outbreak

Massive banners depicting fans “filling” vacant seats in an otherwise empty stadium in Seoul as South Korea’s professional baseball league began its season on May 5. South Korean officials scrambled on Monday to contain a new coronavirus outbreak, searching for thousands of people who may have been infected in a cluster of cases linked to nightclubs and bars in the densely populated capital city of Seoul.SD-Agencies

Johnson unveils plan to reopen society

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled a “conditional plan” to reopen society, allowing people in England to spend more time outdoors from today.

The PM also said people who could not work from home should return to the workplace, but avoid public transport. He said a new Covid Alert System with five levels would govern how quickly lockdown restrictions could be eased.

He hoped the next step “at the earliest by June 1” would be for some primary pupils to return to school in England. In an address to the nation, Johnson said this stage would also involving reopening shops, but he cautioned this would only happen if the science supported it.

The next step could see some of the hospitality industry and other public places reopen and no earlier than July 1.

Pence distances self after aide tests positive for COVID-19

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has been distancing himself from others, but is not in self-quarantine, after his press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus, an administration official said on Sunday.

“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” Devin O’Malley, the vice president’s spokesman, said in a statement. “Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow.”

Obama lashes out at Trump in call with supporters

Former U.S. President Barack Obama harshly criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster” during a conversation with ex-members of his administration, according to a recording obtained by Yahoo News.

Obama also reacted to the Justice Department dropping its criminal case against Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, saying he worried that the “basic understanding of rule of law is at risk.”

More than 78,400 people with COVID-19 have died in the United States and more than 1.3 million people have tested positive, according to the latest estimates from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Former Iraqi intelligence chief sworn in as new PM

Iraq’s former spy chief was sworn in as prime minister by lawmakers n Thursday after weeks of tense political negotiations as the country faces a severe economic crisis spurred by plummeting oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

The majority of 255 legislators attending the session approved the government plan and the majority of Cabinet ministers proposed by Mustafa al-Kadhimi officially inaugurating him as Iraq’s sixth premier since 2003 and ending five months of a leadership void.

Al-Kadhimi, who gave up the intelligence post when he became the prime minister-designate, assumes the premiership as Iraq faces unprecedented challenges.

Saudi suspends handouts in virus-led austerity drive

Saudi Arabia’s finance minister said on Monday the kingdom will triple its value added tax (VAT) and halt monthly handout payments to citizens in new austerity measures amid record low oil prices and a coronavirus-led economic slump.

The measures, which could stir public resentment with the cost of living rising, came as the petro-state steps up emergency plans to slash government spending to deal with the twin economic blow.

(SD-Agencies)