Abe Touts Avigan as COVID-19 Treatment; Experts Urge Caution
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has enthusiastically promoted anti-influenza drug Avigan as a possible game-changer in the war against the coronavirus, but medical experts have called for caution, citing its side effects and yet unproven efficacy.
Top US Expert Refutes Coronavirus Bioweapon Conspiracy Theory
WASHINGTON (Xinhua) — Anthony Fauci, the top expert on infectious disease in the United States, has rejected a conspiracy theory claiming that the novel coronavirus was made in a lab.
Wuhan Embraces Yangtze River as Virus-Hit City Reopens
WUHAN, China (AP) — Bathed in golden late-afternoon light, Chen Enting snapped a photo of his ticket to commemorate his first ferry ride across the Yangtze River after a 76-day quarantine ended in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began.
IOC Sparks Anger Saying Japan Will Bear Extra Olympic Costs
TOKYO (Kyodo) — The International Olympic Committee said Monday that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed Japan to absorb its share of the additional costs for the postponed Tokyo Olympics but later retracted the remark at the request of the local organizing committee.
Only 18% Japanese Stopped Going to Work Due to COVID-19: Poll
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Only 18 percent of people in Japan have stopped going to work due to the novel coronavirus, the lowest level in 26 countries and territories covered in a recent survey.
South Korea Downplays Rumors Over Kim Jong Un’s Health
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials reported no unusual activity in North Korea on Tuesday following unconfirmed media reports that leader Kim Jong Un was in fragile health after surgery.
Trump Bars New Immigration Green Cards, Not Temporary Visas
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced what he described as a “temporary suspension of immigration into the United States” on Tuesday. But the executive order would bar only those seeking permanent residency, not temporary workers.
What Does the Unprecedented Negative Oil Price Mean?
BEIJING (Xinhua) — West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for May delivery fell to -37.63 U.S. dollars a barrel on Monday, the first negative price in history since the New York Mercantile Exchange began trading oil futures in 1983.
Japan LGBT Group Worries Getting Virus May Result in Outing
SAITAMA (Kyodo) — Many members of sexual minorities in Japan worry that catching the novel coronavirus could mean their sexual orientation is revealed against their will as authorities probe infection routes, a supporters' group has found.
‘Political Game’? Governors Push Back on Trump Virus Charge
WASHINGTON (AP) — A chorus of governors from both parties pushed back hard Monday after President Donald Trump accused Democrats of playing “a very dangerous political game” by insisting there is a shortage of tests for coronavirus.
