coronavirus

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates called allegations that China cost the world valuable time by covering up the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus a “distraction” in an interview Sunday, adding that “China did a lot of things right at the beginning.” Speaking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, Gates pushed back on criticism of Beijing’s initial …

New York mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday announced that he would appoint First Lady Chirlane McCray as co-chair of a task force on coronavirus racial inequality. De Blasio will form the “Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity” as part of the city’s plan to reopen businesses that have been closed during the pandemic. …

The Chinese government went on the attack Monday against U.S. criticism of the Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, claiming it is a “victim” of disinformation surrounding the pandemic and accusing the U.S. of “hiding something.” “China always stands against disinformation campaign. We are victim rather than producer of disinformation,” the Chinese foreign ministry wrote …

The World Health Organization director on Monday chided countries that did not heed his organization’s recommendations on how to handle the coronavirus, saying the world “should have listened” to the WHO regarding the outbreak. “We can only give advice to countries. We don’t have any mandate to force countries to implement what we advise them,” …

YouTube is becoming the hub for the virtual film festival. The streaming service said Monday that it will launch a free 10-day digital film festival this spring with 20 partners. Dubbed “We Are One: A Global Film Festival,” the event will be produced and organized by New York’s Tribeca Enterprises. The YouTube-hosted event will feature …

Fiat Chrysler resumed van production on Monday at its Atessa plant in central Italy, a week before the country plans to start lifting a national lockdown put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Italy has said it would allow factories and building sites to reopen from May 4 as it prepares a …

Saudi Arabia has taken a $500 million stake in promoter Live Nation, whose shares have been slammed as the coronavirus has brought this year’s schedule of concerts and sporting events across the country to a virtual standstill. Shares of Live Nation, which had recently fallen nearly 50 percent from all-time highs they reached in February …

Tech companies are finding themselves at the center of the falling out between the US and China as the two nations spar over the Communist Party’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Quarterly earnings reports are due out this week from Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, which will offer a first look at just how …

The Australian government’s call for China to explain its bungled handling of the deadly coronavirus pandemic could spark a boycott by Chinese consumers, who may no longer travel and study in Australia or buy major exports including beef and wine. That was the stark warning delivered Monday by Ambassador Cheng Jingye via an interview published in …

Adding insult to the severely injured entertainment industry, which has all but disappeared during the coronavirus pandemic, online piracy is back, and bigger than ever. Web traffic to illegal film downloading sites surged by 41% in the US during the last seven days of March, compared to the last week of February, according to London-based …