10 things you need to know this morning in Australia
Howdy, folks. This is what it is.
1. Not a milestone we wanted to be sure, but the world has just surpassed 1 million COVID-19 infections globally. The virus has so far claimed around 51,000 lives, but with only around 208,000 recoveries so far the world has a long way to go yet, it seems. It also happens to have been the three-month anniversary since the first official case was reported in the Chinese province of Wuhan. Let that sink in.
2. While the US is quickly becoming the world epicentre of the crisis, don't forget Spain, which yesterday recorded 950 deaths, the highest single-day toll so far. Police are now are asking for the public to donate full-face snorkel masks to be turned into makeshift ventilators for an expected wave of more coronavirus patients with severe respiratory issues.
3. In Australia, the Fair Work Commission will introduce unpaid pandemic leave and annual leave flexibility for millions of workers so that staff can keep their jobs during the coronavirus crisis. The proposed leave would last until at least June 30 and allow permanent and casual workers to take time off work if they became infected or were forced to self-isolate, without requiring their employer’s OK. Makes sense.
4. Japanese booze giant Asahi has been given the green light to buy Carlton United Brewery (CUB) by the ACCC. Asahi, which already peddles the likes of Peroni and Moutain Goat alongside its namesake brew, will now add the likes of Carlton, VB, Fat Yak and Strongbow to its stables. The catch? It'll have to sell the likes of Beck and Stella to be permitted to go through with the deal.
5. It's the age-old question: what do you do when you want to hit the town but can't due to a global pandemic? You live-stream. Business Insider Australia spoke to some of the DJs and nightclubs around the country that are broadcasting directly into people's homes to "keep the party going". The Beastie Boys fought for your right, don't squander it now, people.
6. Offering a glimpse into where we all might be headed, the UK plans to issue coronavirus 'immunity passports' -- essentially certificates that officially state a citizen has thrown off COVID-19 and can "resume normal life", whatever that looks like in the midst of all this. Given we still haven't found the reliable antibody tests to carry out the plan, however, and the fact you'd need to contract the damn thing first to qualify, it looks like you're in confinement for a little while yet.
7. China has issued a stunning rebuke to countries complaining about its "defective" face masks. After the Netherlands recalled 600,000 of its national supply claiming they didn't meet health standards, the Chinese government has insisted they simply "double-check" the instructions to make sure they know what they're doing. It's the latest attempt, the Dutch say, at China trying to discredit the EU on COVID-19. Watch out, Russia.
8. Let's face it: For many in Australia, the worst thing about being cooped up at home is the fact sports have almost entirely disappeared from the planet. Well, it could be about to change as the suspended NBA considers playing an abridged post-season in Las Vegas, and beamed around the world. It's the latest example of sports leagues the world over eyeing radical measures to bring back some semblance of a competition. The NRL, for example, had this thought bubble earlier this week:
https://twitter.com/shauncrowe/status/1245236202464215044
9. The coronavirus has evidently been stress-testing economies, along with healthcare systems, and finding them in some cases, err, wanting. Take the US for example, where countless gig workers for some of the world's biggest companies have now been left to fend for themselves as unemployment skyrockets. Or the fact that even the US President is now talking about expanding Medicare because it "doesn't seem fair" 30 million people are underinsured. Will the pandemic lead to lasting structural change? I don't know, but at least we're talking about it.
10. When it's finished with financial markets, the coronavirus may help kneecap rents around Australia as well. Nearly 40,000 new listings have flooded the rental market in the last two weeks on Domain alone, meaning there are around 20% more rental properties available than this time last year, at the same time there are fewer people looking to move. If you're living in Sydney and Melbourne that should mean you're in a particularly good negotiating position right now as a tenant, for the first time in living memory.
Bonus item
Given the aforementioned lack of sport currently being played, we're reliving one of the craziest rivalries in football: El Super Clasico, a Mexican football match that comprises 60 million fans, earned 22 red cards in a single match, alongside an attack with metal pipes.
