News Headlines - 11 May 2020

▽Japan's Abe Criticised for Move on Prosecutors During Coronavirus Crisis - The New York Times

Celebrities and other critics of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have taken to social media in droves to protest against a plan to raise the retirement age for prosecutors, calling it undemocratic and ill-timed during the coronavirus crisis.
Critics fear such a move would let an administration retain favourites in key posts, endangering prosecutors' independence, and were angered by its timing during the virus pandemic, Abe's handling of which has drawn fire for being slow and clumsy.
A survey published in the Nikkei daily on Monday showed 55% of respondents disapproved of Abe's handling of the crisis, up 11 points from a previous poll, although support for his cabinet was little changed at 49%, after a decline this year.

▽CDC Finds Another 5,000+ NYC Deaths in March and April With Potential COVID-19 Links - NBC New York

By the CDC's reckoning, from March 11 to May 2, New York City had 24,172 excess deaths over what would be expected. Of those, the CDC found 78 percent of them to be confirmed or probable COVID-19 deaths.
But that leaves 5,293 more deaths over the baseline and not immediately explained by a confirmed or probable COVID diagnosis.
"The 5,293 excess deaths not identified as confirmed or probable COVID-19 associated deaths might have been directly or indirectly attributable to the pandemic," the CDC said.

▽Shanghai Disneyland reopens with anti-virus controls : The Asahi Shimbun

Visitors in face masks streamed into Shanghai Disneyland as the theme park reopened Monday in a high-profile step toward reviving tourism that was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.
The House of Mouse’s experience in Shanghai, the first of its parks to reopen, foreshadows hurdles global entertainment industries might face. Disney is limiting visitor numbers, requiring masks and checking for the virus’s telltale fever.
China, where the pandemic began in December, was the first country to reopen factories and other businesses after declaring the disease under control in March even as infections rise and controls are tightened in some other countries.

▽Matt Lucas' video mocking Boris Johnson's speech to the nation goes viral | Sky News

Comedian Matt Lucas has posted a video mocking Boris Johnson's speech to the nation on coronavirus.
In a clip which has been viewed more than three million times on Twitter, the Little Britain star parodied the prime minister following his announcement on how the lockdown will eased in England.

▽Brussels' mayor offers Manneken-pis a new face mask

The municipality of the city of Brussels gives the Manneken-pis a new face mask with a Belgian flag. Since the beginning of the lockdown, a white mask has been seen on the city's most famous statue.