May 26, 2020 - World

Putin presses forward with Victory Day parade, despite climbing coronavirus cases

Vladimir Putin holds a video conference meeting at his residence on March 26. Photo: Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS via Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his defense minister to start planning the country's annual military parade on Tuesday, saying that the event would take place on June 24, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Russia is reporting the third most coronavirus cases in the world, per Johns Hopkins data. Experts doubt the official numbers, as the country is reporting significantly fewer deaths than the other most-affected nations.

Our thought bubble, via Axios' Dave Lawler: Opportunities to display strength and channel national pride are critically important to Putin, particularly now. Doubts are creeping in about his government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and a referendum that could allow him to hold onto power through 2036 is expected to be rescheduled soon.

Details: The parade, which normally takes place in early May to celebrate the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany, was postponed due to the virus.

  • Russia is reporting over 360,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths associated with COVID-19, per Johns Hopkins.

Go deeper: Pandemic brings Putin down to size

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Axios
Updated 4 hours ago - Health

World coronavirus updates

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

While several novel coronavirus vaccines are in late-stage trials, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday: "There is no silver bullet at the moment, and there might never be."

What he's saying: "For now, stopping outbreaks comes down the the basis of public health and disease control," Tedros said. Testing, isolating and treating patients and tracing and quarantining their contacts."

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Caitlin Owens
Jul 27, 2020 - Health

Coronavirus deaths skew younger in the South

Data: Kaiser Family Foundation; Graphic: Naema Ahmed/Axios

Adults under 65 make up a higher share of coronavirus deaths in the South than in the Northeast, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Why it matters: Downplaying the risk of the virus to younger adults can be dangerous, especially amid the current surge of cases in Southern and Sunbelt states like Arizona and Texas.

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Ashley Gold, Fadel Allassan
Jul 27, 2020 - Health

Google to keep workers at home through July 2021

Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Google will keep its employees out of its offices and working from home through at least next July, the tech giant confirmed on Monday.

Why it matters: It's the first major U.S. company to allow remote work for such an extended period in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the extension.

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