Amazon is not accepting new products to its warehouse service except household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand items through April 5, according to an announcement obtained by NBC News. Amazon confirmed the authenticity of the announcement.
“We are seeing increased online shopping and as a result some products such as household staples and medical supplies are out of stock,” the company announced on its seller platform called Seller Central. “With this in mind, we are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers.”
The company said that high-demand goods include baby products, health and household items, beauty and personal care products, groceries, industrial items and pet supplies.
Spain turns back cars at land borders as death toll rises to 491
Spain set up police checks at its land borders with France and Portugal on Tuesday and turned back foreigners attempting to enter, part of strict measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Europe’s second hardest-hit country.
The government reported 182 new fatalities overnight, bringing the total dead to 491 and making Spain the country with the world’s fastest-rising toll behind Italy. The number of infected topped 10,000 for the first time to 11,178.
Spain closed its land borders on Monday to all but Spaniards, permanent residents and trans-border workers. Trade in goods is not affected.
Australian supermarkets open early to allow elderly to shop and buy supplies
A major supermarket chain in Australia opened earlier than usual on Tuesday dedicating a shopping hour for the elderly and the disabled as anxiety over the coronavirus increases.
Shoppers waited outside Woolworths supermarkets chain waiting for a chance to buy necessities before stores opened to the general public.
The move comes after the country witnessed panic buying in recent weeks, especially for toilet paper, rice, pasta and frozen foods.
Similar “elderly hours” were also reported in shops in Iceland and Canada.
Euro 2020 championship postponed over coronavirus, Sweden and Norway’s soccer authorities say
Soccer’s 2020 European Championship has been postponed for a year as the world fights to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Norwegian and Swedish football associations said on Tuesday.
Swedish Football Association chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson said in a message to Reuters during a UEFA video conference call that the tournament will now take place in summer of 2021.
The Norwegian FA tweeted the news from its official account.
UEFA, who is yet to confirm the decision, was under pressure to push back the tournament to give suspended domestic leagues time to be completed.
Senate Democrats have prepped third coronavirus aid package
WASHINGTON — As Congress and the White House are already eyeing a third aid package to address the coronavirus outbreak, Senate Democrats have prepared their own package that would cost at least $750 billion.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., plans to present it to his Democratic caucus during a powerpoint during a tele-lunch they are having Tuesday.
He plans to “explain the contrast to the GOP’s expected proposals of industry bailouts and tax cuts,” a senior Democratic aide said.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is preparing an aid package that is expected to total $850 billion, according to two administration officials.
Dierks Bentley donates $90K to employees after closing Nashville bar
Country music star Dierks Bentley said he is donating $90,000 to help his hourly employees after he was forced to close his Whiskey Row bar and grill in Nashville, Tennessee, due to the coronavirus.
“Just gave last call at @whiskeyrownashville as we close the doors for a while. My heart goes out to all the guys/girls down on Lower Broad. Feels like yesterday that it was me down there working for tips,” he said in a tweet.
“I am going to immediately give each of our 90 hourly employees $1,000 to help in the short run as our community and country try to get a handle on the situation,” he said.
First Read: Dem race could be frozen in place after Tuesday’s primaries
It’s likely — if not certain — that tonight’s Democratic presidential primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois will be the last ones for the next two months.
And it’s unclear what, exactly, is going to happen today in Ohio, where the state’s governor said he wouldn’t open the state’s polling places, defying a judge who declined to postpone the state’s primary.
It all freezes into place a Democratic nominating contest — with uncertainty about when it all begins again.
Kentucky Derby to be postponed until September
The Kentucky Derby, the iconic annual horse race, will be postponed from May to September, according to a news release.
The race will now be held on Sept. 5.
The Derby is the latest major sporting event to be postponed or called off because of the global coronavirus outbreak.
Dow bounces back nervously as coronavirus continues to slam markets
The stock market bounced back nervously on Tuesday, the morning after the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered its worst single-day points drop ever as traders grappled with almost unprecedented economic volatility.
The Dow opened with a modest rebound of around 400 points, and the S&P and Nasdaq notched up gains of around 2.5 percent each.
While analysts, economists, and even President Donald Trump make mention of the possibility of a recession, some are now even contemplating whether the massive social and economic upheaval could throw the U.S. into a depression.
Monday was the worst day for the Dow and the S&P 500 since the Black Monday crash of 1987.
