Definitely not what the doctor ordered madagascars president and the herbal remedy that could put his people at risk. To suspected members of the syrian president s Security Forces go on trial in germany on torture charges. Hello thanks for joining us new figures released in the u. S. Paint a picture of an economy devastated by the coronavirus in just 5 weeks all the jobs created since the end of the 2009 recession have been wiped out so take a look at the numbers last week another 4400000 americans filed for Unemployment Benefits its the 3rd week that number of new claims has declined a sign the worst of the shock may be over but this is what it means a record 26400000 americans have now lost their job since the end of march thats when lockdowns shut down production and led to mass stuff for a lowes thats more than 15 percent of the entire u. S. Workforce are White House Correspondent kimberly begins our coverage record highs and expected to keep climbing because the reason we dont believe were at the peak in terms of filings yet is that this is just an older system throughout the United States that was never set up for this. Abundance of claims to be filed so we expect the numbers are going to continue to climb for at least a few more weeks you know the projections of gone as high as 46000000 in terms of the number of americans that lost their job over night now this weve seen this sort of manifest in a number of ways weve seen very long lines at food banks weve seen people wondering how theyre going to pay their bills of course they some americans did get checks in part of one of those rescue packages from the u. S. Congress but Many Americans a single individuals got just 1200. 00 and the cost of rent plus you know just a weeks worth of groceries could easily go far beyond that so Many Americans wondering how theyre going to make ends meet weve seen protests across the country as many are protesting these stay at home orders wanting to get back to work but the reality is that these shutdowns have occurred all across the sectors of the economy in the United States whether it be the Hospitality Industry or even now were starting to see it in the white collar industry as well given the fact that Many Companies just cant afford to stay close for this long and keep their employees on the payroll or members of the u. S. House of representatives are preparing to vote on a 484000000000. 00 relief bill to Fund Small Businesses and hospitals during the pandemic its the 2nd rescue package presented to congress and it includes funding for personal protective equipment on testing the house has already approved the creation of a special Investigative Panel to examine the governments response to the pandemic all things were going to discuss with Bill Schneider hes our political analyst hes joining us from washington hi there thanks for your time with us on the newshour 1st lets look at the unemployment numbers bill because even though the jobless claims have declined over the past 3 weeks theyre still at record highs is this a game changer for President Trump in an election year. It certainly is i mean its bound to be the number one issue in the election those numbers that you cited the percentage of americans who are unemployed its over 15 percent that is the highest number we have seen since the Great Depression of the 1930 s. Which was certainly a game changer in american politics and when it comes to the congress preparing to vote on yet another release bill how much relief is this actually providing the American People a little anything is helpful but 200. 00 which is a maximum a taxpayer in debt thats a very small part usually a grant to include that might be enough to carry them through a week or 2 many of the people who are laid off work or an hourly wage they dont make that much money this is bound to be of some help to them but its not long term assistance some of them get money through Unemployment Insurance which is a provided by the government but id love insurance insurance United States is not nearly as high as it is in most other industrial countries so that cant last but for so long ok so seeing that the economy is clearly taking a battering over the u. S. And we see these record highs when it comes to the jobless claims i mean does the president have a point when he appears to be very keen to reopen the economy as quickly as possible. Well he has a point the problem is that americans are not urging him to do that most americans there is a backlash to the shutdown and thats coming mostly from the parlor right and its not mostly people who are suffering from the economic setback although some of them are it is a lot of people on the far right who object to the government having too much power these are the same people who dont protest the the Obamacare Health care plan that it would take over american help the American Health industry these are people who are idiotically opposed to do much Government Spending and too much government power and they are the real core of the backlash against the entire Bailout Program for the American People so how would you so far rate President Trumps response to the coronavirus i mean some of his critics are saying hes openly disagreeing with science its a pattern that we see with the president but has advisors are saying well this is just the president trying to project optimism and give the American People hope. Well yes i mean you could make that argument but hes caught between 2 places hes really called in Different Directions but rather the American Population wants to be rescued they want their jobs were stored they want help they want money to help them get through this very difficult time and the president has been doing some things to help them do precisely that on the other hand there are a lot of people who think particularly in his party on the right who think that this activity by government goes over the top its too much government power. Curb American Freedom i mean the idea of telling americans they have to shut themselves in stay home they cannot go to work they have to wear masks all that sort of thing really goes against the American Dream because americans who are over 200 years americans have believed in limited government thats the system we have and so theres an india logical response as well as a practical response to what the president is doing and hes really trying to have it both ways thats very difficult all right Bill Schneider well leave it that we thank you very much thanks for joining us from washington now the World Health Organizations europe director says up to half the continents deaths could end up being from care homes dr hans kluger called it an unimaginable human tragedy but they make a sport like overlook that underdeveloped cordless or osa site across the unified region. It has often been built voters need. But it should not be to say we have it headed for you to feed right there lose an opportunity that the fine but of the generation that came before to leave must get part of it is over your belief the world behind a step of. European Union Leaders have held their 4th video summit on the corona Virus Outbreak but while they appeared to have agreed on the need to Work Together on an economic way out of the crisis they were less united on what that should look like this youre a pushes ahead with the search for a vaccine song and reports. In this laboratory in oxford a glimmer of hope human trials have now begun here with the vaccine. Researches are confident that it could take just months before they know if it would work and manufacturing it on a large scale could take much longer but hopefully this will give us some good data and hopefully in a couple of months or maybe a year or so we would be able to protect more people with us. In germany the 1st day back at school but nothing like these peoples could have imagined a partial reopening the old peoples only carries many restrictions social distancing is tightly in force between their designated desks the usual hive of energy replaced by a more careful serious mood despite having the 5th largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world germany is slowly relaxing its lockdown but a desire for things to return to normal as well as fears over the Economic Impact of the pandemic have come with a warning from the chancellor Angela Merkel is i mean thats not going to often targeted i will therefore tell you quite frankly that i fully support the decisions taken by the federal and state governments on wednesday last week but the implementation since then worries me in part it seems to me very brisk some of it seems to me to be quite brisk if not to say to praise. For the European Union the full extent of the damage the pandemic has caused the block wont be revealed for months but it is preparing for a slump the like of which has not been seen since world war 2 the European Commission has suggested a 325000000000. 00 Recovery Fund for his forthcoming budget as well as borrowing another 350000000000. 00 from Capital Markets to further spending they will be up to mr h. Because even if its difficult even if of course theres difference in cities in europe and goes into the surprise there is a very strong pretty to able to Work Together and to succeed to build compromises. On the political strains are already evident wealthier countries such as france will remain under pressure to provide aid to the blocs less well off members as a test of solidarity that could define the very future of the union itself sony vaio. South africas nationwide lockdown will be gradually from the beginning of next month South Africans have been under some of the strictest measures across africa with reservists drafted in to help troops and police enforce the lockdown the president Cyril Ramaphosa says some Economic Activity will be allowed to resume from may the 1st he says the measures will be lifted slowly to reduce the risk of a spike in infections beyond thursday the 30th of april we should begin a gradual and phased recovery of Economic Activity we will implement. What we call the risk adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and approach to the easing of current lockdown constrictions from a similar in johannesburg has more on what the measures will mean 1st South Africans the president to use the sadrist to outline 5 key phases of a lockdown or a reopening of Economic Activity and an easing of restrictions and moving from level 5 with south africa is now 4 which is you know at the end of that spectrum the the harshest restrictions so far south africa would move to level 4 which the president has said would then still include some pretty tough restrictions for South Africans but i think the key difference would be the reopening of Economic Activity and even then companies would be forced to only allow a 3rd of their workforce at the places of employment at any given time now borders in south africa will remain closed besides repack creating South Africans will be no travelling between individual provinces for south africa all gatherings will remain prohibited by the government but sides funerals so there is some change but i think not the kind of relief millions of South Africans were hoping for given thats all there is now entering the 5th the week of a very Strict Lockdown klutzes speak to use of abram gee hes a social activist in pretoria thats where hes joining us from via skype thanks for his time with us on aljazeera so president obama personally clearly trying to strike a balance between opening up the economy gradually getting life back to normal and not risking a spike in factions is he getting that balance rights. Indeed thats when the president go to go to a very long way to win over the hearts and minds of product and the correspondent mentioned when the 1st week of the lockdown thats going to have to be patient and i think since the announcement will be not done with anon weve seen solidly Community Even if youre going to be approved in the regulations yes there are some exceptions a lot of progress has been made but i think that i had one of the. Phone in. For the lockdown on the continent not the world i didnt know el calls can be sold no secrets can be sold a total log but i think its quite a relief for many South Africans when the president announced this evening that come before us go maybe we go to another level talk which hes a lot of this connection but slowly but surely the economy will then get going this story has a how low level for that impact South Africans in your opinion. When we stick we do largely have a black cloud the borders will remain so knowing that the shelf life will be a lot the economy will slowly get back to normal some of the effect that it will be an occupant. Of deployed duction the trade off to get ahead so will be allowed is something that ive been canvassing for a sticks just thought i think because they can if it greatly very good right l. Paul will not be allowed to be so getting dispirited and we see some sports and we dont get a deal on what can to be will be open will be allowed to be open the provincial borders will remain closed so yeah you can you know. Level full is quite harsh but i think its much needed because of the overall figure how to look at the low but i think government is very far to look at the numbers over the coming days but for many People Living in south africa and we also know that south africa is one of the most unequal societies in this lockdown has resulted in. Greater hardships particularly for those that live in the townships so with crimes on hygenic conditions we have what do you think People Living in socalled checked settlements it informal settlements we having a major on the crisis in fact the levels of poverty the level of hunger the worst ever seen in south africa people dont know where their next meal is coming from with no government announced a 500000000 or a back each to help those in need over the coming weeks but yes a lot of work still needs to be done the long gone his knowledge and even a new bike and little education still needs to be done to the informal settlements weve even seen found at the crime levels generally have gone down because of the increased police brazenly increase members of the Significant NationalDefense Force out of the crisis hes going to be the next big thing to address during this lock down all right so use of a brown to rethink you very much for speaking to us from his for ya. Now the World Health Organization has dismissed a herbal tea tell it as a cure for the virus by the president of madagascar the drink contains the artemisia plants which is normally used to treat malaria and the president claimed the tonic would cure coronavirus patients within 7 dates its being given out for free to the countrys most vulnerable w h os warns there is no evidence alternative remedies can cure the virus and some may not be safe to consume but many in madagascar say they trust their president s. And. Even the president said this remotely cures and we trust him so we drink it. Yes its healing we hope that he has many people so he can have a happy life in madagascar the president is making efforts to see all of the people of madagascar. For. When i discovered this drink i said to myself how come sick people dont drink it and why do we make students drink it i hesitated a lot. Lets shift gears for a moment and get more on the situation in latin america when it comes to the coronavirus john homan is joining us from mexico what new measures are restrictions are being announced in mexico john. One of the main restrictions its coming place actually today. We regionally i think everyone in mexico really felt that in mexico city because were going to be allowed to circulate its a little bit less strict than that below me theres only a clamp down which days they can circulate which conditions of because its a little bit complicated but it will still be traffic on the road here theres also more of a clamp down on nonessential business being open in mexico that rule is actually put in place a couple of weeks ago but i think theyre going to get a lot more street now and thats because mexico is entering the red sort of they could face 3 in which theyre looking at a lot more infections a lot more hospitals filling up. With the cases and it seems that mexicos hospitals are actually getting pretty near to capacity even now its actually the country of