COVID-19 Informer: The world follows Australia's lead and extends lockdown

Hours after learning Australians will be staying indoors for another four weeks, extended lockdowns became a thing. New York, the UK and Canada jumped aboard the "no chance, not now" bandwagon.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says the country's lockdown will continue for at least three more weeks; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo extended his stay-at-home order by another two weeks as did a number of other state leaders in the US; while Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said it was still "many weeks" before discussions on lifting restrictions could even begin.

The move in the US to "regionalise" the response comes in direct opposition to President Donald Trump who has ignored concerns from health experts, governors and business leaders about the dangers of lifting restrictions without widespread testing in place.

Mr Trump has just announced he will explain guidelines for "opening up America again" at a news conference to be held soon.

"We're going to be talking about guidelines that have been very carefully done," Trump said at an event celebrating American truck drivers.

The President said he would be speaking to governors one hour before his news conference at the White House at 8am AEST.

That will please the thousands of flag-waving, honking protesters who let Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer they don't appreciate the state's lockdown orders.

Meanwhile another 5.2 million more Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department reported on Thursday, lifting total filings for claims over the past month to more than 20 million.

In Japan a nationwide state of emergency has been declared due to the country's worsening coronavirus outbreak.

The move allows regional governments to urge people to stay inside, but without punitive measures or legal force.

The state of emergency will remain in force until May 6.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has postponed a Victory Day parade marking the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, an event planned as a lavish celebration that has topped the Kremlin's political agenda.

Speaking in televised remarks on Thursday, a grim-faced Putin said the coronavirus pandemic makes public gatherings in Red Square too dangerous.

On a brighter note, millions of Brits united to 'clap for carers' overnight in sheer appreciation for the health workers doing their best in the face of COVID-19.

And then Captain Tom Moore, the 99-year-old war veteran we met yesterday. Watch him walked the last of his 100 laps of his garden. It's raised a whopping £16m and counting for the health service.

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