China

Healthcare

Intelligence on sick staff at Wuhan lab fuels debate on COVID-19 origin

WASHINGTON—Three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough in November 2019 that they sought hospital care, according to a previously undisclosed U.S. intelligence report that could add weight to growing calls for a fuller probe of whether the Covid-19 virus may have escaped from the laboratory.

Markets

Cryptocurrency crackdown by China is about more than the 'safety of people's property'

On Wednesday China echoed previous announcements, making clear in no uncertain terms that financial institutions and payment companies should not participate in any cryptocurrency-related transactions or services. The comments helped send the price of Bitcoin plummeting to its lowest price since January – $30,066,-- before recovering Thursday at around $41,000.

Economy

US trade deficit hits record

The U.S. trade deficit surged to a record $74.4 billion in March as an improving U.S. economy drove purchases of imported foreign goods.