Morning Report

A week on from the country moving to Alert Level 2, many of us are finding some relief in re-emerging into the 'new normal' by returning to work, takeaway coffee and quiet child-free homes.

But, the economy is projected to lose $21 billion in GDP in the next financial year and as that economic toll of Covid-19 bites, many others are finding their lives are nowhere near back to normal.

RNZ's In-depth reporting team have been taking a look at our economy through the eyes of workers and businesses owners for who the 'new normal' means devastated companies, job-prospects and future plans.

You can read Collateral Damage, an in-depth report on the cost of fighting Covid-19 here.

A brief update of movements in the financial sector.

The Mary Potter Hospice is facing a debt hole that its boss has admitted is unsustainable.

The charity's financial burden has grown after its charity shops were shut for two months and a major annual fundraiser postponed.

Even before Covid-19, the Wellington region hospice was facing a deficit of $2 million for this financial year.

RNZ's Rachel Thomas reports.

Sex workers say they're struggling to balance the privacy of their clients with the need to record contact tracing information, including real names and phone numbers.

They're doubtful the government's digital diary contact tracing app will help. Some of the names in this story have been changed for privacy.

RNZ's Katie Todd reports.

Bar operators are finalising their plans to reopen for the first time in eight weeks today - albeit under strict conditions.

The industry has been hit hard by the lockdown, with one in five businesses telling a survey they doubt they will survive the pandemic.

As bars begin to reopen, the experience may look a little different as patrons must remain seated and capacity is capped at a 100 people.

Despite the restrictions, operators are rearing to go and are keen to combat what they call FOGO - that is the Fear of Going Out under Covid-19.

Grady Elliott, a manager of bars in Auckland, Wellington and Blenheim, speak to Kim Hill.

Tomorrow is Decision Day, with National Party MPs called to Wellington for a vote on the party leadership.

Will it be Simon Bridges or challenger Todd Muller?

Former National Party president Michelle Boag speaks to Corin Dann.

Millions of people are hunkering down in India and Bangladesh as Cyclone Amphan makes landfall.

The cyclone is the worst storm to hit the Bay of Bengal in 20 years, bringing deadly storm surges, severe flooding and winds of up to 185 kilometres an hour.

Millions of people have been evacuated, but the mass evacuation is being complicated by Covid-19 social distancing measures.

Delhi correspondent Neha Poonia speaks to Corin Dann.

New Zealand's largest construction company is set to reduce its workforce by 10 percent by cutting 1000 jobs in New Zealand and 500 in Australia.

The announcement came less than a week after the government laid out a recovery plan in the Budget that leans heavily on the construction of major infrastructure projects.

Maurice Davis is the National Secretary of the Amalgamated Workers Union.

President Donald Trump has claimed it is "a badge of honour" that the US has the world's highest number of confirmed Covid-19 infections.

The US has 1.5 million coronavirus cases and nearly 92,000 deaths.

Trump said the number of cases was a tribute to the amount of testing being undertaken.

Washington correspondent Simon Marks speaks to Corin Dann.

The government's new Covid 19 app will not do what it's supposed to do.

That's the view of the Director of the Centre for Social Data Analytics at the Auckland University of Technology Dr Rhema Vaithianathan.

She says the app should notify people when they've been at a location where someone else has tested positive for Covid-19.